MR. FARRIS MIGHT REALLY GO TO CITY HALL

By Glen Farris

Photo by Dave Koen. 

Photo by Dave Koen. 

This Saturday, May 10th, the residents of Denton will have an opportunity to exercise one of the greatest rights as Americans we have: the right to choose it’s leaders by vote. The sanctity of the voting booth is a cornerstone of our democracy, it is a right that has been defended and solemnly protected in our country’s 238 year history and yet it’s estimated our voter turnout will be around 5%. If you’ve ever wondered why things are the way they are in Denton, there’s your answer. There are 5% of us deciding our city’s direction and future. In the face of that much disengagement and apathy, We Denton Do It decided to take this challenge head on by providing information and avenues for involvement to our readers.

On February 22nd of last year, we posted the first Mr. Farris Goes To City Hall article. This was a first of a series of posts about the inner workings of our city and was a product of many things. The first and foremost was the belief that citizens should engage their local government if they wanted to see positive change in their city. My ambition was based on serving the community, just as it always has been. 

I want the best for our city. I see its potential. My love for my community has compelled me to serve whenever and wherever I was asked and to pitch in wherever needed; to be a part of my community. I saw it as my duty to relay what I had learned through We Denton Do It and thus the possibly prophetic Mr. Farris Goes To City Hall was born.

Running for a public office has been quite an experience. It has been overwhelmingly encouraging to take part in the beautiful mess that is democracy. Whether it’s knocking on doors and driving miles through District 2 to neighborhood meetings or attending the many forums hosted these past few months; it has been an amazing journey and I am humbled by the generosity and support that our campaign has received along the way. In the midst of the hours of work, what kept me pushing to the end was the reminder of why I was running to begin with: because I love my city.

Beyond loving my city and wishing to extend my service, I’ve got some big ideas as well: 

- We need healthy neighborhoods and a vibrant downtown. It’s time to look at economic development from all sides and recognize that we need to provide parks, libraries, public art along with higher wage-jobs. 

- We need a caring and inclusive community. The doors are open and the table is set for us to prosper and I believe that the only way we can move into the future is together. Let’s move passed the burned bridges and rifts of the past.

- We need increased community engagement. I will continue to encourage this through all means available.

- We need to compete on the national level for jobs, people and investment.

- We need to streamline our developmental code. What we have now is inefficient and if we’re going to encourage economic development we need to be encouraging a culture of customer service with developers. 

- We need thoughtful growth. Denton is, without a doubt, going to rapidly grow in the near future, set to double in population by 2030. Let’s be mindful and retain our identity as we grow.

- We need to be a regional and national leader in the areas of tech growth and sustainability. We’ve got the talent and the resources in both these areas, let's take advantage of them.

It is through my service and love of my city that I have proven myself to be a responsible representative with the best interests of the residents of Denton. That’s why I am confidently asking for your support and your vote this Saturday, May 10th. No where else will your voice be louder or more powerful. 

A vote for Glen Farris is a vote for Denton.

Polls are open Saturday May 10th from 7AM to 7PM. CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO.

glenfarrisfordenton.com
facebook.com/glenfarrisfordenton
twitter.com/glenfarris
instagram.com/glenfarris

 

QUICK DENTON BIZ UPDATE: MAY 2014

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As always, there's a lot going on in town, business-wise at the moment. Glen is pretty busy with his campaign. We should hear more from him in another "Mr. Farris Goes to City Hall" column soon, though. In the meantime, here's another Quick Denton Business Update! Take two minutes (less if you read at a 6th grade level) to make sure you're in the know with what all is going on in town. 

The owners of the Fine Arts Theatre are working to restore the space and return it to being a movie theatre and music venue once more. The restoration is already in the beginning stages and we're super excited about this. We've been saying for years that we wish we could see movies in this space. We're not so sure about the need for it to be a multi-purpose venue, though. We just want an awesome movie theatre that maybe plays some fun old movies and some art house films so we don't have to drive to Dallas to see movies (or turn to the internet...). They're currently looking for input through this survey. We highly encourage you to click through and take the survey yourself and tell them what you'd like to see in the Fine Arts Theatre. 

