Look to our specialists for resources and checkups to help you manage everything from IBS and IBD to acid reflux and celiac disease. And keep living life to the fullest.
Dear
As we move out of the spring and into the summer season and examine Plano’s redevelopment era, we find it’s just as important to look back as to look forward.
This month, we look at some new places and some friendly faces. Repertory Company Theatre and Hope’s Door New Beginning each celebrate 40 years. Cliff Coffee and Legacy Social Club are new to our city.
What I heard from many of our subjects this edition is the concept of legacy. What legacy are the businesses and people in Plano leaving behind? What legacy do we already have? What legacy are we creating?
Despite the many differences in each of our subjects — industry, age, goals — one thing seemed to be in common among them all: We’re all trying to create and maintain a legacy of something special north of 635.
Sure, Dallas has repertory theatre companies. They have social clubs. They have creative coffee concepts and nonprofits that serve the community. But these businesses and people in our city are proof that we don’t need to venture south to use these resources. We’ve got our own thing going right here, for many, 40 years strong.
A huge thank you to all who voted in our Best of 2026 competition. Check out our next issue to see who won in your favorite categories. Didn’t have a chance to vote, or didn’t see your favorite categories on the list? We’ll be back again next spring.
Thank you all for your readership,
Alyssa High-Coronado Editor
WHAT'S GOING ON IN PLANO?
WILLOW BEND WOES
The Shops at Willow Bend is set to be torn down in the next year, leaving tenants to leave or seek temporary space. The restaurant district, parking garages, Crate & Barrel and Equinox Gym will remain operational as retail and residential components are completed first.
AN UPDATE
So far, Dillard’s, Macy’s, the Crayola Experience, Neiman Marcus and North Texas Performing Arts Center have closed or announced their closure.
While dates and which stores will remain are TBD, talk of the Dallas Stars’ move to the development will surely shape discussions in the near future.
WHAT WE DO KNOW
The Bend will include retail, restaurants, entertainment venues, apartments, a hotel and a seven-story office building.
“Our goal remains to transform The Shops at Willow Bend into a vibrant, walkable destination that thoughtfully integrates retail, dining, entertainment, residential, hospitality and office use into a well-curated and compelling environment for the greater Plano community,” Executive Vice President of Mixed-Use Development at Centennial, Michael Platt, said in February.
NEW EATS
• Bojangles opened in April at 9617 Coit Road
• Pizza Twist opened in April at 7224 Independence Parkway
• Molly Tea opening is TBD at 3302 N. Central Expressway
• Tongue in Cheek opened in April at 7801 Alma Drive
A LOCAL LANDMARK
The Forman House, which has been used as The Wooden Spoon Scandinavian Shop & Cultural Center for decades, is now for sale.
Built in 1867 and restored in 1992, the Forman House is Plano’s second-oldest surviving home and a Heritage Landmark.
The Greek Revival-style home sits on more than
IN THE ISD
half an acre and includes a two-story home with a retail business on the first and second floors, two meeting rooms, full kitchen, private residence and a coach house that is currently being leased as a separate business. The home is on the market for $1,375,000.
In the meantime, The Wooden Spoon is still open for business.
PVA: Applications closed April 30 for Plano ISD’s new Plano Virtual Academy education program. The PILOT program will allow selected students to take either half or all of their classes virtually under Plano ISD teachers. Those who qualify and are selected via lottery system will be notified on May 15.
Bus bills: Plano ISD could be forced to shell out millions to ensure all school buses are equipped with threepoint seat belts by September 2029 to comply with Senate Bill 546. According to reporting by our partners at KERA, 216 out of 314 school buses currently comply. Replacing the buses would cost about $16 million. Retrofitting the current ones could cost $6.6 million.
LET’S CELEBRATE
Plano Public Library recently won an award for its Work Experience Program. In the past five years, over 30 individuals with disabilities have graduated from the job-training program.
“The program has transformed staff perspectives and led to increased staff confidence, empathy, and initiative to identify ways to make library spaces and services more accessible,” said Assistant Director Cecily Ponce de Leon.
Challenger School offers uniquely fun and academic classes for preschool to eighth-grade students. Our students learn to think for themselves and to value independence.
