Deep Ellum

[TI4-1009]

"Leadbelly and Blind Lemon Jefferson teamed up in Dallas, playing the districts of Central Track and Deep Ellum, which one columnist of the day described as "the only spot on earth where business, religion, hoodooism, gambling, and stealing go on at the same time without friction.""

[SlowTexasZim]

I have lived in Dallas most of my life. In the 1990's Deep Ellum was hot tamales! The Dallas Police blocked off Elm Street to vehicular traffic and every store/barfront was full and rocking. Punk/Country/Rock/Blues live music blared from everywhere. Hot chicks all over, dancing in the street. Then the 2000's happened with a rise of crime and homelessness that drove the girls to safer shores and so went most of the guys. By 2008 everything was closed and it was kinda dangerous to go to Deep Ellum. It is getting better. The new DART train line is up and running and has stops on either end of Deep Ellum. Club Dada and Trees are back open! There are some new restaurants and bars but about 50% of the storefronts are still empty. No Club Clearview, no Bone rooftop blues jams, Sambuca gone. July Alley still lives, plus Cafe Brazil and Deep Sushi, but it feels lonely without all the celebration and hootenanny that was the 1990's. Hopefully, Deep Ellum will recover some of her old time glory. It was a real good time.