East Side Social Club (commonly known as ESSC) is being forced to change their name to East Side (ES doesn't have quite the ring to it) due to legal issues. It'll be the same awesome place you know and love - just a little less social and clubby. 

Sadly, our video playing around with the similar acronyms that ESSC and the ESSC shared is no longer valid...

Denton is giving BBQ another shot. Bet  the House BBQ will open June 1st at 508 S. Elm. South Elm seems to be getting a lot of action lately. Maybe we should come up with a horrible abbreviation for it. Something like "Selm" or "Solm" maybe. Either way, it's gotta be better than Goldmine, right? We're also hearing rumors of an upcoming BBQ foodtruck (that isn't Kendrick's) by the name of Native BBQ that may be roaming our streets with smoked delicacies this time next year. 

The Denton Record Chronicle reported last week that Dillard's is pretty happy with the recent renovations at the Golden Triangle Mall and has decided not to open up their stand alone store at Rayzor Ranch. That leaves Cinemark Bistro as the only current "anchor" of the south side of Rayzor Ranch. The developers of which are currently looking to lure a grocery store as an additional anchor. Y'all remember when there used to be hills and longhorns there? 

Hypnotic Donuts owner, James St. Peter, says he expects the store to open September 1st after finishing construction in early July. Put off your donut cravings for a few more months, folks. 

NV Cupcakes and Sprockets Bikes should be opening up on the square soon!

The new apartments from Jack Bell on Locust (across from The Dime Store and where Shift used to be) should be opening in July or August. We spoke with cool barista dude, Aaron Aguilar, who is very excited about the new space and says that Jack Bell is working with them to make the new Shift Coffee super awesome.  

Hootchie's has officially closed their old location and is in the process of getting things set up in the new spot at Hickory and Industrial. 

The Fine Arts Theatre will soon be showing movies. 

The Fine Arts Theatre will soon be showing movies. 

Nothing is confirmed, but we hear that a growler shop may be going in at the corner of Oak and Elm St.'s. Sure, you can go fill your growler inside the Chestnut Tree, but how great would it be to have a whole space dedicated to large bottles of beer that you can take with you? (Hint: the answer is very awesome). 

Crossfit 940 is open on the other side of 35 just south of 380. Go get your fit on before you have to wear a swimsuit again. 

South Elm Restaurant and Bar opened up last week to little pomp and circumstance in the old Irish Boozer space beside Casa Galaviz on...S. Elm. The menu looks pretty basic American diner - sliders, sandwiches, etc... There is a pickle sandwich on the menu and a weekend breakfast buffet complete with a make-your-own-waffle station. So, if you're into that, you've got weekend plans now. 

 

 

 

 

WHAT WE DID: MAY 5TH, 2014

The weekend was jam packed with sunshine, fun, and plenty tacos. (In fact, we're continuing that taco consortium today. It is Cinco de Mayo, after all.) Between the Cinco De Mayo parade, Free Comic Book Day, the DIME Store Sidewalk Sale, the Mudbug Boil, and general good vibes and good times we are pooped. What We Did does it's best to capture what it's like to live in Denton for a week. At least, that was the idea we had when we started it last summer. We think it does a pretty danged good job of representing Denton from all of the different perspectives that live inside. 

Thanks for keeping us in your loop, y'all. Tag your pics and 'grams with #WDDI and share with us what you're up to! Have a great week, everybody!

The Denton Cinco de Mayo festival/parade often gets overlooked in the shadow of Arts and Jazz fest, but it really is a hell of a good time. Photo by @veronica_n_denton. 

The Denton Cinco de Mayo festival/parade often gets overlooked in the shadow of Arts and Jazz fest, but it really is a hell of a good time. Photo by @veronica_n_denton. 

CINCO DE MAYO

@michagb86 snapped a shot of this little fledgling who decided to hang out on a friend's crotch during a picnic on the square. The birds on the courthouse lawn have gotten a little too friendly. 

@michagb86 snapped a shot of this little fledgling who decided to hang out on a friend's crotch during a picnic on the square. The birds on the courthouse lawn have gotten a little too friendly. 

@besely and the Beer Drinkers Society supported their favorite candidate for the current city council election. 