Independence (PS–G4) (469) 642-2000
10145 Independence Parkway, Plano
Legacy (PS–K) (469) 573-0077
6700 Communications Parkway, Plano
Unmatched Academic Results
Come tour a
A NEW DOOR
FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS, HOPE’S DOOR NEW BEGINNING CENTER HAS QUIETLY SERVED NORTH TEXAS SURVIVORS
Story by Alyssa High
Photography by Victoria Gomez
On May 9 at the Red Tail Pavilion, HDNBC is hosting a Taylor Swift tribute fundraising concert, A Night of HOPE w/ Lover, for the whole family. Tickets are $25.
The phone rings thousands of times a year.
Approximately 10,000, to be more precise. Some are just asking questions — for a friend or maybe for a “friend.” Some are in need of urgent services. Some just want to know there is someone out there, just in case.
For most seeking help at Hope’s Door New Beginning Center (HDNBC), that phone call is just the beginning.
HDNBC is a domestic violence services organization for victims and perpetrators.
The organization started as two separate entities — Hope’s Door opened in Plano in 1985, and New Beginning Center opened in Garland in 1983 — that joined together in 2016.
“They were both doing the same [work] … serving pretty much the same folks in Collin County and in this very specific area of Dallas,” Hope’s Door New Beginning CEO Megan Valdez says. “When we merged, it helped us to serve the community better, just as one united organization.”
The combined organization serves more than 1,700 new individuals every year and between 2,200 and 2,500 total clients annually across the center’s emergency shelters, counseling programs, legal advocacy and outreach services.
For Valdez, the work is deeply personal and long-standing. Her first job out of college was at New Beginning Center’s Garland shelter, where she worked directly with clients on the hotline and in case management.
After several years, she transitioned into child welfare, but found that the lessons of domestic violence advocacy stayed with her.
“It’s something that you can’t really unlearn,” she says.
In 2021, she returned to the organization, overseeing shelter operations before moving into broader leadership roles. By fall 2024, she had been named CEO — a full-circle moment shaped by years of experience both inside and outside the organization.
Not everyone who calls in is looking for emergency shelter, Valdez says.
Services for survivors also include case management, legal advocacy and counseling for adults and children. Perpetrators utilize the 24-week battering intervention and prevention program, which
provides a structured, skills-based group that promotes accountability and behavior change, especially for those who have been required to take classes by the courts in a divorce, child custody or protective order case.
While about 78% of the organization is government funded, donations and the HDNBC Resale Store fund the remainder.
The Resale Store, located at 2109 W. Parker Road, allows shelter residents to shop for items with vouchers. The remainder of the items are sold to the public.
Still, despite the large client base and four-decade history, awareness of services is one of the biggest hurdles.
“It still surprises me that people aren’t aware that we exist,” Valdez says.
With that lack of awareness comes misconceptions. That domestic violence only happens in certain types of relationships. That it is a private matter. That it's only driven by anger or substance use.
Hope’s Door New Beginning teaches against these misconceptions through community advocacy in classrooms, churches and workplaces in an effort to spread awareness.
“There are full-grown adults walking around that don’t know how to set boundaries,” Valdez says. “That’s a good practice to teach young people, so they feel comfortable saying no.”
The most important takeaway: Domestic violence is not an isolated issue. It’s a public health issue.
To help mitigate the lack of awareness, Hope’s Door New Beginning has a Youth Advisory Council, a Young Professionals program and will soon have an Ambassador program for those who want to help but don’t have time to volunteer.
“We want to make it easy to get involved,” Valdez says.
For those who want to do so, Hope’s Door New Beginning is looking for volunteers of all kinds, whether it's administrative work, shifts at the Resale Store or working with one of the community advocacy programs.
For the thousands who call each year — and the many more who may one day need to — that consistency matters.
A club of their own
INSIDE PLANO’S NEW SOCIAL HUB
Story by Alyssa High
Photos courtesy of Legacy Social Club
In an area with an ever-growing corporate scene full of industry kingpins and quiet shopping luxuries, Collin County seems to have a gap in exclusive social services that requires business types to travel south of 635.
The Legacy corridor, with Legacy West and North shopping centers and the cross-section of Frisco, McKinney and The Colony nearby, desires more than country clubs and chamber events for social meeting places, Legacy Social Club Managing Director Ryan Thomas says.
