CrossFit Lake Highlands [1] has set up shop at 9660 Audelia at Walnut Hill (near Showtime Dog Grooming). Founded by Lake Highlands residents Mark and Kristen Barnett, and Chris and Lisa Schmiedeke, the concept is to provide clients with more customized training programs through concentrated sessions in small-sized classes. CrossFit combines core conditioning, weights, cardio and body weight exercises in short, intense workouts to “generate more results in less time,” Chris Schmiedeke says. The new business is offering free workouts on Saturdays at 9 a.m., and regular classes will be held Monday through Friday at 5:30 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Advocate readers can take advantage of a limited-time rate of $100 per month valid through Dec. 31, 2010. Come January, 1-, 3-, 6- and 12-month unlimited packages are available for $175, $150, $135 and $125 per month, respectively. Visit crossfitlakehighlands.com for more information.
If you wind up being one of the first to own an all-electric vehicle, Half Price Books [2] wants your business. While you’re inside browsing the store, your car can be outside getting its fill of free electricity from Green Mountain Energy. Half Price spent about $10,000 setting up the charging station (the first anywhere in North Texas) at its flagship store on Northwest Highway near Central Expressway. Half Price will allow free fill-ups through September 2011, when the program will be re-evaluated by company execs. The charging station can accommodate two cars at a time, but customers shouldn’t expect that to speed up the process too much, as some cars will take hours to receive a full charge. Half Price Books hopes to capitalize on the customers, “down time” while their vehicles are plugged in. The high-tech charging station can send text messages to drivers about their vehicle’s charging status while they’re inside checking out the merchandise or chilling at the café.
For months, rumors have been circulating about In-N-Out Burger [3] coming to Dallas. The iconic West-coast burger joint is rumored to have six locations “under contract” in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. But more importantly, it appears that a Dallas-based real estate company has signed a deal leasing the former Steak ’n Shake restaurant at Caruth Haven and Central Expressway to the popular restaurant chain. Bill Hanks of Rosebriar Properties says the Central Expressway spot will be In-N-Out Burger’s inaugural restaurant in Dallas. An opening date hasn’t yet been announced.
In more burger news, after only seven months in business, Burger Spot in Lake Highlands has closed. Via Facebook, owners posted a notice last month that read: “Burger Spot is now closed for business in Lake Highlands. Thanks to all for the amazing support! We are exploring future opportunities at this time and hope to stay friends.”
Never fear beef-eaters: Restaurateur Thom Turnock has opened The Varsity Grill at Forest and Abrams. Located in the same center as Primo Brothers Pizza and in the former Coach’s Burger spot, Turnock explains that he’s looking forward to doing business with the Lake Highlands community. The new restaurant specializes in burgers and “meaty” hot wings, but the menu also will include salads and a variety of kid-friendly fare. Turnock owns a similarly themed restaurant called Central Grill in Denton on the University of North Texas campus. After working for FedEx for 20-some years, and getting transferred to southern California, Turnock opted to take his career in a different direction and purchased a corn roaster, selling food on local beaches and at state fairs. “That’s how I got into the [restaurant] business,” he says. “It’s really that I like the people. You’ve gotta have a passion for your work. I loved FedEx, but this is something I really have fun with.”
The Villages of Lake Highlands recently held its grand opening in conjunction with Churchill Estates. The Villages is a senior care community offering assisted living, Alzheimer’s care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing services, and Churchill is a senior independent-living community. Both are located on Lullwater, just north of Northwest Highway and west of Plano Road, and together form a full-service continuing care retirement community. Find more information at villagesoflakehighlands.com and churchillestateslh.com.
Lake Highlands grocers are knee deep in makeovers and milk wars. Kroger [4] (Northwest Highway and Plano) and Target (Medallion Center) have been undergoing renovations for the past several months to update their retail spaces, and Lake Highlands residents are benefiting in more ways that one. Kroger’s updated bakery, produce and deli sections give the grocer a much-needed new look, and allow for a plethora of new products (more fresh breads and baked goods). Likewise, Target has renovated its grocery section in order to provide customers a larger selection of food and beverages. Not only are all of these updates providing residents with a more pleasant shopping experience, but the competition among local grocers is translating into some fabulous bargains for the discerning shopper — such as killer meat and produce specials at Albertsons, Tom Thumb and Kroger, and milk for 99 cents at a few stores, a price driven down by new market entrant Aldi. The last time milk was that cheap was 1969; that same year, gas cost 32 cents a gallon, and a first class stamp cost 5 cents.