@besely and the Beer Drinkers Society supported their favorite candidate for the current city council election. 

Damn that's a good-lookin' dog mug. @hkgregory did a little chilling on the courthouse lawn with her furry little friend. 

Damn that's a good-lookin' dog mug. @hkgregory did a little chilling on the courthouse lawn with her furry little friend. 

@jocsanl made sure that the courthouse was well documented this weekend. This part is still there. VSCO or no? 

@jocsanl made sure that the courthouse was well documented this weekend. This part is still there. VSCO or no? 

@siesiesierra enjoyed her first snow cones of the season - one of our favorite firsts of the year. One of which is possibly topped with Gummy Bears which we think we approve of. 

@siesiesierra enjoyed her first snow cones of the season - one of our favorite firsts of the year. One of which is possibly topped with Gummy Bears which we think we approve of. 

Free Comic Book Day was awesome once again. @mkernan made sure to document the ever growing line at More Comics Fun and Games for Free Comic Book Day when he randomly stumbled across it, trying to purchase someone a gift. 

Free Comic Book Day was awesome once again. @mkernan made sure to document the ever growing line at More Comics Fun and Games for Free Comic Book Day when he randomly stumbled across it, trying to purchase someone a gift. 

@thedapperbat got his nerd on with some Green Lantern ice cream from Beth Marie's during Free Comic Book Day! 

@thedapperbat got his nerd on with some Green Lantern ice cream from Beth Marie's during Free Comic Book Day! 

@taylorbunch_ made sure to stay well refreshed while hanging in the sun and enjoying the first glimpse of summer. 

@taylorbunch_ made sure to stay well refreshed while hanging in the sun and enjoying the first glimpse of summer. 

@shainasheaffphoto had the pleasure of documenting Two O' Clock jazz band during a recording session. 

@shainasheaffphoto had the pleasure of documenting Two O' Clock jazz band during a recording session. 

@madammcclain caught a shot of one of our favorite 'book nooks' at Recycled. This is not a good place for a square wide game of hide and go seek, FYI. 

@madammcclain caught a shot of one of our favorite 'book nooks' at Recycled. This is not a good place for a square wide game of hide and go seek, FYI. 

@divagirlellie snapped a shot of this fun bug hanging off the square. 

@divagirlellie snapped a shot of this fun bug hanging off the square. 

MUDBUG BOIL

Saturday afternoon, a bunch of folk convened and ate some crustaceans that kinda looked like bugs. Did the suck the head? Some may have. Either way. It was tasty. 

@digijordan  catchin' some screen printing action. 

@digijordan  catchin' some screen printing action. 

@hollyintexas knows the best baked goods are happening at Ravelin bakery. We support her choice in quality french pastry. 

@hollyintexas knows the best baked goods are happening at Ravelin bakery. We support her choice in quality french pastry. 

@malevolent_teaparty snapped a 'gram of the tree bikini at OSDH. We guess trees need to be ready for summer too. Nice tan, though, Oak. Also, treekini. 

@malevolent_teaparty snapped a 'gram of the tree bikini at OSDH. We guess trees need to be ready for summer too. Nice tan, though, Oak. 

Also, treekini. 

@raecheljeanhaley had a Denton themed b-day party for her 2 year old this weekend. Search Instagram for #WeDenton2It for all sorts of Denton bday awesomeness. 

@raecheljeanhaley had a Denton themed b-day party for her 2 year old this weekend. Search Instagram for #WeDenton2It for all sorts of Denton bday awesomeness. 

The North Texas football team took on the Robson Ranch softball team in a friendly game over the weekend. Photo by @sarahanneadams . 

The North Texas football team took on the Robson Ranch softball team in a friendly game over the weekend. Photo by @sarahanneadams . 

@tinyglowlife showed off her amazing @madelinewoodapparel skirt in true spring fashion. 

@tinyglowlife showed off her amazing @madelinewoodapparel skirt in true spring fashion. 

@gmathews99 caught up with the current sounds of Seryn at Dan's. 

@gmathews99 caught up with the current sounds of Seryn at Dan's. 