Legacy Social Club is a private, membership-based club that aims to provide a third place for movers and shakers to meet, eat and be entertained.
“We identified a need in the market,” Thomas says. “You have an affluent customer base, you have a growing corporate destination, but a lot of the spaces people go to are very high traffic. It makes it harder to have an intimate, personalized experience.”
The 20,000 square feet is divided into six distinct environments — four for intuitive gathering and two for more structured experiences. The Lounge, with high ceilings, warm wood tones and green accents, is set
Each room is designed with intention, like The Lounge, pictured here, which serves as a living room for club members.
“You want that loungy, intimate feel — or you want to come watch the game and be part of that energy.”
up for intimate conversations. The Wild Orchid’s flower motifs and cafe-like seating were designed with women in mind — think mahjong nights, mixology classes and literary salons. In direct contrast, The Arena is a sports bar made for watch parties and fantasy league drafts — all leather and TV-focused.
“You come for an occasion,” Thomas says. “You want that loungy, intimate feel — or you want to come watch the game and be part of that energy.”
Club management intends for the club to be more than the space it is in. “Programming” includes large-scale parties, curated tastings, wellness workshops, a speaker series and recurring gatherings.
The Foundry serves as the
club’s main event space, made for chef’s dinners, poker nights, wine tastings and “whatever else members can think up.”
The Restaurant, with similar Baroque vaulted ceilings, is a contemporary American eatery featuring crafted martinis, fresh seafood, prime-cut steaks and handrolled sushi. Think date nights or client dinners.
"It’s not just a restaurant, it’s not just a bar,” Director of Membership, Brand and Culture Taylor Ashing says.
“We are constantly putting on events — small and large — to bring community together.”
The goal is not exclusivity, Ashing says.
“They don’t want to be seen — they want to be known.”
Membership is being rolled out gradually, with the team aiming to see how people actually use the space in order to find the balance between “busy and buzzing.”
“We want there to be energy,” Ashing says. “But we also want people to actually be able to use what they’ve invested in.”
While applications are already being approved, each has been reviewed toward building a community of “pacesetters,” Thomas says, rather than a collection of executives or elites.
“They’re people who are making things happen in their lives,” he says.
There are two levels of membership: social and executive.
The social membership level has a $5,000 initiation fee and a $350 monthly cost for individuals or a $7,500 initiation fee and a $525 monthly fee for couples. This level includes access to shared club spaces, invitations to programming and events, the
ability to bring guests, access to concierge services and reservations and the ability to sponsor new member candidates.
At the executive membership level, the initiation fee is $20,000 for four members with a $250 monthly fee per member. This level of membership includes all of the social membership privileges, plus branded meeting setups, audio and visual presentation support and preferred pricing on private event bookings.
While Legacy Social Club was originally slated to open in March, construction delays put the estimated opening at late summer. However, Ashing has already curated events for approved members at alternative locations, aiming to continue the community element while waiting for the design to be completed.
“There’s a missed opportunity for personalization in a lot of clubs,” Thomas says. “We want this to feel warm and welcoming.”
MAY
JUN
2
PLANO ASIAFEST 2026
SATURDAY, 11 A.M., HAGGARD PARK, 901 E. 15TH ST., FREE A FAMILY-FRIENDLY FESTIVAL WITH ASIAN FOOD, FUN AND MUSIC.
MAY
2 SALT THE RIM
SATURDAY, 6 P.M., MCCALL PLAZA, 998 E. 15TH ST., FREE AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF MARGARITAS, MUSIC AND MORE WITH A MARGARITA HUNT.
MAY
9 A NIGHT OF HOPE W/ LOVER: A TAYLOR SWIFT TRIBUTE
SATURDAY, 6 P.M., RED TAIL PAVILION, 2801 E. SPRING CREEK PARKWAY, $25 A CONCERT TRIBUTE BENEFITTING HOPE’S DOOR NEW BEGINNING CENTER.
MAY
9 PROPHETS AND OUTLAWS: RHYTHM & ROOTS: A CONCERT IN THE MEADOW
SATURDAY, 6 P.M., HERITAGE FARMSTEAD MUSEUM, 1900 W. 15TH ST.
SOUTHERN SOUL BAND PROPHETS AND OUTLAWS COMES TO THE MUSEUM W/ COMPLIMENTARY FOOD AND BYOB.
