After almost a year after The Shacks Dining & Dog Park opened in The Colony, a new concept has joined the eclectic offerings of the eight-acre project. Grrrowler’s Tap Room and Beer Garden opened their doors to the public this past Saturday, June 9th to dog owners and beer enthusiasts alike. The first foray into this industry for owner/operator Doug Karr features seasonal and local craft beer and growler fills from 25 taps, 4 wines on tap, and a wide selection of packaged beers and single-serve wines available for carryout.
Karr quips, “We got the idea when visiting the dog park one day and realized the only thing missing from The Shacks [at Austin Ranch] was fine craft beer.” Along with his sister Leigh Ann and his dog, Ila, the thought soon solidified into a business plan and then the build-out of an extra-large patio that extends over the one-acre dog park. Karr believes The Shacks is the right location because, “it’s already an exciting people and dog hangout.”
Sumner Billingsley, Billingsley Company’s Vice President of Multifamily and Retail Development notes, “We’re thrilled to be able to complement our current retailers with this new tap room concept. When your dog park can also double as a beer garden, it seems a bit like Austin to us, and that felt right for this space.” The Billingsley’s intentionally kept the natural views and large trees when developing the land, a nod to the hill-country inspiration that so many years ago gave way to the name Austin Ranch.
The other retailers in the mix of six small restaurant spaces that share a large open-air patio include a James Beard Award semi-finalist with TEN Ramen, cult favorite OMG Tacos, and two shacks from well- known restaurateur Frank Carabetta, with Dirty Burger Bar and Tackle Box Seafood.
The Shacks will officially celebrate their one-year anniversary with an event on the patio this Saturday, June 16th from 11am to 2pm with a vendor fair, pet events and food and drink specials from the bars and restaurants overlooking the dog park. This event is pet- and family-friendly, including a bounce house and face painter for the human kids, and mobile grooming and pet snacks for the furry ones.
Located at the southeast corner of Windhaven Parkway and Plano Parkway, the project has created a tremendous amenity for not only the 5,000+ residents at Austin Ranch, but is serving the growing nearby single-family and corporate communities as well.
Billingsley Company has been very active in their 1,700-acre master-planned development since 2010. New multifamily developments of The Boat House and The Hudson have bolstered the area as a residential community. Office additions of Sanyo and Quest Resource Management in recent years add to the mixed-use theme of the development. In addition, Billingsley Company recently announced a 300,000 square-foot build-to-suit office campus for AmerisourceBergen Specialty Group. The campus will open in the second quarter of 2019.
About The Shacks
Designed and developed by Billingsley Company, six small restaurant spaces share a large open-air patio overlooking a public one-acre dog park. With rolling terrain and huge oak trees, the restored and reclaimed construction of The Shacks was designed to complement the natural beauty of the area. The Shacks lies on eight-acres on the southwest corner of Plano Parkway and Windhaven Parkway in The Colony. For more information, visit www.shacksaustinranch.com.
About Austin Ranch
Set on over 1,700 vast acres of picturesque rolling Texas hills, just one mile west of the North Dallas Tollway and bordering SH 121, Austin Ranch offers an unsurpassed mixed-use development of office, distribution center, retail and residential product. The location offers less time commuting with the ability to shop or even live around the corner. Austin Ranch offers architectural quality and functionality with an artistic flare that is the trademark of Billingsley Company. For further information, visitwww.austinranch.com.
About Billingsley Company
With offices both in The Arts District in Dallas, Houston, The Colony, and Carrollton, Billingsley Company delivers unique insight and expertise to the art and science of commercial and residential real estate development. Founded in 1978 by Lucy and Henry Billingsley, Billingsley co-owns, designs, finances, leases, and manages their properties for the future success of their investments and the success of their tenants.
Combining their relationships in the local market with their expertise in development, Billingsley Company provides expanded opportunities for their business partners. From raw land to build-to-suit projects and fully developed communities, they are engaged in each step of the process. Delivering smart design integrated with artistic works and natural spaces, Billingsley Company’s developments are life-enhancing communities in which to work, live, play, shop and dine. For further information, visit www.billingsleyco.com