@joshpiers jammed to a little voltRevolt

@joshpiers jammed to a little voltRevolt

@taylorbunch_ enjoyed a little cinema on her Saturday. Complete with Mexican corn, Tremors and okay-good friends. We can't think of a better movie to sit on the ground and watch. Just cuddle up with your graboid and watch Kevin Bacon not age. 

@taylorbunch_ enjoyed a little cinema on her Saturday. Complete with Mexican corn, Tremors and okay-good friends. We can't think of a better movie to sit on the ground and watch. Just cuddle up with your graboid and watch Kevin Bacon not age. 

We loved our haul from Free Comic book day from Mor Fun Comics and Games. May be one of our favorite days of the year! 

We loved our haul from Free Comic book day from Mor Fun Comics and Games. May be one of our favorite days of the year! 

@xtiffanyyoungbloodx enjoyed a pancake bigger than her own face from Old West. We approve for sure of this breakfast decision. 

@xtiffanyyoungbloodx enjoyed a pancake bigger than her own face from Old West. We approve for sure of this breakfast decision. 

@wildflowerart is starting their beginning calligraphy class in Denton on May 31. Time to learn how to write pretty. 

@wildflowerart is starting their beginning calligraphy class in Denton on May 31. Time to learn how to write pretty. 

CLINT WILKINSON OF BELL & OAK

Clint Wilkinson of Bell & Oak

Clint Wilkinson of Bell & Oak

Clint Wilkinson, the founder and owner of the new handmade leather goods store, Bell and Oak, is a cool dude with some hardcore Denton roots. We recently chatted with him about his process, his vision for his new venture and some other stuff. If you don't already know about Bell and Oak, it's high time you did. This guy is crafting and creating some of the most beautiful handmade leather goods around. His Instagram feed alone will make you swoon. We're pretty much feeling like we need all leather everything now. Don't even get us started on the amazing 'new leather' smell that happens when you pick up a new piece for your growing wallet collection - it's addicting. Read on to find out how Clint is honing his craft and sharing it with the world below. 

Yo, Clint. Share with us a little bit about your family’s history with Denton.

Well, I believe my Grandpa (Weldon Burgoon) is a 6th generation Dentonite. The University of North Texas did an excellent oral history book on his life this year. It’s 200+ pages about his descendants traveling to Denton back in the 1800’s all the way to present day. It has some really neat pictures in the back of it describing certain locations in Denton and old cowboy stories. We sell them inside Weldon’s currently.

Going back to 1957, that’s when my Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, and Uncle started Weldon’s Saddle Shop. It was located on the east side of Bell & Hickory St. but moved to the west side(our current location) in the 60’s. He started it by making custom saddles, leather goods, and tack but he slowly started carrying western wear to get a little cash flow. As years went on it’s progressed into what you see today, sorta a Denton landmark. We have western clothing for men, women, and kids but what I think makes our shop so unique, is all the Texas Cowboy Collectibles and working leather shop inside. It’s really like stepping into a western museum.

In 2011 my Grandpa got inducted into the Texas Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame because of the extraordinary Denton Junior Stampede Rodeo that he and my family  created in the 70’s that was held at the Denton Fair Grounds. He’s also been inducted into the National Bit & Spur Association Hall of Fame for his contributions.

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My Dad grew up in Denton and was a professional calf roper.  His Dad died before I was born, so I never had the chance to meet him, but one day I will! Dad was raised a cowboy too and I remember as a kid traveling to rodeos in the back of his truck every weekend to watch him rope. Those were the good ol’ days, not a worry in the world!

So I’ve been a Dentonite for 31 years I guess. I’ve seen it change quite a bit.

Your past in design and your transition into handmade goods is inspiring. What really made you want to make the jump into doing this full time?

I could go on for days with different reasons why I wanted to make the move into this field but, the main reason is because I just had too much stuff going on at one time which led me into an extreme anxiety filled burnout. Some of you may have read My Story on Bell & Oak’s website about how ,in 2007, I  helped start the worlds most popular online publishing platform for the motocross industry, vurbmoto.com. I was also working at Weldon’s during that time so one minute I would be designing motion graphics for Red Bull, making web elements, learning code, on Skype calls.. the next minute trying to sell a pair of boots or help my Grandpa fix something. On top of all that I have a lovely wife and two kids who I’m trying to spend time with. I would find myself running wide open from 6am - 1am most days, with little sleep and to much coffee. I did that for 6 years and finally my body had enough and just shut down. I told the Vurb guys I needed a break.