MAY
22 THE GOLDEN GIRLS MUSICAL PARODY
FRIDAY, 7:30 P.M., ARTCENTRE OF PLANO, 902 E. 16TH ST., $20 AN 18+ PARODY MUSICAL OF TV’S THE GOLDEN GIRLS WITH AN ORIGINAL POP SCORE.
MAY
22 JIAOYING SUMMERS:
LUCKY PONY 26
FRIDAY, 7 P.M., MIC DROP COMEDY, 7301 LONE STAR DRIVE, $31+ COMEDIAN JIAOYING SUMMERS OF HULU SPECIAL WHAT SPECIES ARE YOU? COMES TO MIC DROP COMEDY.
MAY
24 MEMORIAL DAY - BOOTS & BBQ FEST
SUNDAY, 12 P.M., LEXUS BOX GARDEN AT LEGACY HALL, 7800 WINDROSE AVE., $15.71+ THE 7TH ANNUAL EVENT FEATURES COUNTRY MUSIC, CRAFT BEER, LOCAL VENDORS AND BARBECUE.
PLANO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FUSES CLASSICAL COMPOSITIONS WITH HIP-HOP MOVE-
MENT FROM FLY DANCE COMPANY. JUN
26
WEST SIDE STORY
FRIDAY, 7:30 P.M., NTPA RODENBAUGH THEATRE, 6121 W. PARK BLVD., $20
NTPA’S REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS THE CLASSIC TWIST ON ROMEO AND JULIET. JUN
27 WIPE OUT KIDS’ CANCER: RUN FOR THE KIDS 2026
SATURDAY, TBD, RED TAIL PAVILION, 2801 E. SPRING CREEK PARKWAY
A RACE BENEFITTING CHILDHOOD CANCER AT OAK POINT PARK.
* AND THERE’S SO MUCH MORE... SIGN UP TO RECEIVE EVENTS AT PLANOMAGAZINE.COM/NEWSLETTER PROMOTE YOUR EVENT AT PLANOMAGAZINE.COM/EVENT-SUBMISSION FOR DETAILS OF ALL EVENTS, CLICK EVENTS AT PLANOMAGAZINE.COM BE SURE TO CONFIRM TIME AND DATES BEFORE ATTENDING ANY EVENT
Cindy O’Gorman
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Sharon Ketko
Sharon Ketko Realty
Kari Schuveiller
Keller Williams Realty DPR
Ryan Streiff
Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate
Jan Richey
Keller Williams Legacy
Carol Thompson
Keller Williams Legacy
Deann Abbott
Berkshire HathawayHS
PenFed TX
Julie Acuna
Keller Williams Central
Denton Aguam
Keller Williams Legacy
Christina Alfaro
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Jim Augustine
Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco
Linda Baker
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l
Janine Bayer
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Kim Bedwell
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l
Shannon Beitchman
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Nina Bhanot
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Mark Bradford
Allie Beth Allman & Associates
Yolanda BrysonDurant
Keller Williams Legacy
Ben Caballero HomesUSA.com
Carly Calise
SNT Real Estate Agency LLC
Christie Cannon
Keller Williams Frisco Stars
Brandon Carrington
Hometiva
Joyce Lynn
Chandler
Keller Williams Central
Grace Chen
Grace Chen
Brian Chesman
Keller Williams Dallas Midtown
Srinivas Chidurala
Citiwide Alliance Realty
Jane Clark
Keller Williams NO. Collin Cty
We’re lucky to live in one of the best cities in the U.S. (in our humble opinion), and that has a lot to do with the Realtors ® who champion our city and value our property. To recognize them, here are Plano Magazine’s 2025 Top Realtors in Plano. Plano Magazine’s annual Top Realtor special section recognizes the Top 5% of all active neighborhood Realtors, determined by reported sales volume.*
Paulette Greene
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Christie Cannon
Keller Williams Frisco Stars
Dona Timm
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l
Mary Reeves
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Colleen Frost
Colleen Frost Real Estate Serv
Kristapher Haney
Keller Williams Realty Lone St
TOP 25
Lynn Urban
Lynn Urban
Liangcheng Pan
Keller Williams Frisco Stars
Kimberly Woodard
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Austin Lee Anderman
Agency Dallas Park Cities, LLC
Terri McCoy
Keller Williams Legacy
L.J. Erickson
Duggan Realty Advisors L.L.C.
