Clint and Whitney Barlow, owners and proprietors of Trees and The Bomb Factory (Photo by Benjamin Hager)

Clint Barlow used to tour as the drummer for Vanilla Ice, meaning he’s played clubs all across the country. When he came home to roost in Lake Highlands, that expertise came in handy.

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With his wife Whitney, the lifelong rocker set his sights on Dallas’ musical epicenter: Deep Ellum. He remembered the glory days of the 1990s when major musicians packed the crowds into Trees and The Bomb Factory. He couldn’t stand to see these iconic spots shuttered, so they got to work reopening them. It began with Trees in 2011, followed by The Bomb Factory in 2015.

The Advocate’s 2015 story about the couple continues to chart as one of our most well-read stories of all times.