During that break is when I discovered how therapeutic working with leather was. There’s something about working with your hands thats really satisfying. So one day I went back into our leather shop and just made an iPad Mini case. It took me about 2 weeks to complete because I’d never made anything like it before. After that I made my Dad a belt for his birthday, fully tooled with a liner sewn in. By that time a month had passed and I could feel my body slowly getting back to normal because I cut out all the stress I was having. For the next 4 months all I did was go to work at Weldon’s and work on leather, help customers, and go home. It brought me back to when I was young before all the craziness.

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After learning how to build things better and getting into a groove of normalcy I knew this was something I would love to do. So I browsed around the internet at some different brands who kinda fit the same style I’d like to create. I was confident in my ability to start a brand by myself because of all the experience I had, so I went for it and here we are today! The guys at Vurb supported me during that time period and I’m forever grateful to all of them for that.

On top of all that, I want to keep my Grandpa’s leather craft legacy alive. I would love to teach my kids how to craft things out of leather and hopefully they’re interested at an early age. I feel like this is my contribution to the foundation that started Weldon’s Saddle Shop.


Your online presence really grew incredibly quickly. What has the challenge been in creating that presence?

I still have a long way to go in order to reach my goals online, but I was shocked at the response I received after putting out the link to My Story on facebook in January. On the first day My Story received over 1600 likes on facebook which was way more than I was expecting. Heck we have over 180K Followers on vurbmoto’s facebook page and it was hard getting that many likes on posts, so it was definitely reassuring.

“I feel like this is my contribution to the foundation that started Weldon’s Saddle Shop.”
— Clint Wilkinson

The biggest challenge I think is keeping people interested in what you’re doing. People have so many distractions in their lives these days, it’s tough to keep them interested in your posts. Think about how fast you can get information these days. People want things as fast as Google gives it to them and then they move onto the next thing just as fast. So I try to not overdue posts on instagram, I try to only post the best images once a day. From my past experience in building a world wide brand, we had to figure all of this out the hard way. So I’m truly taking what I’ve learned building past brands and applying it to Bell & Oak.

 

Your shop is chock full of beautiful handmade leather goods. Which of these goods are you actually using/wearing right now?

I’m always wearing the Standard Belt with Belt Key Chain because I don’t like keys in my pocket. As for wallets, I’m a Grissom guy during the week and Hickory guy on the weekend. I also love using the iPhone Sleeve compared to those huge rubber bricks that are so hard to put in your pocket.

How do you choose your leather? Can you tell us why you believe in creating a product that uses really high quality leather?

I knew that I wanted to get the best quality leather so people could tell a difference. Since I’ve been blessed to work at my Grandpa’s shop, I get to hear all the stories about how someone’s belt only lasted 9 months or that a wallet fell apart in 6 months yet, they continue to buy the same exact product. I want those people to buy a Bell & Oak product so they can feel, smell, and experience the difference when real quality leather is used. Plus the fact it’s made right here in Denton Texas, I would hope the locals can appreciate something like that. I want the customer to have the opportunity to pass down a Bell & Oak product to their kids or at the very least, be able to enjoy it for years.

If you visit the Materials Page on my website, there is an awesome video interview of the Horween Leather Tannery by Filson that explains why they believe in quality too.

 

Your Grandfather was an amazing at leather tooling. How has he handed down that craft? What have you had to learn on your own? What is your favorite kind of design to work on?

 

As a kid I remember going back into the leather shop to watch him but I don’t think I realized what he was really doing. When I got into my teens I started to understand what some of the tools did, so I would get some scrap pieces of leather and mess around with it. From time to time he would look over my shoulder and tell me how to do something right.

Back in his days tooling patterns weren’t as intricate like todays stuff. The tools weren’t as precise and the technique wasn’t as refined. Plus, learning new techniques wasn’t as easy as it is now with Youtube video tutorials. So you really had to learn your own way.