Noelle Coats
Redfin Corporation
Jane Cui
Keller Williams Frisco Stars
Helen Curry
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Jennifer Daniel
Keller Williams Legacy
Brit Daniels
Monument Realty
Ellen Davis
The Davis Real Estate Group, LLC
Kim Davis
Keller Williams Legacy
Roxanne DeBerry
Keller Williams Legacy
Jackie Dorbritz
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Camille Duhoux
Redfin Corporation
Cory Dunnican
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Connie Durnal
Redfin Corporation
Jack Duvall
Redfin Corporation
P.J. Evans
Weichert Realtors/Property Partners
Jay Fang
U Property Management
Carie Gallegos
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Li Gao
Mersal Realty
Susan Georgeson
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC.
Amanda Glass
Coldwell Banker Realty Plano
Rhoni Golden
Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate
Christine Goodwin
Keller Williams Legacy
Paulette Greene
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Natalie
Greenwood Dean
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Tom Grisak
Keller Williams Realty Allen
Richard Guilliams
Luxe Estates Realty, LLC
Caralee Gurney
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Karen Hanson
WM Realty Tx LLC
Daniel Harker
Keller Williams Realty DPR
Bethany Hart
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Michael Harvey
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Julie Haymann
Allie Beth Allman & Associates
Amy Herzog
C21 Fine Homes Judge Fite
Shayne Hickey
Texas Ally Real Estate Group
Simone Jeanes
Allie Beth Allman & Associates
Brad Johnson
Keller Williams Realty DPR
Jamie Kim
Keller Williams NO. Collin Cty
Ram Konara
StarPro Realty Inc.
Jenny Kwon
C21 Fine Homes Judge Fite
Mansur Lalji
RE/MAX Premier
Pamela Lewis
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Cynthia Li
Keller Williams Realty Allen
Summer Liu
U Property Management
Jill Lucas
Lucas Luxury Leasing & Sales
Jessica Maddern
eXp Realty LLC
Bernice Maez
Vivo Realty
April Maki
Brightland Homes Brokerage, LLC
Philippa May
Better Homes and Gardens
Real
Jack McLemore
Listing Results, LLC
Nancy Messiha
eXp Realty LLC
Deborah Meuret
eXp Realty LLC
Robert Miller
OnDemand Realty
Raven Mok
eXp Realty LLC
Patty Moreno
Keller Williams Dallas Midtown
Sarah Morris
Bloom 5 Real Estate Team
Lead/Fathom Realty
Aaron Morrow
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Trudi Muller
Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco
Katherine Niesman
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Hollie O’Gorman
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Stacie O’Gorman
Ferguson
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Kelly Pearson Monument Realty
Alex Perry
Allie Beth Allman & Associates
John Prell
Creekview Realty
Nancy Rabhan
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Michael Reed
Renters Warehouse Texas LLC
Russell Rhodes
Berkshire HathawayHS PenFed TX
Karla Davis Pinnacle Realty Advisors
Stephen Obenshain
RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
Shelly Vaughan
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Deborah Mabry
WM Realty Tx LLC
Andrea Miller
Keller Williams Realty DPR
Ann O’Blenes
RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
Elizabeth Ritch
RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
Jan Richey
Keller Williams Legacy
Jennifer Robertson
Better Homes & Gardens, Winans
Yochai Robkin
United Real Estate
Pamela Rosener
Coldwell Banker Apex, Realtors
Renee Rubin
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Kerri Rushing Grand Realty Services
Faruk Sabbagh
Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Lauren Savariego
Allie Beth Allman & Associates
Swapnil Sharma
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
James Sharp
eXp Realty LLC
Brenda Shelton
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Jeremy Simmons RE/MAX DFW Associates
Jagjit Singh
Jagjit Singh
Janis Smith
Coldwell Banker Realty Plano
Ryan Snow First-In Realty
Lisa Stokes
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l
Lance Taylor
Keller Williams Legacy
Leonard Thomas RE/MAX Premier
Carol Thompson
Keller Williams Legacy
Sarah Thornton Redfin Corporation
Terry Timm
Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Int’l
Shinwar Tovi
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC.
