DENTON STARTUP WEEKEND 2017

will milne November 1, 2017

Entrepreneur. It’s kind of a dumb word if you think about it, and to most people (especially students) it carries some buzzwords with it that seem very business-y. When I first heard “entrepreneur," I thought to myself, “That’s for people in the college of business.” It never really struck me as, “I’m an entrepreneur,” even though looking back on my life, I’ve been an entrepreneur since I was a kid. Everything from trading Pokémon cards, making beaded bracelets and necklaces, and burning CDs for friends before we learned we probably shouldn’t were all entrepreneurial endeavors that were abundant in my youth (as they probably were in yours).

That’s the thing, though. Being an entrepreneur isn’t about putting on a suit jacket or making apps. It’s about making a living doing something you love, while making sure other people love it too (that’s what we call customer validation). And this is one of the things I learned going through Startup Weekend.

Click through to read more about the upcoming Startup Weekend taking place in Denton, TX.

UPVENTUR FINDS HOME IN DENTON

will milne August 18, 2017

“We’ve found more of a home.”

That’s what Jacki Wilson, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Upventur had to say about the company’s relocation from Frisco to Denton. Wilson says that Denton has been welcoming and that she appreciates the great energy and vibe that Denton offers.

The tech company relocated from Frisco to Stoke, the city owned co-working space in downtown Denton, earlier this year. Read on to find out how things have been going for them since launching their platform last month!

URBAN TRIBE CARGO BIKES

will milne August 8, 2017

The U.S. may be behind in the eco-friendly lifestyle compared to other European countries, but we just took one more step in a positive direction.

This September, one of the first American companies to make Danish-style Cargo Bikes, Urban Tribe Cargo Bicycles, will ship out their first round of bikes from our very own city of Denton. The group, founded by Dentonite Aaron Powell, already have their wheels in motion. Read on for more info and to find out how you can get your own Urban Tribe Cargo Bike with a steep discount!

MIX IT UP WITH MAIN STREET

Alyssa Stevenson January 27, 2017

The Denton Main Street Association has long been part of the revitalization of downtown Denton. Years of hard work, organization, community led events and more have gone into the efforts to help encourage business and community. Tonight's MSA Membership Mixer was one for the books as board members took time this evening to recognize a group of individuals who have an impact on Denton and the Downtown area, respectively.

DENTON BUSINESS UPDATE: MARCH

will milne March 24, 2016

The Denton openings/closings are just too much to keep up with. We use Evernote to keep track of all sorts of stuff that has happened in town and then load up our notes when it is time to write. And even then - in the short span of just a month - when we re-read our notes, we're kinda like, "Oh yeah. That happened." Dirt moves quick in Denton County, y'all. Read on for the local wheelings and dealings in this month's Denton Business Update.

DENTON BUSINESS DEALINGS: FEBRUARY 2016

will milne February 5, 2016

We're a month and five days into 2016 already and stuff is happening, y'all. Will 2016 see as many changes to the Denton retail, dining, and housing landscape as has been seen in the past few years? It is definitely shaping up to look like that may be the case. Read on to learn about the latest openings, closings, and rumors in the Denton business world.

Glen Farris checking out the smokers at Gold Mine BBQ before they opened summer of 2013.

QUICK DENTON BUSINESS UPDATE: SHUTTING THEIR DOORS

will milne September 3, 2014

In the past few days, we've seen a few Denton businesses close down. On Monday, Last Drop Tavern announced that they would cease operations at their current location on S. Elm in the same shopping center as Bet the House BBQ. They claim that it was due to disagreements with their landlord. This comes after they announced they would be making changes to adjust for the city code just last week. We actually loved their pizza (it helped that they named one after us), and put the spot in our pizza Jive Five even, but know that they had their share of operating problems. Their Facebook page says that there's a possibility we may see them reopen at some point in the future closer to the square. We hope that happens and that a few of the kinks get ironed out, because that was some darned good pizza.

Pizza from the recently shut down Last Drop Tavern.

In addition, Gold Mine BBQ announced that they would close down for good on Tuesday, September 2nd. The barbecue restaurant has been operating in the old Vigne wine location on W. Hickory for over a year. They make the claim that much of their closing has to do with TABC restrictions. While it wasn't our favorite place, we're still sad to see any locally owned business close their doors.

South Elm Restaurant and Bar (on S. Elm in the old Irish Boozer spot) closed down super fast last month after only a few months in operation. We actually never got the chance to check it out so we're not sure what we're missing.

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Tai Pei Railroad on Pockrus Paige Rd. has also ceased operations. We'd love to get in touch with that dude and see if he plans on relocating at all because that place was flipping delicious. So, if you know the dude, get us his contact info, please.

On the positive side, August saw the opening of Big Fatty's Spanking Shack (yes, Big Fatty's Spanking Shack) on Parkway. While the folks behind Big Fatty's have been kicking it around in town in some way or another for a while, we're excited they have this space now and are excited to check it out. The menu looks fun and even has an item called, "spanked balls."

Also, in the realm of spaces that have held many restaurants in the past couple of years, Beirut Mediterranean Grill recently opened in the old Royal East/that one cajun spot place on University Drive. We haven't had the chance to check it out yet, but they have shwarma and falafel, so...we'll be headed there soon.

