Thunderbird Station’s Boozy Root Beer Floats Have Arrived in Deep Ellum

Thunderbird Station, the long-awaited new project from Double Wide and Single Wide owner Kim Finch, is now open in Deep Ellum.

The nostalgia-tinged Thunderbird, at 3400 Commerce Street, is housed in a streamline moderne former filling station that was originally built in 1922. It was also previously the location of Bowls & Tacos, which closed in February 2019. As part of the revamp, Finch added an impressive A-frame awning to complete the midcentury look and to provide cover for plenty of outdoor seating. The bar’s name is inspired by muscle cars, a nod to Riegel’s Service Shop, which operated at the location for 62 years.

Like Finch’s other bars, Thunderbird will focus on kitschy cocktails and comfort food, including the Junk Yard Dog, a boozy root beer float, and the Fuzzy Dice, a gin and grape soda beverage. Food includes dishes like Frito chili pie, a “Mechanic board” with a selection of cheeses and meats, and the “Sloppy Jalopy,” an extra-deluxe Sloppy Joe topped with bologna, gooey melted cheese and crispy chips on the sandwich.

Thunderbird Station’s sister bar, the trailer-park themed Double Wide, is across the street on Canton. Single Wide is a few miles North on Greenville Avenue. Back in August, Finch talked to Eater about the struggles her bars were facing under statewide COVID closures, saying that not having on-site kitchens made reopening nearly impossible. Both of those bars remain closed for now, but fans of Finch’s vintage punk rock aesthetic can get their fill at Thunderbird starting at 4 p.m. this afternoon.

Thunderbird Station will be open 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Friday, and noon to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

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