KANVAS will close its Deep Ellum location after Sunday, saying violence in the surrounding area has made continued operation inconsistent with the company’s safety standards.
The restaurant and sports lounge announced the closure Friday on Instagram. Sunday, July 19, will be its final day of operation.
KANVAS said its security team and staff had maintained a safe environment inside the venue but that the company could not control what happened elsewhere in the neighborhood.
“We believe too much violence has occurred in Deep Ellum for us to continue operating there,” the company said.
The company said it was walking away from a business that generates millions of dollars in annual revenue and had the potential to generate tens of millions more in coming years. The Dallas Morning News could not immediately independently verify those figures.
“People will always come before profits,” the company said. “The safety of our guests and 1,000-plus team members nationally will always come before money.”
KANVAS did not identify specific crimes or incidents that contributed to its decision. Its statement emphasized that the violence it cited occurred in the surrounding community, not inside the venue.
The company acknowledged efforts by the city of Dallas and Westdale Management to improve safety in Deep Ellum and said it hoped those efforts would succeed.
“Deep Ellum is an important part of Dallas, and we wish the district, its businesses and its residents nothing but success,” the company said.
KANVAS Sports + Social opened in June 2024 at 2823 Main St. The two-story venue offers dining, sports viewing and entertainment space.
The venue is branded as KANVAS by Kevin Kelley. Kelley also founded Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, which operates restaurants in several cities outside Texas.
Violent crime rose in Deep Ellum during summer 2025, renewing debate over policing and oversight of late-night businesses. The Dallas Police Department’s dedicated Deep Ellum Task Force operates Wednesday through Saturday and made more than 550 arrests in 2025.
In March, the Deep Ellum Foundation proposed expanding the task force to seven days a week as part of a broader safety plan.
KANVAS said its other hospitality businesses, including Kitchen + Kocktails and Club VIVO, will continue operating.