South Side Rising

by Rita Cook on February 3, 2016 in Living Texas, Dallas/Fort Worth,
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Checkered Past Winery, an urban wine pub with a laid back atmosphere and a Mods and Rockers theme, is just one of the recent openings in the historic South Side on Lamar building. The longtime Dallas landmark and former Sears Catalog building has undergone a major upcycle to become a hip loft conversion and anchor for a fierce neighborhood revival everyone is buzzing about.

Courtesy photo
With a retro Mods and Rockers theme, Dallas’ Checkered Past is a casual urban winery where you can enjoy a glass or bottle of wine alongside family and friends. Courtesy photo

Checkered Past features quality Texas wines, locally brewed beer, and some of the best wines from other parts of country and the world. All perfect for pairing with a bite from the tempting food menu. With a menu that serves a cheese and charcuterie board, scrumptious Goat Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Skewers and even a Baby Arugula Salad for finicky eaters, there is something everyone can enjoy.

Co-founder, owner, and winemaker Sandro DiSanto is a first generation American and 100% Sicilian. Both of his grandfathers made wine in Sicily, so you could say it was in his blood. With that in mind he and his partner and General Manager, Carolynne Chancellor looked for not only Texas wines, but Texas wines that are easy to drink.

DiSanto and his team have been working toward opening Checkered Past Winery since 2008 and with the doors now open since December, folks can enjoy wines from Red Caboose in Meridian, Texas as well as wines from not only Burleson and Texoma, but also the popular Central Texas town of Fredericksburg.  Of course, there are also wine choices from outside of Texas and as far away as Italy and France — and you can even find organic wines on the menu too.

South Side on Lamar, designated a National Historic Building in 1999, has been upcycled into a vibrant loft conversion and has over 100 floor plans, a concierge, pool and gym. Courtesy photo
South Side on Lamar, designated a National Historic Building in 1999, has been upcycled into a vibrant loft conversion and has over 100 floor plans, a concierge, pool and gym. Courtesy photo

A casual place where you can enjoy a glass or bottle of wine alongside family and friends, Checkered Past is a great addition to a neighborhood that has surged with the restoration and re-use of the South Side building, a development project begun in 1997.

Today South Side on Lamar is a hip loft conversion with in-building retail and commercial space. Embracing its heritage, it has once again become a vibrant anchor in the community. Its neighbors now include the boutique NYLO Hotel Dallas South Side and an 8-screen Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is coming soon.