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Mermaid Raw Bar and Champagne Room will open July 12
The minds behind ritzy European restaurant Paradiso and craft cocktail lounge Botanist are set to open a kitschy new raw bar and champagne room next week in Bishop Arts. Mermaid, at 308 North Bishop Avenue, will open on Monday, July 12 at 3 p.m. The intimate space will bring South Beach vibes to the neighborhood, with a scalloped bar and vintage-glam beach decor in a space adjacent to sibling restaurant Paradiso. In addition to raw oysters served with grapefruit and lavender mignonette, the restaurant will also serve dishes like tuna crudo with stonefruit, butter-poached lobster tail, and crab and melon consommé.
Custard shop Wild About Harry’s closes after 25 years
Wild About Harrys, the family-owned custard shop that has been serving ice cold treats to Dallasites for more than two decades, officially closed on July 4. The shop, which was located at 4527 Travis Street near Highland Park, was forced to closed because the building that housed it is being torn down, according to the Dallas Morning News. It’s the second time in three years that renovations have displaced the shop — after many years on Knox Street near McKinney Avenue, Harry’s moved to Travis while its original location underwent a major redevelopment. Owner Sydney Coley-Berglund told the DMN that the shop did not have a new lease lined up. “There is nowhere to go,” she said.
Walmart sues Texas for the right to sell hard liquor
Grocery giant Walmart has sued the state of Texas, claiming that the state’s laws, which prevent large, publicly-traded companies from selling liquor, are discriminatory. The case, which was filed June 29, alleges that the state’s law violates its own constitution, reports CultureMap. It’s not the first time the retailer has sued the state — a separate federal case was filed in 2015, but courts eventually sided with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. Walmart is currently the largest retailer of beer and wine in Texas, but can not sell hard alcohol.
