Yesterday morning news broke that The Loon is looking for a new location. One of the most revered bars in Dallas is being pushed aside to make room for a CVS.
While the relocation is sad news for anyone who's spent any time at the decades-old bar, I was secretly, if momentarily, delighted: I had a reason to order some delicious tacos. The Loon has a reputation for drinks that hit customers like a hammer, but it should be celebrated for its tacos dorados, or tacos fritos as they're spelled out on the menu.
While I sat at the bar and sipped on a can of beer, owner Cliff Gonzales told me why he was getting the boot. By the end of May, the strip mall that houses a Subway, Qdoba and a handful of other businesses will be emptied, razed and then replaced by a massive CVS, despite there being a Walgreens just a block away. Two massive drug stores will exist within a pill bottle's throw from each other; Uptowners will never have to wait in a line to buy condoms again.
Gonzales says he's considering four or five new locations. And while he plans on staying in the neighborhood, the bar itself could change considerably. "You'll never be able to duplicate what's been here for this long," he said, pausing to scan the room. "It's taken on a character of its own."
Enough character that a proper send off is in order, though Gonzalez isn't sure what he'll do, or when. (He has to be out by the end of May.)
"Let's just have a big party," he said. "Maybe two or three of them."
My tacos arrived as he spoke, so I ended the interview. I have priorities. Lots of things are certain to change at The Loon in the coming months and I hope these tacos aren't one of them.
