Two Fort Worth Hotspots Shutter, But Grandma’s Takes Over and Brings Day Drinking and Late-Night Bites

Both Hot Damn Tamales and Off the Record Craft Beer & Vinyl on Magnolia quietly vanished at the end of 2019. A new Fort Worth bar called Grandma’s is taking over the space — and she’s bringing The Pantry with her.

But back to those departures.

Ione Stavron began her Hot Damn Tamales business online as a vegetarian mail order tamale maker in 1997. As her menu offerings and clientele expanded, she took over a small storefront at 713 W. Magnolia Avenue.

She told me once that Hot Damn Tamales was named for a time when Elvis was recording a song and forgot the lyrics, so he filled them in with “hot damn tamales.” That storefront closed for good at the end of 2019. Likewise, its next door neighbor, Off the Record Craft Beer & Vinyl closed its Fort Worth location. With an established location still in Deep Ellum, the hipster hangout had opened on Magnolia in 2018.

Stavron expanded briefly into both sections of the building, when she introduced brunch and dinner service for a time. They will now combine once again for a new bar/restaurant called Grandma’s – A Southside Hangout.

It promises a kitchen with late night bites and to become a “day-drinking mecca.”

Chuck Bouligny and business partner Matt Pruitt purchased the space back in October and officially changed its name on New Year’s Day. This will be their first bar concept. Bouligny is no stranger to the area though. He is the vice chair for Near Southside Inc.

Updates to the historic building (circa 1927, which also houses the Shinjuku Station restaurant) are underway and will include an extended front patio and the addition of a back patio as well. There will be a new stage with updated sound system. The lounge will also bring expanded wine, whiskey and signature drinks when it celebrates its grand opening on March 16. I hear Granny mixes a mean cocktail.

“We wanted a name that everyone can relate to. That felt warm and where everyone was welcome,” Bouligny tells PaperCity Fort Worth.

The hours at Grandma’s will expand as well ― opening at 11 am on weekdays (lunch service will follow as well as a brunch on weekends).

The restaurant part of the equation will be called The Pantry and will be run by Weatherford’s own Grant and Candice Lambdin. The Lambdins purchased Fire Oak Grill, on the square, from Chef Eric Hunter in 2017. They are also the folks behind the popular food truck ― Bite My Biscuit.

“We’re focused on comfort food rather than trendy fare,” Candice Lambdin tells PaperCity. “It will be food that your grandma would have served, but with a bar food slant,”

For instance, Lambdin says they are playing with Pot Roast Pot Stickers and Meat Loaf Sliders. There will also be a Stuffed Artichoke Dip ― spinach artichoke dip served inside a deep fried artichoke heart.

They plan to phase the food service in over time, with phase one kicking off with the bar menu. A family style brunch on Saturdays and Sundays will debut next with biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sausage and bacon. Lunch service will arrive last.

“For last call at Grandma’s, we’ll serve homemade cookies, with boozy milk drinks to put everyone to bed,” Lambdin says.

Now, that’s a nice Grandma.