The only official hostel in Dallas that calls a hostel by name has closed: Ellum’s Deep Inn, which has been offering basic shared accommodations for overnight stays in Dallas for four years, has closed permanently. A spokesperson confirmed that the venue’s last day was July 31. Always the end of the month.
As of August 1, they were no longer in service. All reservation holders have been contacted.
An on-site restaurant and bar called Booty’s closed the same day.
Co-founder Collin Ballard said the main culprit was the pandemic.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on both sides of our business,” he said. “Omicron hit us hard during the low season earlier this year, forcing us to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to restructure and try to survive.”
“The hostel was doing better, but overall sales for the business – which includes our bar and restaurant – unfortunately did not reach the number we needed,” he said.
A spin-off of Firehouse Hostel & Lounge in Austin, the Deep Ellum Hostel opened in 2018 at 2801 Elm St. at the main Crowdus intersection. The building was a dream: a vintage brick structure built between 1901 and 1911, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it was first a saloon, then a syrup maker, then an auto repair shop called the Long Machine Tool Co. that moved to Ferris in 1996.
The property had 14 rooms with a total of 72 beds, including a mix of private suites and dorm-style shared rooms. Ballard and co-founder Kent Roth did a handcrafted renovation that brought out many century-old details throughout the historic building.
Reviews were generally positive, with praise for the cleanliness of the place, the comfortable bedding and pillows, and the low price.
There was a restaurant on site, originally a tapas place called Izkina with lively chef Joel Orsini. But a year later, they renamed it the more casual Booty’s, a tribute to the New Orleans gastropub of the same name, serving cocktails and world street food. Booty’s has become its own destination with a busy schedule of music, events and shows.
Being a hostel in Deep Ellum, especially in such a central location, has become more difficult in recent years as the entertainment district has become increasingly noisy. The hostel had to warn guests that things could be noisy, especially on weekends. “If you’re a light sleeper or planning to go to bed early, we’re probably not for you! ” they said.
The short-term rental scene in Dallas has grown significantly since 2018, including a huge increase in the number of Airbnbs. Meanwhile, a hostel-like boutique hotel called Sova, offering micro-sized rooms and lower rates than a regular hotel, opened in 2021 less than a mile away.
Deep Ellum Hostel isn’t the only closure at this intersection either: Wit’s End, which is around the corner from Cat (not catty-corner, take note) at the hostel closed at the end of June.
Booty’s held a going away party, during which they expressed their gratitude to artists, dragsters, DJs, musicians and performers who appeared, and thanked their staff for their “dedication and resilience”.
“They helped us through some tough times during the pandemic and through all the quirks of being both an international hostel and an LGBTQIA+ bar in Deep Ellum,” they said.
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