It was just this question of how folks spend their time that got Tina Howard and her husband, Todd, thinking about opening a tea and bookshop in the first place. After their favorite nearby spot closed, Howard and her book club friends were discussing potential options when the light bulb first went off in her head. “I had thought about several different business ideas, but I could wrap my head around a bookstore.”

It has been a big year for the mother of two, as the family relocated from Southwest Fort Worth to the Near Southside, and while they were undertaking that major family transition, they were also developing Leaves, an inviting bookshop intertwined with a tea shop, which will open in the coming weeks in the South Main Village. Leaves extends an invitation for folks to take some time away from the skimming culture inspired by social media and smartphones. Tina explains, “Both books and tea ask you to slow down and think and process a little bit. And beyond the tea and books, that’s what we’re really all about because society is moving at a crazy frenetic pace. It is not sustainable in the long-term; it’s detrimental to our health and our relationships.” Everyone has grown inundated with the unnatural rhythms of screen time, and it is time we make an effort to take a respite, to find a story, and let the tea steep.

The store’s literary inventory will be curated with an eye towards encouraging readers to consider the world they live in. The goal, then, is to provide people with food for thought: books that allow people to think about things on a deeper level and are conducive for discussion. It seems as though a form of quiet nostalgia is already forming for face-to-face interactions away from the Internet. “We’ll have the type of books you read, and you can’t wait to talk to your friends about just to see how they reacted to them. In fact, we’ll have space designated for book clubs, and we want to encourage them.”

While folks are comparing notes on think pieces, they will be able to satisfy any number of tea-based desires. Loose teas, iced teas, kombucha, sparkling tea on tap will be available; eventually, Leaves will get a liquor license so they can make the tea cocktails which are becoming quite popular. “My mom was always into her tea, and the more I thought about it, I realized I like the way books and tea make me feel. I drink Matcha every morning, usually followed by black tea or breakfast tea.” Leaves has already started producing kegs of their sparkling tea, which they have sold to rave reviews at Friday on the Green, Arts Goggle, and HopFusion. “We were just mixing it by hand when [HopFusion’s] Matt Hill sampled some of the sparkling tea. At that point, he told us if we could keg it, he would put it in his taproom. So, he was gracious enough to show us the process by which they keg stuff, and I talked to some of the home brewing people, and together, we figured it out.”

The world of tea is just as vast and overwhelming as literature or anything that people devote countless hours towards understanding. Tea culture has its snobbery and slang; for example, as Tina explains, “Bagged teas are called ‘dust bags’ because they say its what you sweep up off the floor. The premium stuff can just be a single unfolding tea leaf. Of course, there are blooming teas and aged teas; you can get into altitude, terroir, and growth cycles, but we’re trying to make it more accessible to everybody, so we’ll leave some stuff to the experts.”

Leaves will be housed on the first level of what was once the Branch Smith Building on St. Louis Avenue, next door to Collective Brewing Project. Fittingly, Branch Smith ran a printing press out of the location, which will have condos available upstairs and eventually adjacent park space. “I actually got to meet with the Branch family and learn more about the neighborhood and the space which has been sitting empty for a long time.” It should be noted that the man who started the press, Aaron Smith, was born with no arms and taught himself to type with his toes and sign papers with his mouth. As impressive as that was, perhaps more noteworthy was establishing the oldest press in Tarrant County, third oldest in DFW, which stayed in the family for over a hundred years.

At the Near Southside’s fall Arts Goggle event, Leaves had a central tent on Magnolia. They partnered with North Texas Book Festival to host 20 local DFW authors to read from and sell their books and meet folks. “We learned a lot out there. [Chief Goggler] Megan Henderson told me this was the first time they had books at the event, and you could tell people were certainly drawn in by them who didn’t expect us to be there.”

Leaves sparkling tea has been sold at Friday on the Green and Three Danes Bakery, as well as HopFusion, and as they prepare to move into their space, they are already expanding their keg production. “The process has been a long one, but we are getting where we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Part of the light behind this endeavor has been a desire to connect readers and writers, and Howard is contemplating a monthly writer’s residency. “We’ll publish a collection at the end of the year of the work writer’s have written at Leaves, like a literary snapshot of our first year.”

Look for Leaves to open in the Spring of 2018.

An Austin native, Lyle Brooks relocated to Fort Worth in order to immerse himself in the burgeoning music scene and the city’s rich cultural history, which has allowed him to cover everything from Free Jazz to folk singers. He’s collaborated as a ghostwriter on projects focusing on Health Optimization, Roman Lawyers, and an assortment of intriguing subjects requiring his research.

