Also: Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café says bonjour to Fort Worth; Hardcore Carnivore partners with Fort Worth’s Standard Meat for H-E-B line; business retention group formed
There are plenty of fractional-type services out there — jet service NetJet owned by Warren Buffett and several chief financial officer companies such as Preferred CFO. The advantage to these services is that you pay only for a certain amount of time for the services of a C-suite executive or for the use of a corporate airplane, versus owning a corporate jet or having a full-time CFO.
Fort Worth’s HOLLAND Collective has launched its own marketing, advertising and communications version of fractional services: CreativeCollaborator.
HOLLAND Collective founder and CEO Holland Sanders sensed a need for scalable strategy services in the market, she said. As a result, the consulting agency developed fractional chief marketing officer services designed for companies, solopreneurs, creatives and entrepreneurial efforts of all sizes.
As with many new ideas, the recent pandemic contributed to inspiring the new division.
“After navigating through the last few years of unprecedented change and uncertainty, we have realized that entrepreneurs are seeking our expertise for marketing and strategic guidance,” said Sanders. “In the face of the challenging economic landscape, we have already put our proven model into practice through personalized one-on-one sessions, comprehensive multi-day consultations, and scalable fractional marketing support.”
Among the services CreativeCollaborator offers are: branding, organization strategy, target audience identification, leadership and board support, creative direction, advertising support and communication guidance.
The new company will launch a community-focused learning series later this year. During these online and in-person workshops, Sanders will lead entrepreneurs, marketing professionals, and other interested community members in a range of marketing and public relations topics crucial for business growth and success, providing practical insights and actionable strategies.
Business retention
John Vallance, Fort Worth audit partner at Whitley Penn, has formed an inaugural Corporate Business Retention and Expansion Committee for the Fort Worth Chamber.
This committee is made up of 10 Whitley Penn professionals whose mission is to engage with clients and gain a deeper understanding of their business climate challenges, then report their findings to the Fort Worth Chamber. The chamber will collect findings, create reports and help address the identified challenges.
“Whitley Penn has seen firsthand the impact of the economic growth Fort Worth has experienced throughout the years and how vital it is to continue to invest in it,” said Vallance. “Being a part of the Fort Worth Chamber Business Retention and Expansion Committee and furthering our involvement with additional team members means representing the firm and its commitment in delivering valuable support, guidance, and innovative solutions that will help achieve and expand upon the vision of a vibrant and prosperous business landscape in Fort Worth.”
The Fort Worth Chamber plans to build three corporate BRE Teams.
“We are proud to launch this exceptional Corporate BRE Team,” said Netty Matthews, vice president of existing business for the Fort Worth Chamber.
Companies interested in participating should contact the chamber.
Sweet Paris saying ‘Bonjour’ to Fort Worth
Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café, the Houston-based restaurant brand specializing in sweet and savory crêpes, hot drinks and other tasty items, is coming to south Fort Worth. The brand has announced a new agreement that will bring three locations to the Phoenix area and one location to Fort Worth through a multi-unit deal with John and Sue Gilbert. These four units, along with others in various stages of development, will bring Sweet Paris’ total store count to 36 locations in the near future.
The Gilberts got their start in franchising with Nothing Bundt Cakes almost 10 years ago, and after a visit to the Sweet Paris College Station location, they were hooked.
“Sweet Paris Creperie & Café checked all the boxes for us — worldly cuisine, incredible service, beautiful decor and ambiance,” the couple said in a statement.
Sweet Paris Crêperie & Café has 14 stores in operation in Austin, College Station, Houston, San Antonio and Doral and Coral Gables, Florida, and in Mexico. The brand will shortly open its 15th store in Woodbury, Minnesota.
“The territories that will be developed by the Gilbert’s are truly premium markets,” said Allison Chavez, co-founder of Sweet Paris. “The south Fort Worth area will undoubtedly become a high performing Sweet Paris location in the near future and the Phoenix area has impressive potential as it boasts some of the best performing fast casual restaurant concepts in the country.”
In 2012, the company opened its first restaurant in Houston’s Rice Village.
Hardcore Carnivore partners with Standard Meat for H-E-B line
Hardcore Carnivore, an Austin company that produces cult-favorite meat seasonings and rubs, called on the meat science experts at Fort Worth-based Standard Meat Company.
Hardcore Carnivore is led by Jess Pryles. Pyles, originally from Melbourne, Australia, developed the sausage recipes. She is also a renowned live-fire cook, author, and self-proclaimed “total meat nerd.” She created Hardcore Carnivore in 2015 with the launch of her now-iconic black spice seasoning blend. The seasoning line includes a variety of rubs, including Hardcore Carnivore Red for chicken and pork, and Amplify, a savory boosting powder.
When retailer H-E-B asked the company to create a line of sausages, Pryles called on Standard Meat.
One of the most important Texas traditions that Pryles was determined to honor was the use of real hardwood smoke on her sausages, not bottled smoke flavor. For a mass-produced product, that dedication presented a technical challenge.