Von Truong RE/MAX DFW Associates
Hillary Turner Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC.
Seychelle Van Poole
Keller Williams Realty DPR
Nikki Vance
Funk Realty Group, LLC
Victor Vo
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Rachael Wang Redfin Corporation
Charles Weiblen Archwood Properties
Lichao Weng
JPL Realty LLC
Lori West
Compass Real Estate Texas, LLC
Rachel Wester Acquisto Real Estate
Jennifer Wolfe Ebby Halliday, Realtors
Karyn Wynne
Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco
Ying Xu
RE/MAX Dallas Suburbs
Zheng Yang
Citiwide Properties Corp.
Sally Zaharovitz
SallyZDM Realty LLC
Amy Zambrano
Keller Williams Legacy
Weijun Zang
Z & Z Realty, LLC
Chongchi (Ted)
Zhang
Sunet Group
Yi Zhao
U Property Management
Nan Zhou
Wonder Pro Realty
Galit Zohar Kauf
Coldwell Banker Realty Frisco
“The lighting in the space is quite special — both artificial and natural (thank you, sun!). We recommend checking out the space during the day as well as in the evening to see how it transforms as the sun goes down and the evening vibes set in,” Barnes says. “It’s always a good time for ice cream, if you need an excuse.”
NEW MEXICO BY DESIGN
CLIFF COFFEE ADDS A SOUTHWESTERN FEEL TO ASSEMBLY PARK
Story by Alyssa High | Photography by Lauren Allen
Cliff Coffee serves up typical coffee shop beverages, plus desertthemed drinks, ice cream and tacos from neighboring Tacoro.
ASSEMBLY PARK’S CLIFF COFFEE is all southwestern vibes. To the left, a cactus sculpture. To the right, a mural of a cowboy standing on a horse. All around, sandy tones and stone-like textures emulate the New Mexico landscape.
“Natural, variegated textures are key to successful execution of a desert aesthetic. The Cliff ceiling was troweled by a local plaster installer. We went through many test runs getting the right color and texture,” says Sara Barnes of Agent Architecture, who designed the space. “The clay tilework on the walls has that imperfect variation to it, which is just so wonderful and character-giving. People are tired of being in manufactured, cookie-cutter spaces. This coffee shop design really decries that, which is part of why it feels so good.”
Cliff Coffee might be New Mexican themed, but the shop is a conglomeration of local faves. Ice cream from Tongue in Cheek in Richardson. Drinks made with Lemma Roasters coffee in Lewisville. Bear Naked Honey made in Allen. Mill-King dairy from Waco.
A menu highlight? The Tumbleweed is a brown sugar caramel shaken espresso over milk ($6.50). Or, if you like it on the spicy side, the Mexican Stand-off is a caramel, vanilla and cinnamon latte with cayenne pepper ($6.50).
Though rocking with a theme, the Agent team was intentional about ensuring each choice for the space felt designed, not gimmicky.
“It goes back to intentionality and ensuring that the human experience drives the theme more than the theme drives the experience. We spend time visualizing, imagining what it is like to be in the space — going beyond hanging tchotchkes on the wall and calling it good — using lighting, materials and forms to thoughtfully envelop visitors in a specific experience,” Barnes says. “Our goal for every project is that people feel restored from being in spaces we’ve designed. This goal works in tandem with the specific design direction for a project and helps to expand our vision beyond just theme or aesthetics.”
Some features are more hidden. Along the south wall is a circular window with LED bars to each side, a subtle nod to the New Mexican flag.
“Both the operator and one of our team members are from New Mexico, so New Mexico was always at the heart of the design,” she says. “This lighting detail was a fun nod to celebrate that heritage. We like to think of it as a little New Mexican outpost right here in Plano.”
Cliff Coffee serves as a sharp contrast to its brightly themed Tex-Mex and industrially decorated brewery neighbors.
Part of three conjoined Blender Brands’ concepts — Cliff Coffee, Assembly Ice House and Tacoro Tacos & Tequila — the shop is themed after co-owner Jacob
Michael McPheeters (@michaelmcpheeters) did murals for all three of Blender Brands’ conjoined concepts. Assembly Icehouse has a painted Texas landscape. Tacoro features a mariachi player and a Latino woman inspired by McPheeters’ own girlfriend. Each mural is painted on-site using spray paint and acrylics and sealed with UV protectant sealant.
