O

ur alumni are nothing if not resilient, and many are currently fighting to keep their businesses open as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on. For those on the hunt for any number of products — from food and drink to clothing and electronics — who also want to support their fellow Eagles during this trying time, there are plenty of options in Denton and beyond. Any businesses we overlooked? Let us know at northtexan@unt.edu, and we’ll add them to the list.

Denton Independent Hamburger

Mike Barnett (’92)

A Denton burger joint

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2019-spring/dish-denton

 

Komodo Loco & Po-K Loco

Corey Bobbitt

A non-traditional Japanese restaurant that features dishes with both Asian and Latin fusions

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Barley & Board

John "Sparky" Pearson (’95 M.B.A.)

A gastropub and restaurant with hand-crafted brews and New-American style cuisine

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

LSA Burger Co.

Steve Watkins (’88)

A burger restaurant with a rooftop deck, located on the Denton Square

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

GreenHouse Restaurant & Bar

Kenneth Currin (’91)

Open-fire grill restaurant and bar located in Denton

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Hula Hut

Stephen “Duffy” Oyster (’71)

Locally owned Tex-Mex and Polynesian restaurant with island scenery, located in Little Elm

northtexan.unt.edu/taste-makers

 

The Laurel Tree

Laurel Waters (’91)

A restaurant by reservation for lunch or dinner, with a menu that changes weekly, and located in a gorgeous treehouse

northtexan.unt.edu/taste-makers

J Sushi

Sam Jung (’11)

An authentic sushi restaurant located on Loop 288

northtexan.unt.edu/content/denton-food-scene

 

Mi Casita

Matt Kphandani (’84)

An authentic Mexican restaurant with two locations in Denton

northtexan.unt.edu/content/denton-food-scene

 

The Pickled Carrot food truck

Cuong Mai (’10)

A food truck that sells authentic Vietnamese cuisine

northtexan.unt.edu/content/denton-food-scene

 

Metzler’s Food and Beverage

Roy Metzler (’84)

A barbecue eatery with beer and wine located on 380 in Denton.

northtexan.unt.edu/content/denton-food-scene

A cheese board from Ten:One.
A charcuterie board from Ten:One

 

Ten : One

Justin Bonard (’16 M.A.)

A cheese shop and winery located off the Denton Square

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2019-summer/delicious-endeavor

 

Gnome Cones

Bret Hawkins (’16)

A gnome-themed snow cone hangout in Denton, and a stand in Argyle

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2020-spring/theres-no-business-snow-business

 

Maxine’s Cafe

David Sartain (’73, ’79 M.B.A) and Libby Sartain (’77 M.B.A.)

A cafe and breakfast joint in Bastrop

northtexan.unt.edu/taste-makers

 

Orchard at the Office

Kevin Long ('96)

A Richardson-based business that delivers fresh produce, healthy snacks, fresh-baked bread, pies and quiche. The business was founded in 2010 and expanded delivery to homes, apartments and dorms across the Metroplex since the pandemic.

Handmade crafts on display at The DIME Store
Handmade crafts on display at The DIME Store

The DIME Store

An independent store located near the Denton Square that sells artwork by Allie Biddle (’15), Emily Holt (’11), Savannah Kurka (’14), Shawna Smyth (’13) and Anna Tover (’08), and all kinds of gifts and goodies.

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Sleeping Lizzards

Beth Klein (’87) and Roxane Clark (’95)

A Denton gift shop selling handmade jewelry, soaps, gifts and various souvenirs

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

The Paisley Heart

Brooke Howerton (’04)

An online clothing store for women

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Nha Khanh

Khanh Nguyen (’08)

A bold and bright online fashion store for women

https://northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Fat Rhonda Apparel

Brittney Young ('14)

This online-only apparel store donates a portion of its proceeds to a local domestic violence shelter and outreach efforts.

 

Dad Wilder

Blake Barrett (’12) and Dave Wandersee (’12)

Founded in 2018, Dad Wilder is a dad and mom apparel business that is located in McKinney and online at dadwilder.com. The business gives back to charities such as St. Jude's and Folds of Honor. 

<p>Three baby goats</p>
Jonna Hopeful Payne Davis (’02) owns Nuluv, a goat-milk based skin-care line.

Nuluv Goat Milk Products

Jonna Hopeful Payne Davis (’02)

A goat milk-based skin-care line for people with allergies and sensitivities to milk

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-summer/goat-enterprise

 

Obia Naturals

Obia Ewah (’04)

Non-toxic hair products with vegan ingredients

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2019-spring/making-hair-happy

 

Urban Decay

Wende Zomnir (’89)

Cruelty-free, high-pigment makeup and cosmetics

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/makeup-and-mayhem

Piper kits teach children how to build computers and code.

Piper Computer Kit

Mark Pavlyukovsky (’09 TAMS)

A kit that teaches children 7 and older how to build their own computer and learn coding to make a video game

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

Bunch Bikes

Aaron Powell (’11)

Bikes featuring a box in the front that kids can ride in

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Sprockets

Owned by Brandon Dupre (’11) and founded by Sipo Thao (’08)

A Denton-based bike shop that sells bikes and cycling accessories

northtexan.unt.edu/living-healthy

 

Denton Bicycle Center

Joe Holland (’74)

A Denton-based bike center that sells bikes and biking accessories, and allows bike trade-ins

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Sunnyland Outdoor Living

David Schweig ('70) and Brad Schweig ('03)

The patio furnishings store sells furniture that helps customers have a relaxing outdoor experience. Sunnyland was the recipient of the Small Business Award for Corporate Social Responsibility by the Governor's Small Business Forum in 2015, and in 2017 won Retailer of the Year from the Home Furnishings Association.

 

Armadillo Ale Works

Yianna Arestis (’08, ’11 M.B.A.) and Bobby Mullins (’07)

The duo brews beers such as Greenbelt Farmhouse Ale and Quakertown Stout from their homes and distributes them through various retailers.

northtexan.unt.edu/content/armadillo-ale

 

The Bearded Monk

Ben Esley (’08)

A craft beer bottle shop in Denton

northtexan.unt.edu/content/denton-brew-scene

 

Oak St. Drafthouse and Cocktail Parlor

John Williams (’05)

A bar featuring a large patio and more than 70 types of beers

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

East Side Denton

John Williams (’05)

A sports bar in Denton with more than 90 beers on tap

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

 

Times Ten Cellars

Dustin Walker (’06)

A winery and wine-tasting business that also hosts events and parties

northtexan.unt.edu/growing-and-crafting

 

Denton County Brewing Co.

Seth Morgan (’93)

The independent craft brewery in Denton has board games, trivia nights and tons of drinks to choose from.

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2019-spring/dish-denton

 

Spec’s Wine, Spirits and Finer Foods

Lindy Rydman (’72) and John Rydman  (’72)

A husband-and-wife-owned company selling wines and other drinks and foods

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2014-summer/all-family

 

Creative Soul Music School

Casey Thomas (’01)

A bonding experience, located in Keller, that teaches groups how to perform a song and record videos

northtexan.unt.edu/issues/2018-unt-alumni-gift-guide

Christian Brothers Automotive

Bobby J. Williams ('86, '13 MBA) and Sandy Bickham Williams ('88)

The alums own two of the vehicle maintenance and repair shops, with locations in Bedford and north Fort Worth.

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