Brink’s Coffee Shop

Brink’s Coffee Shop

4505 Gaston Avenue (East Dallas)

Designed by Paul & Paul Architects in 1964, Brink’s is perhaps the city’s finest remaining example of Modern “Googie” style architecture. The building features two rear-sloping zig-zag slab roofs with walls formed of alternating sections of storefront and rubble stone masonry with sloping ends. This building was the first restaurant constructed for Norman Brinker and his first wife Maureen Connolly, both former US Olympians. The Brinker’s went on to develop successful restaurants including Steak and Ale, Bennigan’s, and Chili’s. Brinker and his wife Nancy were heavily involved in philanthropic efforts and are credited with establishing the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Nancy’s sister. The building is now vacant and boarded up. Unless this unique property is renovated and brought back to life, it will continue to deteriorate, or may eventually succumb to redevelopment pressure, leading to the erasing of a part of Dallas’ culinary and architectural history.

UPDATE: The building sold to a new owner in 2016 who has since fixed the exterior of the building and has leased it for a new restaurant.