Pryles knew where to find a production team to work out the challenges.
“I had a relationship with Ashli (Rosenthal Blumenfeld, Standard Meat Company co-president) as fellow meat industry businesswomen,” Pryles said. “So when this project came about, I knew I had the right people to help me bring it to life.”
Blumenfeld said the challenge was a dream project for the company.
“At Standard Meat, we understand tradition. My great-grandfather Ben Rosenthal started this company in 1935, and we’re still family-owned and operated,” she said. “We honor our heritage today the same way he did back then — by seeking out creative, innovative solutions for each customer’s unique needs.”
Pryles said the work paid off.
“When I said that we need to use real hardwood smoke, they figured out a way to do that,” she said.
The sausages are available in four seasoned varieties: Tex Mex, Beef (with beef brisket), Jalapeño Cheddar and Prime Rib Flavor.
The Hardcore Carnivore line of made-in-Texas sausages debuted in late July and is available exclusively at H-E-B stores throughout Texas.
Multifamily acquisition, development
Fort Worth-based Overwatch Fund announced the addition of Lavera at Lake Highlands to its portfolio of multi-family holdings. The 280-unit property, located in the Richardson School District, will undergo extensive interior and exterior renovations.
“Even with the capital markets evolving and tightening, Overwatch continues to experience robust real estate deal flow, especially in the multifamily sector, and our limited partners remain enthusiastic investors,” said Ben Loughry, Founder and CEO of Overwatch Fund. “We are now above 8,400 multi-family units under ownership and approximately $180 million equity under management. Our team projects that multifamily and industrial opportunities and growth will continue, throughout Texas and the Southeast, where we have traditionally invested.”
Dallas-based BV Capital and its investors have funded the acquisition and development of nearly 30 acres of land for affiliate Bridgeview Multifamily LLC to build class A apartment projects in Arlington and Denton.
Bridgeview Multifamily has just closed a second off-market acquisition – a 6.34-acre tract at 800 W. Bardin Road in Arlington, where it will develop a 250-unit class A project. The developer also recently acquired a 22-acre tract at 3755 McKinney St. in Denton, the future home of a 360-unit upscale project. Ground will break on both projects by midyear 2024.
Bridgeview Multifamily presently has six class A projects, totaling 1,170
units, and six developments with an additional 1,966 apartments in various stages of
development. Bridgeview’s properties, valued at $330 million, are located in Arlington, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Denton, Fort Worth, Garland, Houston, Mansfield and New Braunfels.
“There is a significant housing supply and demand imbalance in Texas. We just don’t have enough units to keep pace with in-migration trends,” said Rob Anderson, president of BV Capital.
In Arlington, Bridgeview Multifamily has gained city approval to develop a vacant tract near Interstate 20. The site historically has failed to meet developers’ litmus tests from a density perspective.
“Because of our past experience with similar sites we were able to design a unique project that provides the density needed to make the numbers work to make the development viable,” said Steve May, Bridgeview’s president and founder. The 6.34-acre tract is located at the intersection of West Bardin and Matlock roads. Tentatively dubbed Mercantile Lofts, Bridgeview’s plan calls for a four-story building with three-story wings with one- and two-bedroom units averaging 796 square feet. Arlington’s rental inventory is 94% occupied, with an average rent of $1,254 per month, according to Bridgeview. Bridgeview’s project will be situated in a submarket with an 8.2% annual rent growth, nearly double that of the entire DFW Metroplex, according to the firm.
Lhoist to add production capacity
Lhoist North America Inc. has announced its intent to add lime production capacity in Texas. Continued population growth in the south has created increased demand for Lhoist North America’s calcium-based products, with customers having announced new steel mills, liquified natural gas export facilities, lithium hydroxide production plants and water treatment facilities. These expansions in multiple markets require lime both in the initial infrastructure build and in the longer term production processes, according to the Fort Worth-based company. Lhoist North America expects to file permits for this expansion in the coming weeks, with the exact location to be defined at that time, according to the company.
A subsidiary of the Lhoist Group, Lhoist North America employs 1,700 people at over 50 facilities throughout the United States and Canada.
Arlington buildings sold
CBRE announced the sale of a 68,485 square foot, two-building office showroom project located at 801-803 Stadium Drive in Arlington.
Thurston Witt and Johnny Dunn with CBRE arranged the transaction on behalf of the seller, DSW Stadium Properties LP, to an undisclosed buyer.
Located across from Globe Life Field in the middle of Arlington, the property is well positioned for a vertical redevelopment with flexible Entertainment District Overlay zoning.
“The location and the flexibility in the future for development made this an extremely attractive investment opportunity,” said Witt, first vice president with CBRE. “We are excited to see how the new ownership chooses to utilize the space as Arlington continues to grow as a premium entertainment district.”
Do you have something for the Bob on Business column? Email Bob Francis as bob.francis@fortworthreport.org
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.
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