The group behind Jakes Burgers and Tacos & Avocados is partnering with the city of North Richland Hills on a restaurant park development at the northwest corner of Davis Boulevard and Lola Drive.
MAD Concepts Group of Addison will collaborate with the city and developer Blue Plate Network on the project that will feature two full-service restaurants, each offering a bar, outdoor seating and a backyard dining experience with dedicated play areas for families and children.
The new development will introduce Jakes Burgers, a DFW staple, and Tacos & Avocados, a fresh Mexican food concept, to the North Richland Hills community. These restaurants, ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 square feet each, will provide what developers described as a dynamic dining atmosphere that blends exceptional food with a lively social environment. Additionally, a 1-acre backyard area will be designed to foster community engagement, offering a welcoming space for gatherings, outdoor entertainment and casual dining.
Jakes Burgers is a well-established brand with 12 locations across the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Waco. The chain was founded in 1985 and acquired by MAD Concepts Group in 2021.
Tacos & Avocados, developed by the MAD Concepts team, presents a Mex-Tex culinary experience that fuses traditional Mexican cooking techniques with Texas-inspired flavors.
The city’s contribution is funded without using property tax dollars and represents a small share of the total project cost, said Jack McCarty, mayor of North Richland Hills, in a statement. “We’re making a small investment to turn an underutilized property into something that delivers amenities citizens have asked for and provides lasting value to our community — economically and culturally.”
MAD Concepts’ vision for this project extends beyond dining — it aims to create a year-round community destination.
“If this site were simply a park, it would be activated only a few days a year for special events,” said Carter Wilson, founder of Blue Plate Network, in a statement. “Instead, we are developing two high-quality restaurants with an engaging yard that will serve as an energized gathering place year-round. We envision the community utilizing this space for family get-togethers, post-game celebrations, and much more.”
A similar development from MAD Concepts Group in collaboration with the Benbrook Economic Development Corp. and Blue Plate Network is expected to open in Benbrook sometime this year.
Big on defense
A small Fort Worth company is doing big business as a defense contractor.
Era Health LLC, which also operates as Veterans Health Medical Supply, was awarded an updated $80 million contract from the Philadelphia-based Defense Logistics Agency for troop support on June 3.
Chosen for its small-business status by the Department of Defense, the company will provide medical and surgical supplies and equipment through the contract, initially awarded on Sept. 28, 2023.
The company was founded in 2006 by Dr. Edgar R. Anderson, a former lieutenant general who served as surgeon general of the U.S. Air Force, and distributes medical supplies to federal government health agencies. Anderson, who once served as chief physician at Edward Hines Jr. Veteran Affairs Hospital in the Chicago area, led the company as president and CEO until 2020.
Anderson started the company “to provide government medical facilities with the highest levels of service, reliability and integrity,” according to a company bio.
“Veterans Health assists more than 300 government medical facilities to obtain top-quality products from our supplies, as we assist our suppliers to receive prompt payment from the federal government,” the company’s site said.
The company is now led by CEO Melisa Schultz, who previously served as chief operating officer.
Era Health LLC works with more than 40 medical suppliers. The company’s government relations team includes disabled veterans who served in the Army, Navy and Air Force.
I scream, you scream, we all scream …
National Ice Cream Day is July 20 — July is National Ice Cream Month — and Fort Worth’s Melt Ice Creams wants to tell you a story to help you celebrate.
Head to Melt’s Instagram Reels to meet the main characters from the “Melt Universe” making their way to National Ice Cream Day on July 20, where a certified cowboy, a pint-sized entrepreneur, a starry-eyed young couple and others end up at one of Melt’s five scoop shops across Dallas-Fort Worth.
If you stop by a Melt location during National Ice Cream Day, chances are you will order chocolate, which is the reigning flavor champ this year, according to new data from Blue Bunny. This rare bit of data reveals that 30% of Americans say chocolate is their go-to ice cream flavor, making it the undisputed favorite of 2025.
To celebrate its 90th anniversary, Blue Bunny conducted a nationally representative survey uncovering what’s really shaping ice cream culture. Here is some ice cream data from the survey that may give you a brain freeze.
- Chocolate is No. 1, followed by vanilla, mint chocolate chip, cookies and cream, and strawberry.
- 82% prefer to eat ice cream at home on a weekday.
- 55% say flavor is the No. 1 driver when picking a pint, more than price or trends.
- 71% are open to trying new or limited-time flavors this summer.
Renters find value in Fort Worth
Fort Worth is ranked No. 38 nationally in RentCafe.com’s Best Cities for Renters Report 2025 — landing ahead of Dallas, which is ranked outside the Top 50. Fort Worth stands out for its lower cost of living, newer apartment options and more spacious rentals, according to the report.
More than half of Fort Worth’s rentals are high-end, and nearly a quarter of all apartments have been built within the last five years. The cost of living is 4% below the national average, and 90.3% of apartments are occupied, according to the report.
Fort Worth’s livability scores are weighed down by long commutes and limited transit options: just 1.5% of residents walk or use public transportation, and 41% commute more than 30 minutes each day, according to the report.
M2G checks into hotels
Fort Worth-based M2G Ventures, has launched a hospitality vertical to complement its existing portfolio of urban industrial and mixed-use retail properties.
M2G brought in veteran real estate investment executive Chris Hanrattie as managing director, head of hospitality, to lead the efforts. Hanrattie most recently served as senior vice president, investments and head of hospitality for Crescent Real Estate in Fort Worth.
M2G will focus on hospitality projects where the company can implement its creative value-add strategies to drive RevPAR growth and improve operational efficiency.
More than one trick
Travis and Emma Heim obviously have more than one trick up their sleeve. The founders of Heim Barbecue, who sold the small successful chain to Will Churchill in early 2024, have filed to open One Trick Pony Pizza Tavern in the space formerly occupied by Hot Box Biscuit Club at 313 S. Main. According to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, construction on the new space should be completed by October of this year.
Business park acquired
Ackerman & Co., in partnership with Belgium-based Batisse, has purchased Midway Business Park, a 12-building, 258,846-square-foot industrial portfolio in Richland Hills from Cohen Asset Management. The price was undisclosed.
The portfolio is 91% leased and located near the convergence of State Highway 121 and Interstate 820.
Do you have something for the Bob on Business column? Email Bob Francis, business editor for the Fort Worth Report, at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org.
Senior business reporter Eric E. Garcia contributed to this report.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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