What to Do in Deep Ellum, Dallas’ Coolest Neighborhood

Friday the 13th is a big deal at Deep Ellum, the hipster oasis hidden within sight on the east flank of downtown Dallas. Because whenever this notorious date occurs, large lines of people materialize here at midnight.

The reason for their arrival is artistic, not arcane: Every Friday the 13th, the popular local inkerei Elm Street Tattoo invariably opens its doors for the full 24 hours and adorns Dallas residents for only $ 13 each.

The Pittman Hotel

Chris Molina / The Pittman Hotel

The Elm Street Tattoo Marathon is a perfect distillation of this diverse district – a melting pot of invention, music and artistry that literally crackles with sociable creativity. Often compared to Brooklyn’s Williamsburg or San Francisco’s Mission District, it’s funky but urban; an edgy enclave with a big heart and big ambitions.

Originally called “Deep Elm” (a reference to the main thoroughfare, Elm Street), it was pronounced “Ellum” by the first residents 150 years ago, and the name eventually stuck. Today it’s the wall capital of Texas, with more than 150 carefully painted compositions scattered across the old brick buildings, as well as the epicenter of the Dallas live music scene.

Deep Ellum has long been famous for its iconic concert halls, like the now-closed Bomb Factory and Canton Hall, and Trees (where Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain had an infamous fist fight with a bouncer on stage before making a solo appearance in the mid-19th century). But in recent years it has also become an important center of life. Add in a burgeoning rooftop cocktail scene, a collection of avant-garde art galleries, an ever-growing list of quirky craft stores and boutiques, and a newly opened iconic Kimpton hotel, The Pittman, and you’ve got a neighborhood with a faster pace and one deeper soul than anywhere else in Big D.

Where can I go shopping?

Deep Ellum is the best walking area in Dallas, and that makes it perfect for a relaxed day of shopping. A great place to start is Flea Style, a beautifully curated department store selling new and vintage clothing and homeware with an airy “Texafornia” feel to it and a dedicated hat bar where you can choose, change and customize your own Stetson.

Flea style

Courtesy of Flea Style

A short stroll down Commerce Street (which runs parallel to Elm) you will find Deep Ellum Denim, a denim mecca that sells the best selvedge denim from around the world and always has a cold beer on hand. Complete your look at Sneaker Politics, a painfully cool addition to an old recording studio on Main Street that sells some of the rarest and most sought-after sneakers in the country.

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