The post Leaves Book and Tea Shop first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

What is the quintessential craft brewery experience? Does a brewpub’s reputation float on the quality of its suds alone, or are factors like ambience and location more important? For HopFusion Ale Works co-founders Matt Hill and Macy Moore, being a family-friendly destination was the priority. The beer came second. A close second, but still second.

Photo courtesy of HopFusion

As we chatted in their spacious Near Southside-based business, Hill and Moore described their vision. “We both have kids,” Hill said. “We wanted a place where kids and dogs can hang out.”

In keeping with their family-friendly attitude, HopFusion offers several non-alcoholic drink options, including cold-brew coffee, lemonade, craft root beer, and kombucha. The lemonade is made in-house, but by far the most popular drink with kids is the root beer. After trying a small pour, I could tell why it is so popular. The golden-hued, fizzy drink has a pungent sassafras scent and a subtle honey flavor. The nectar, Hill said, is sourced from Walker Honey Farms in Temple, Texas.

Now I would never say that there’s a stereotypical “mom palate,” but Hill and Moore said many mothers who frequent HopFusion opt for shandy beers: Summer (Feisty Blonde with lemonade), Winter (Fur Slipper with lemonade), and French (Les Fauves with lemonade). “I love when someone says they don’t drink beer,” Hill said. “We’ll pour everything and mix things together.” And there are things to keep the kiddos occupied. Moore pointed toward a nearby merchandise stand. Dozens of board games awaited the next rush of patrons and families. Most were donated by visitors, he said.

Dogs get the red-carpet treatment, too. Fresh water bowls are a fixture of the outside patio, and dog treats baked from spent HopFusion brewing grain are free while supplies last. Local canine lover Amanda Cox donates her time to make the doggie snacks. There’s also a popular Facebook group, Dogs of HopFusion, where you can post a selfie with your pooch enjoying all that HopFusion has to offer.

Besides offering a great place for families (and dogs) to simply enjoy themselves, Hill and Moore book regular events. Wednesday nights are saved for open-mic karaoke. There’s always live music on Fridays and Saturdays. In the coming years, the two owners plan to make events like bike rides and movie nights part of the HopFusion experience. In fact, anyone who bikes to HopFusion gets $1 off their tab, Hill said. The brewing duo are both avid bikers and supporters of the biking community and want to encourage their community to get out and start cycling. “We’ve met so many of our friends through biking,” Moore said. “It’s the reason for the chainring on our logo. Cycling and craft beer go together.”

Photo courtesy of HopFusion

For now, much of the guys’ free time is taken supplying their brews to 453 pubs, restaurants, and specialty stores. The beer may have been number two on the priority totem pole, but it has garnered many awards and rave reviews by customers. The Feisty Blonde, an aromatic honey blonde ale, has become the brewery’s most popular offering, but Hill and Moore believe their most iconic beer is yet to be brewed.

HopFusion’s growth is indelibly tied to the broader Near Southside community renaissance. While the row of restaurants and bars along West Magnolia Avenue has been bustling for years, the stretch of South Main Street just below I-30 has only recently blossomed back into life. The brewery now counts a craft vodka distillery (BLK EYE Vodka) and a boutique tea and book store (Leaves Book and Tea Shop) as neighbors. Several trendy restaurants are opening nearby. In true Near Southside spirit, HopFusion supports and collaborates with many of these businesses.

Nearby gastropub Pouring Glory offers several HopFusion brews on tap, and they infuse the brews into their culinary offerings from time to time. Great Harvest Bread Company recently collaborated with HopFusion, using the locally made beer for one of its upcoming bread offerings. Just two blocks away, The Collective Brewing Project regularly partners with HopFusion for events.

November 25 will be HopFusion’s all-important one-year anniversary. Getting to this point has been a journey. I joked that it felt like the brewery has been open far longer than a year. Hill agreed but reminded me of the arduous two-year construction and permitting process they went through before opening. While it was not an easy process to open, the results have been gratifyingly spectacular.

Photo credit: Leo Wesson

As befitting such a significant anniversary, you can expect a proportionally large party to celebrate the milestone. Moore said every beer offered over the past year will be one tap — no small feat for the prolific brewers. In the end, they are pleased with the community they are creating. “We’re very happy to see families here,” Moore said. “On weekends, you’ll see a lot of groups. Sometimes, you’ll see six or eight couples with their kids here. I think it’s wonderful.”

Edward Brown is a writing tutor and piano teacher. He is also an award-winning writer for the Fort Worth Weekly and volunteers for numerous Fort Worth nonprofits.

The post The (Hop)Fusion of Beer and Community first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.