And, finally, Hypnotic Donuts and Cultivar Coffee Bar officially open today in their spot on West Hickory. We had a little preview of the space yesterday, but we're excited to get back in and try out a few more items. In addition, the new location of Viet Bites should open this week (if not today), and the Denton location of Pizza Snob (from DRC) should open in the retail section of the H Squared apartments (also on W. Hickory) in about a month or so.

Do all of these business closings spell out doom for the world of Denton business? Surely not. In the same time frame, several businesses have opened and been met with vast amounts of success. After-all, 80% of businesses fail within their first 18 months. Some more organic growth and time and we'll be seeing South Elm hopefully frolicking in no time. And if we look at what's succeeded in Denton lately, maybe we just need a hybrid handmade BBQ/donut shop with a rooftop patio and food trucks nearby. Get on it, people.

INTERVIEW: AUSTIN STREET APOTHECARY

Alyssa Stevenson March 4, 2013

Photos by Chris Newby and Molly Tester

Caitlin Crawford is incredibly talented at keeping our lips from being chapped, our hands from being cracked, and our faces from looking anything but glowing. The creator of the local, all-natural personal care line, Austin Street Apothecary, has a few new things coming out this spring. We wanted to know what she's been up to and what's in the works.

Austin St. Apothecary's Sugar Scrub Photo by Chris Newby — Austin St. Apothecary's Sugar Scrub
*Photo by Chris Newby*

What inspired you to start Austin St. Apothecary?

Over the past few years my husband, Clint, and I have been on this investigative journey that started with household cleaning products, then transitioned to food, and now has us delving into personal care products. We found ourselves at a place where we sat back and just began asking simple questions about the things we were bringing into our home and bodies- Where do these things come from? What are they made of? How are they made? We came to the realization that so many of the products we depended on were filled with chemicals whose names we weren’t able to recognize, let alone pronounce. So Austin Street Apothecary was born out of a desire to provide pure, simple personal care products for my family made from natural, high-quality organic ingredients.

Since Denton is full of health-conscious people who share similar values, friends and neighbors began requesting products which gave me the idea to start a little business to see what would happen.

Austin St. seems like such a cool and tight knit community. Tell us about it.

We are crazy about our little neighborhood. We’ve lived there for almost five years- we’ve even moved once, almost directly across the street from our previous home- and can’t imagine living anywhere else.

To me, Austin Street encompasses what makes Denton so great. It’s a creative, civic-minded neighborhood that’s a little rough around the edges but full of heart. There’s a unique culture to our part of town and I love the community that we have here- neighbors organize trash pick-ups every few months and during the summer we sometimes play neighborhood kickball games at Quakertown Park.

Austin St. Apothecary products and ingredients. Photo by Chris Newby — Austin St. Apothecary products and ingredients.
*Photo by Chris Newby*

Tell is about your face oils.

The first time I washed my face with oil I was convinced I had made a life-ruining mistake. Thankfully I was just being dramatic, but now I will never go back to using a store-bought face wash! Your body produces a natural oil called sebum which protects and moisturizes your skin. Typical store-bought cleansers, even the “natural” ones, usually contain harsh chemicals that strip your skin of sebum and leave skin overly dry and tight. In an effort to restore balance, your skin overproduces sebum which can lead to oily skin and blemishes, which usually leads to more washing or more severe products. And so the cycle continues.

Our oil cleansing face wash is full of organic, cold-pressed oils that dissolve the existing oil on your face that’s been made dirty by makeup, impurities, or pollutants by the end of the day. Pure essential oils nourish and heal the skin, and the oil leaves skin perfectly clean and moisturized. Oil cleansing face wash is one of our more unique items and I’ve gotten such great feedback from people who have tried it. There’s a little bit of a learning curve when you start washing your skin with oil, but the process is so spa-like and serene I really looking forward to it in the evening. Setting aside time at the end of the day for self-care and reflection should be a habit for everyone.

What new products are coming our way this year?

I’m currently in the research and development phase for a few different products including a nourishing night-time serum and a conditioning beard oil for the fellas. I’ve seen some amazing beards around town so I know there’s definitely a market for it! I also just introduced a chamomile flavored lip balm and have a few more new flavors in mind for the spring and summer.

How was your experience with the Denton Community Market?

I have absolutely LOVED our time at the Denton Community Market! Selling handmade goods to customers in person is a wonderfully intimate exchange- these are products we’ve spent hours and hours dreaming up, researching, planning, developing, testing, and perfecting. It’s so rewarding to have a customer approach me with a need and then to be able to immediately meet that need with something I have made with my own hands.

If you could have a perfect Denton day – what would it entail?

First, we’d ride our Buddy scooter to Cups and Crepes for french toast, then spend a few hours browsing at Recycled and take our finds to lounge in the grass in front of the Courthouse and people watch while having a picnic lunch. Hopefully there’s live music playing somewhere. Pop into the Mini-Mall to hunt for some treasures to show off on our display hutch at Community Market then stop by Jupiter House to say hi to friends and have a chai latte. I’m always craving sushi, so we’d drop by Mr. Chopsticks for a rainbow roll and miso then finish up the night with drinks at Oak Street with friends.