\u201cWe\u2019re going to keep literally as much as it is possible,\u201d she said. \u201cThat is a no brainer to me. But there will be a new building somewhere on that property that\u2019s safe for putting hotel rooms. I just don\u2019t know what to expect from a structural standpoint.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Koko said she and her father, John Koko, one of the co-founders of the Horse Soldier Bourbon brand, fell in love with the Stockyards area when they first came to visit in 2023.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe saw the area, the history, the John Wayne Museum, the horses, the Americana, I mean it fit right in with our brand,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Stockyards building is a two-story, 11,416-square-foot brick cold-storage warehouse and meat locker that opened in 1915. It became the Los Vaqueros Stockyards location from 1996 to 2024 when the Tex-Mex restaurant moved across the street to 2513 Rodeo Plaza.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Horse Soldier Bourbon is itself rooted in history. Following the 9\/11 attacks in 2001, a group of U.S. Special Forces soldiers were the first into Afghanistan. They partnered with Afghan allies and rode horses through the mountains to disperse Taliban strongholds, thus the name Horse Soldiers. Their work was classified for nearly a decade and when their story came out, there was a film, \u201c12 Strong\u201d and a documentary, \u201cLegion of Brothers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
John Koko partnered with some of the Horse Soldiers to create a bourbon to help tell their story. Among the investors are California-based Gallo, the largest wine producer in the world.<\/p>\n
Meredith Koko came on board to develop the restaurants. So far there are two, one in Somerset, Kentucky, and another in St. Petersburg, Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Fort Worth location would be the third location that, like the other Urban Stillhouse restaurants, is situated in a unique development.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Urban Stillhouse will have plenty of company in the Stockyards, with \u201cYellowstone\u201d producer Taylor Sheridan a partner in the $3 million remodel<\/a> of Cattlemen\u2019s at 2458 N. Main St., and several Tim Love concepts nearby.\u00a0<\/p>\n Poppi and tea\u00a0<\/p>\n Fort Worth-based tea franchise HTeaO<\/a> is teaming up once again with prebiotic soda sensation Poppi to launch a new limited-time beverage duo for fall. The two Texas brands first collaborated in February 2025. The new creations are Orange Dream Poppi <\/strong>and <\/strong>Root Beer Floatin\u2019 Poppi. Both drinks are available at all participating HTeaO locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Grapevine hotels\u00a0<\/p>\n Grapevine is continuing to grow its hospitality footprint with new developments and major renovations.\u00a0<\/p>\n The city is home to more than 20 hotels, 1 million square feet of meeting space and more than 6,000 hotel rooms.<\/p>\n New hotels coming online include the Hampton Inn & Home2 Suites by Hilton, a dual-brand $14 million property that will break ground in October on a former restaurant site at West State Highway 114 and State Highway 121. This five-story hotel will include 201 rooms with the expected completion date for the first quarter of 2027.<\/p>\n Also coming is the AC Hotel by Marriott at Silverlake. <\/strong>Newcrest Image is bringing a five-story, 200 room hotel near Grapevine Mills at State Highway 26. It will feature outdoor space, a full-service restaurant, 7,000 square feet of event space and six meeting rooms. It is scheduled to open in early 2029.\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, there are expansions at Hotel Vin on Grapevine\u2019s Main Street that will add 121 guest rooms, a spa, outdoor pool and private event space. Great Wolf Lodge Grapevine has recently completed a renovation and expansion with several new attractions and a redesigned grand lobby.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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