By Bella Stryker
Calling all SMU students, Dallas foodies, and the rest of you coffee snobs— we have the best news of the year… Foxtrot is back. And I mean back.
The modern-day corner store officially opened the Knox location back up on Friday, January 17 under new ownership. Last May, the company was purchased by investment firm Further Point Enterprises, who brought back key players to rebuild the company. Among them are co-founders, Mike Vitola and Taylor Bloom.
The night before the grand re-opening of Knox, Vitola & Bloom held a friends & family evening, and it’s safe to say the event was a hit. At the event, they served wine as well as a few dishes from their reformed menu. The lights were dimmed, the store was bustling, and every single one of their aesthetic groceries uniformly lined the walls. It felt like Foxtrot never left us.
For SMU students especially, this is more than a reopening—it’s a reunion. The Snider Plaza location has long been an extension of campus life. Whether it was the go-to spot for sorority rush dates, a haven for late-night study sessions, or just the perfect place to grab a iced fruit loop matcha and bump into half your friends, Foxtrot was a campus staple. Its abrupt closure left a void, a reminder of how integral these spaces are to our routines and relationships.
While the evening was a reassuring reminder of the comfort of our favorite modern-day corner store, it also was a reminder of the deep-woven threads of community that Foxtrot brings to Dallas.
At the reopening event, I had the chance to speak with Dallas native and SMU alum Jack Gallivan, who now runs Crazy Beautiful Wines with his brother. A Highland Park native, Gallivan was there to celebrate Foxtrot’s reopening, and the return of his family’s wine brand to the stores. (You can support this alumni’s work by purchasing a bottle of his Jolie Folle Rosé from Foxtrot. Bonus: it comes in a one liter bottle.) In many ways Foxtrot has often felt like a part of the SMU experience—even if its time came after you left the campus, as demonstrated by Gallivan.
Foxtrot has always been more than just a café or corner store—it’s a hub of connection, a modern-day gathering place where communities form over a perfectly crafted cereal milk latte or the thoughtfully curated groceries. The reopening of the Knox location is a strong reminder of the essential role this space plays in bringing people together, fostering a sense of belonging that’s hard to find in today’s fast-paced world.
Looking into the future, the Snider Plaza location has some new signs up. They appear to be reopening soon. Here’s to more lattes, study sessions, and serendipitous run-ins—welcome back, Foxtrot.
You can find a list of SMU LOOK member’s favorite Foxtrot products below:
- Bella Stryker: Strawberry matcha latte with almond milk
- Maddie Wagner: Bacon and egg breakfast taco
- Tyler Martin: The to-go asian chicken salad
- Morgan Hellebusch: Fruit loop matcha
- Gala Jimenez-Calvar: Any of the to-go snack boxes
- Lily James: Breakfast tacos