Higgs is not only deeply connected to the Fort Worth music scene as a musician, but back in the mid-90s, he ran a rock club known as the Impala in Stage West’s current location on Vickery. Impala, though short-lived, was part of a lineage of important clubs dating back nearly 30 years to The Axis: places like Mad Hatters and Engine Room, which kept the local music scene’s spark aflicker and gave way to places like The Aardvark and The Wreck Room, Brian Forella’s predecessor to Lola’s Saloon on W.6th. During the music scene’s doldrums, these were the dedicated individuals who kept the spark alive. That energy has germinated over the past decade and has seen an explosion of diverse talent who are making a splash on the national stage.

Higgs planned the venture alongside Jon Carey, proprietor of Magnolia stalwarts The Chat Room and The Usual, and first time principal TJ Weber, who were all serious about doing things the right way. As he explains, “The two of them built everything, and I take care of keeping the bar stocked. They did so well, our landlords tried to hire them as contractors.” Ryan, who also runs Upper 90, Magnolia’s sports bar, shares booking duties with Spune’s Alan Brown, who also owns a share of the venue. Given his history and familiarity, he confides that most often he surfs his contacts with dates handy until he fills them, “Alan leaves me to locals, mainly. I’m fortunate to have those relationships, and then he comes in with great touring and regional bands. In the early months, we just wanted to fill the calendar ‘cause we didn’t know how long we’d be open. But now, we can think more about which bands pair well together.”

The South Main Village’s recent $8 million street renovations are a bellwether of the coming increase in development. Higgs gestures in general directions around the neighborhood as he visualizes the next vital destination in Fort Worth, anchored by a growing infrastructure of businesses that began with places like Shipping & Receiving and Republic Street Bar, whose owner Brian Edwards is another partner in MASS. “We figured the Southside needed another venue; so many of the musicians already live in the area. The renovations have been beautiful over here. We know there will be some patience involved in getting a place to really take off.” And, he points out other nearby beacons supporting active musicians: to the east, he indicates Vaden Todd Lewis’ new rehearsal complex, The Loop, and further on down the street are Eagle Audio Recording Studio and Bart Rose’s Fort Worth Sound.

“Jon and I’ve done this before, and this time around, we started out wanting to bring people on board.” Folks like singer-songwriter Kevin Aldridge, Sean Russell of Cutthroat Finches, and Steve Steward of Oil Boom are all part of the bar’s stake holding family. “Musicians want to have a home base to perform and invite out of town bands they’ve established relationships with to play.”

As a further boost to creative juices, MASS gives performers of all sorts of opportunities to utilize their environs every Monday night for Open Mic sets of 10 to 15 minutes. For ten dollars, folks can pick up a recorded version of their music the following week, which will undoubtedly help them develop new material. Alan Brown also books The Wayhomer Wednesday series, which stages mid-week shows around 6 pm in order to offer another avenue to hear great music. “We’re in our 40s now, and sometimes you just can’t do Saturday Night. But with Wayhomer Wednesday we ask, ‘Can you stop by for a Happy Hour cocktail and catch a band?’ We get folks coming in straight from work on their way home.”

To truly satisfy a community, the draw must never become too narrow, so the owners will always keep programming interesting, as with Laugh Your MASS Off comedy showcases. Beyond the literal space of the venue, MASS also sponsors the local music show hosted by powerhouse singer Ansley Doughtery known as Under the Influence on The Pirate, 97.5 FM. As Higgs explains, “We want to get the word out, there’s a lot of talent in Fort Worth.”

Creating a regional hub is important for the life of bands because it allows artists to trade shows with like-minded musicians from other places. So often your next favorite band is also your favorite band’s favorite band, which only serves to remind us of the beautifully shared nature of music in our lives. Since the opening night’s killer hometown lineup with Oil Boom, Kevin Aldridge, and Heater, MASS has continued putting on great shows. As Higgs recounts, “Quaker City Night Hawks blew everybody away; those boys have been on the road for a long time and have gotten really tight.” Other memorable nights have included rising stars The Unlikely Candidates, Austin’s Quiet Company, Ohio’s 2 Cow Garage and local heroes Calhoun. The South Main area is about to reach critical mass.

An Austin native, Lyle Brooks relocated to Fort Worth in order to immerse himself in the burgeoning music scene and the city’s rich cultural history, which has allowed him to cover everything from Free Jazz to folk singers. He’s collaborated as a ghostwriter on projects focusing on Health Optimization, Roman Lawyers, and an assortment of intriguing subjects requiring his research.

The post Critical MASS on South Main first appeared on Tanglewood Moms.