New Low-Key Fort Worth Bar to Take Over the Former Shipping And Receiving Space — Distribution Bar Embraces a Century Old Warehouse

The shell of a century old warehouse sits at 201 S. Calhoun Street in Fort Worth. It was once home to the Supreme Golf Warehouse. Painted signage still attests to that. Then it was transformed into a popular Southside bar and hangout known as Shipping And Receiving. That  closed for good during the COVID shutdowns. Now, for the building’s next act. It is becoming the new Distribution Bar, courtesy of Kyle Bryson and Wallace Owens.

If the names sound familiar, the duo has many restaurant and bar successes under its belts. They teamed up with Chef Stefon Rishel to form the prolific Trident Restaurant Group. The group’s Wishbone & Flynt Restaurant is already set to join their newest, TreMogli Cucina Italiana, which is still on target for a mid to late October opening, just next door in Fort Worth’s South Main Village.

But back to the new Distribution Bar taking over that 100-year-old warehouse space. Just a month after Trident shuttered its Berry Street Ice House, and with its Parker County Ice House set to open on September 7, this new property presented itself to Bryson and Owens. In fact, it was right under their noses.

Distribution Bar will not be a Trident Restaurant Group venture. It falls under Bryson and Owens’ other development company dubbed Two Crazy Fellas, which just so happen to already office in the warehouse building that housed Shipping And Receiving.

“There is no food involved with this one,” Bryson tells PaperCity Fort Worth. “We toyed with the idea of retaining the brand’s name and calling it simply S&R Bar ― a nickname locals would be familiar with. But decided to change the name to Distribution Bar instead, while still paying homage to Shipping and Receiving in that way.”

The unfussy space will bear no resemblance to the posh Amber Room speakeasy attached to Wishbone & Flynt. It will have more of a casual, loungey feel with two pool tables, TVs in one section and comfy seating throughout. The drinks won’t be too crafty either. They’ll be more approachable. More low key like the bar itself.

The existing inside stage will host local music acts, and Distribution Bar will now share the outside stage with the new events venue dubbed The Social Space going into the same warehouse building. When that stage is not hosting parties and wedding events, Distribution will utilize it for live music, but more low-key acts than Shipping and Receiving used to book. There are no plans to recreate that vibe, or compete as a full music venue.

“We hope it will be a great little hangout for the Southside,” Bryson says.

It’s certainly going into an interesting space.