“THERE WAS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO PROVIDE SOMETHING NEW FOR THIS PART OF PLANO — A PLACE WITH AN INTENTIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN THAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK AS MUCH AS THE COFFEE AND ICE CREAM DO.”
Cox’s home state of New Mexico.
“[Blender Brands] partnered with the developers here … trying to bring a breath of fresh air to East Plano,” Cliff Coffee partner Griffin Garvey says.
“There was an opportunity here to provide something new for this part of Plano — a place with an intentional interior design that keeps you coming back as much as the coffee and ice cream do,” Barnes says. “The operator’s initial inspiration was America’s desert Southwest, due to [Cox’s] time growing up there. We delved in to craft something that felt authentic, relaxing, and hopefully, unexpected.”
To finish off the southwest vibe, a mural by Michael McPheeters, founder of Mr. Mural, features a cowboy standing on his horse. McPheeters completed murals for all three concepts, highlighting each theme and adding his own personal twist.
“Reception has been overwhelmingly positive,” McPheeters says. “Hearing how it sparks conversation and brings people together has been the most rewarding part.”
Cliff Coffee , 6185 Assembly Park Blvd., 469.298.0032, cliffcoffee.shop
A LEGACY OF THE ARTS
REPERTORY COMPANY
THEATRE CELEBRATES 40 YEARS, TALKS GROWTH
Story by Alyssa High
Photography by Lauren Allen
On any given day in a Richardson warehouse, the work of a live theater company unfolds in layers. Paint drying on a reversible set piece. Costumes cycling through the laundry. Actors rehearsing lines. Soon, all of these will move to Plano’s Courtyard Theatre for a series of performances. April was The Producers.
Co-founder and executive artistic director Debra Carter describes it like Santa’s workshop — a well-oiled machine after four decades.
“I’ve been doing it since I was 12, so it’s kind of a long road,” Carter says.
As an adult, after years of performing with others, she decided to go out on her own.
“I went to my husband, and I said, ‘I’m frustrated because I can’t do this the way I think it needs to be done,’” she says. “And he said, ‘Well, then you should do it yourself.’”
Carter, along with cofounders Sharon Lipshie and Kitty Beletic, launched Repertory Company Theatre, originally focusing on arts education before turning into a full-fledged production company with a repertory model — something Carter found lacking north of Interstate 635.
The theatre holds auditions once a year and pulls from the group of 70 to 90 actors chosen for each of the season’s productions. At the time of writing this article, that’s a team of 84 working on The Producers . Soon, the same team will shift to Grease.
Repertory Company Theatre is based in Richardson, sure, but its small theatre often serves as more of a warehouse for working on props, costumes and rehearsals. For decades, RCT has performed
The Courtyard Theatre served as Plano ISD's 1938 gymnasium, but was renovated into a theatre in the early aughts.
at the historic Courtyard Theatre in Downtown Plano, and its audience is built right into our city.
In fact, the company maintains a Plano office and takes part in the city’s larger ecosystem as a member of Collaborative Arts of Plano. To Carter, the fine arts are more than entertainment — it’s the intersection between art and business, entertainment and economy.
“When you go to see a show, and it’s a touring production, your money goes with that touring production … it doesn’t stay in your community,” she says. “We’re really wanting to get more commerce and more people coming into the Arts District.”
Carter also notes that Repertory Company Theatre is not a volunteer organization. Most of the team is on staff, and the company creates pathways for careers in the arts through annual internships.
Over time, a major shift has been the rise of digital entertainment.
“The challenge part of it is to get people’s faces off of their screens,” Carter says. “[But theatre] is so much engagement … You can’t get that from a movie … It’s that personal engagement … that electric communication.”
Throughout each reinvention, RCT is focused on the future and leaving a legacy north of I-635, where the arts are infused in the region’s culture.
“I’d like to see that sustainability … to be another 40 years.”
Repertory Company Theatre will be performing Grease at the Courtyard Theatre, located at 1509 H Ave., from June 19-28. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $37.
Repertory Company Theatre performs each show at the Courtyard Theatre in Historic Downtown Plano. The Producers , shown here, was their spring show. In June, the company will perform Grease.
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