There is a great buddy of mine, Ely Ganzer, who has been a long time family friend that showed me the more modern way of tooling once I started taking it serious. He gave me tips on what tools to buy, what work to look at, and showed me a few techniques he likes to use. Once that was established I just started tooling more patterns so I could get better.

My favorite style of tooling is called the Sheridan style. It originated in Sheridan Wyoming,  to me it’s the prettiest and most difficult style to pull off.

 

What has opening Bell and Oak taught you about the maker community and the challenges of handmade production in the age of the online world?

Well it’s given me a lot of respect towards makers who helped grow this country many decades ago. I’ve also learned that makers like to help one another. I’m talking with a few local makers, who are brilliant in their respected craft, at doing some collab work with me and they’ve embraced it with open arms. I have some cool Wood + Leather  stuff I’m working on with Pastrana Studio, special watercolor prints by Mandy Cave, and lifestyle photos by Melissa Barrett.

One of the tough things about selling online is that the customer doesn’t get to experience the product until it’s been shipped to them. They have to completely trust the brand in order to make that type of commitment. I hope that’s something Bell & Oak gains, a solid reputation. Being a one man operation, I’m playing the role of many hats to keep things running seamlessly as possible.

I think if the makers can grab a’hold of the youth so they can get interested in buying American Made products, we’ll be in good shape. Thats a huge task, but technology has allowed us to reach so many different types of people that it can be done.

Where’s your favorite place to pull out that amazing wallet and grab a bite?

You can catch me at Rusty’s Taco, LSA, and The Cupboard most of the time but, you guys keep me posted on new places to try so I need to take advantage of that!

 

 

Bell and Oak | Facebook

 

WHAT WE DID: APRIL 28TH, 2014

Well, it's not Monday, sorry about that - but hey, we all had to recover from Jazz Fest, TEDxUNT, Twilight Tunes and a whole slew of events. Not to mention you guys left us with a massive pile of photos to compile afterwards. Not that we're complaining. We loved seeing all the things you documented over the weekend. It was like we were somehow able to take it all in just a little more. Now that we've officially kicked off spring and are headed straight into summer make sure to keep those pics a'coming full of the wonderful ways you're spending your days around the best little city in Texas. 

Tag those grams and tweets with #wddi to see them here weekly in our round up of local pics! 

Quite possibly the best landmark in the fest. Photo by Paige Gibson. 

Quite possibly the best landmark in the fest. Photo by Paige Gibson. 

People at Arts and Jazz

Photo of the crowd by @evie_marie. 

Photo of the crowd by @evie_marie. 

@hollyintexas caught her kid flyin' high over the festival grounds. 

@hollyintexas caught her kid flyin' high over the festival grounds. 

Food of Arts and Jazz

@lizkingyoga stocked up on new handmade accessories at the festival. 

@lizkingyoga stocked up on new handmade accessories at the festival. 

Performers at Arts and Jazz

In celebration of TEDxUNT @uccelloraro chowed down on some themed cupcakes. 

In celebration of TEDxUNT @uccelloraro chowed down on some themed cupcakes. 

@1000countsheets was super proud of the fibers department at the TEDxUNT talks. 

@1000countsheets was super proud of the fibers department at the TEDxUNT talks. 

@thelovelyhunter deemed her day on the square a pretty perfect one with this little guy in tow! 

@thelovelyhunter deemed her day on the square a pretty perfect one with this little guy in tow! 

Reppin' that Denton bar on a shirt - true Dentonite fashion. Way to represent @shainasheaffphoto. 

Reppin' that Denton bar on a shirt - true Dentonite fashion. Way to represent @shainasheaffphoto. 

Photo snapped by @thepinkantler on the DART to A-Train commute from Dallas to Denton. 

Photo snapped by @thepinkantler on the DART to A-Train commute from Dallas to Denton. 

This little billy goat made it all the way to Jazz Fest. Photo by @triciamarierollo

This little billy goat made it all the way to Jazz Fest. Photo by @triciamarierollo

@platformsandpeeps grabbed a few tacos and enjoyed the Hickory Street construction. 

@platformsandpeeps grabbed a few tacos and enjoyed the Hickory Street construction.