How a Dallas nonprofit works to make your night out safer
DALLAS (CBSNewsTexas.com) – Gina McKinney has worked in nightlife for almost 20 years and knows how quickly situations can escalate.
"In this industry, with the amount of people that come out, trying to have a good time, drinking… anything can happen at the drop of a hat," she said.
She says that's why her Deep Ellum club, Blum at the Sporting Club, takes safety seriously.
"It's very important to us that our customers and our staff are safe at all times and that we have a plan of action," she said.
That plan of action is what led the club to sign up for 24HourDallas' Copper Star Certification Program.
"The Copper Star Certification is a six-month program where we take businesses who are open past 6 p.m. and make sure that they meet international standards and best practices in safety, inclusion, having a welcoming environment and community relations," said Bryan Tony with 24HourDallas.
It's a collaboration between the nonprofit, the City of Dallas, Dallas Police Department and Dallas Fire Rescue.
"We're making sure that these businesses have written policies and procedures for how they manage their occupancy levels, for not over-serving guests, they know to cut off service and to call a ride home for somebody who requests or if someone's being harassed, to take immediate action," he said.
Last year, 44 nighttime businesses, including Trinity Cider, received this certification. Owner Evan Kalstad said already, it's making a difference.
"Actually, pretty immediately we had a women's safety champion," he said. "We didn't have it before. We learned that we should have it with Copper Star and now everyone who works here at Trinity Cider who is a female knows they can go to our women's safety champion with any issues they have and that's been great," he said.
Seeing the impact, this year 84 nighttime businesses have signed up to get certified.
"To be a part of this program for us was important because we wanted to be a part of the solution," McKinney said.
"It's programs like this that helps Dallas become one of those safe cities," Kalstad said.
These businesses believe having this certification will bring in more patrons. They said the more people feel safe, the more likely they are to visit.
2023-2024 Copper Star Certification-seeking Businesses:
- Agency12
- Armoury D.E.
- Autonomous Society
- Barcadia
- Barfly
- Bishop Arts Theatre Center
- Blade Craft Barber Academy
- Blüm at the Sporting Club
- Bourbon & Banter
- Bucky Moonshine's
- Cafe Salsera
- Celestial Beerworks
- Cheapsteaks
- Craft & Growler
- Creative Arts Center
- Crossfaded Barber Shop
- Crowdus
- Dahlia Bar & Bistro
- Dallas Comedy Club
- Dallas Opera
- Deep Ellum Brewing Co.
- Desperados Mexican Restaurant
- E Bar
- Eno's Pizza Tavern
- Fancy Pants
- Federales
- Felix Culpa
- Four Corners Brewing Co.
- Four Day Weekend
- Great American Hero
- Harlowe MXM
- High Fives
- HG Sply Co
- Indigo 1745
- Invasion
- Junior Players
- Las Almas Rotas
- Latino Cultural Center
- Leela's
- Life's Good Bar & Grill
- Louie Louie's Piano Bar
- Maya's Modern Mediterranean
- Milli
- Milo Butterfingers
- Next Level Events
- Oak Cliff Cultural Center
- On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen
- Peticolas Brewing Company
- Pineapple Beach House Productions
- PM Lounge
- Punk Society
- Rainbow Vomit
- Reno's Chop Shop Saloon
- Reunion Tower
- Rodeo Goat
- Ruins
- Scout
- Select Start
- Shot Topic
- Skellig
- South Dallas Cultural Center
- SouthSide Steaks and Cakes
- Spider Murphy's
- Stan's Blue Note
- Statler Hotel
- Subsolo
- Swizzle
- The Branca Room
- The Echo Lounge and Music Hall
- The Free Man
- The Grapevine Bar
- The Kessler Theater
- The Libertine Bar
- The Old Monk
- The Venus Collective
- Tipsy Alchemist
- Trick Pony
- Truth & Alibi
- V12 Yoga
- Val's Cheesecakes
- Waterproof
- Written by the Seasons
2022-2023 Copper Star Certified Businesses:
- Alice
- Apothecary
- AT&T Performing Arts Center
- Ballet North Texas
- Bath House Cultural Center
- Bowlounge
- Bucks Cabaret
- Bucks Wild
- Civil Pour
- Distinctive Vine Wine Lounge
- Elm & Good
- Greenville Avenue Pizza Company
- Hello Dumpling
- It'll Do Club
- Jaxon Beer Garden
- JR's Bar & Grill
- Kimpton Pittman Hotel
- Klyde Warren Park
- Loro
- Majestic Theatre
- Mesero Restaurant Group
- Methodist Dallas Medical Center
- Moody Performance Hall
- One Eyed Penguin
- Pegasus City Brewery
- Rye
- Sandaga 813
- Silver City Cabaret
- Station 4
- Sue Ellen's
- Taco Y Vino
- Thanks-Giving Square
- The Cedars Union
- The Exchange
- The Men's Club of Dallas
- The Mining Company
- The Rose Room
- Three Links
- Trinity Cider
- Uchi
- Uchiba
- Whiskeys
- Will Call
- Zalat
