The Dallas Download: Week of February 17, 2025

Welcome to The Dallas Download—your weekly dose of what’s happening around town. Every day, my inbox overflows with press releases announcing the latest restaurant and retail openings, invites to must-attend galas and parties, and previews to the latest exhibits and attractions. From food to fashion, reality TV to movie premiers, cultural events to celebrity sightings, this city is happening and I’m here to dish out the most noteworthy updates and juicy tidbits landing on my desk. I’m also sharing the piping hot tea from local outlets that I consider buzz-worthy.

Consider this your curated roundup of what’s happening in Dallas this week.

The Neiman Marcus store in Downtown Dallas is seen, Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025. Chitose Suzuki / DMN Staff Photographer)

The BOMBSHELL news. of the week is that Neiman Marcus is closing its downtown store after more than 100 years in the core of the city.

The Dallas Morning News reported on the 18th that the storied site on Main Street will shutter effective March 31, according to a statement from Saks Global, the new owner of Neiman Marcus. Despite years long negotiations, it received a notice from a landlord to terminate the occupancy, “forcing us to close,” the statement said.

DMN writer, Sarah Hepola, followed up this announcement with a lovely tribute about how “Stanley Marcus turned the homegrown luxury store into a fashion mecca that drew Sophia Loren, Coco Chanel and generations of shoppers who dreamed big, even if that meant taking out another credit card.”

CELEBRITY & ENTERTAINMENT BUZZ

Set your DVR! Chef John Tesar will return to Food Network for the debut of House of Knives on March 18. The new show will feature a roster of top-tier chefs competing for a culinary crown and $100,000 grand prize. The eight-episode competition names a weekly ruler based on challenges that reflect the contenders' personal stories, food influences, and cultures, while the least successful chefs are banished. There are nine chefs on the roster for season one, including Tesar, but only six will compete at a time. In each episode, a chef is eliminated, and then there is a dramatic reveal: a new legendary chef entering the arena. (Dallas Observer)

Community Partners of Dallas announced award-winning journalist, author, and former co-anchor of NBC News’ “TODAY” and co-host of “TODAY with Hoda & Jenna” Hoda Kotb as the featured speaker for the 19th Annual Chick Lit Luncheon presented by Dr. Robert and Lara Tafel on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the Hilton Anatole Dallas. (press release)

Claire St. Amant, an investigative journalist who worked the crime beat for CBS News for nearly a decade, has just published a memoir called Killer Story. It recounts her days as an investigative crime reporter and producer at CBS News shows such as 48 Hours and 60 Minutes — revealing the inner workings of national TV crime coverage, while offering a behind-the-scenes peek at her journey in mainstream network news. (CultureMap)

FOOD & BEV

Cafe Dior by Dominique Crenn opens its doors to the public on February 22, but lucky VIP’s got a sneak peek and the opportunity to fawn over Michelin-starred Chef Dominique Crenn in person yesterday. Las night she dined José on Lovers Lane - because you can’t come to Dallas and not have Mexican food! Chef AQ Pittman posted, “The scream I scrumpt after cooking a 6 course meal for the one and only Chef @dominiquecrenn . Welcome to Dallas.” You can (try) to make a reservation HERE.

Musume Dallas, the acclaimed contemporary Asian fusion/sushi restaurant located at 2330 Flora Street in Downtown Dallas, has partnered with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (BTW) to develop a brand new nine-course Omakase dinner. This one-of-a-kind partnership centers on a new, nine-course Omakase menu developed by Yuzo Toyama, Musume’s executive chef who is a native of Shizuoka, Japan. The menu includes dishes such as Hamachi Crudo with yuzu soy, jalapeño, and micro cilantro; Wagyu Tataki with truffle ponzu, pickled wasabi stem, and shiso; Chutoro Nigiri served with freshly grated wasabi; applewood smoked-Aburi salmon with serrano rock seaweed and truffle oil; and Matcha Panna Cotta dessert featuring macerated strawberries and toasted rice. Ten (10) percent of all Omakase sales will be donated back to BTW, with funds managed by BTW’s Visual Arts Conservatory in support of the school’s programs and initiatives that foster student growth and creativity. Cost is $155/person and is open for reservations now: https://www.opentable.com/r/musume-dallas

BUSINESS

If you’re looking for a man in finance, trust fund, 6'5", blue eyes… you won’t have to wait long. The New York Stock Exchange will reincorporate its Chicago branch in Texas, it announced on Wednesday, rebranding it as NYSE Texas and moving to Dallas.

With the upstart Texas Stock Exchange taking shape and the Nasdaq expanding its reach in the Lone Star State, the Dallas region is about to find out if “Y’all Street” is big enough for three players. Timing of the Big Board’s “fully electronic” Texas equity market will depend on regulatory filings, the NYSE said. (Dallas Morning News)