HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-06-24 Euless Articles
Future of far east Fort Worth strip club uncertain
after proposed rezoning denied
by Eric E. Garcia
June 16, 2025 5:21 pm
Baby Dolls, a decades-old strip club in far east Fort Worth, may not be able to rebuild
following a fire that destroyed the building.
In a 9-0 vote, the Fort Worth Zoning Commission denied a proposal June 11 that would
have allowed the business to rebuild.
Owner RCI Hospitality Holdings Inc. did not immediately respond to an email from the
Fort Worth Report.
The Fort Worth City Council will consider the zoning change at its June 24 meeting.
To rebuild the topless club, a zoning change for the sexually oriented business would be
required since a Fort Worth city ordinance says that the nonconforming zoning may
revert back to its original zoning if a building is more than 75% destroyed or has not
been in use for 12 months.
RCI Hospitality Holdings sought to change zoning for the 1.3 -acre site from agricultural
to light industrial.
Baby Dolls, located at 3601 S. Highway 157 between Euless and Arlington, was
consumed by a fire on the morning of July 10, 2024.
No one was inside and no injuries were reported, Fort Worth Fire Department officials
said in a Facebook post at the time. Eight fire engines and three ladder trucks
responded, as did the Euless Fire Department.
“Immediately after arriving, fire crews noticed that the back wall of the club was
compromised,” the fire department said in its July 10 post. “It collapsed quickly and then
there was a total building collapse. Thankfully, there were no firefighters in the structure
when the building collapsed and the business was closed.”
Fort Worth fire officials said the cause of the blaze was undetermined.
Tarrant County Appraisal District records show that the property was valued at
$186,210 in 2024.
While the requested zoning is compatible with nearby land uses, the club is not
consistent with a future land use map that designates the property for neighborhood
commercial zoning, city staff said in a report.
Fort Worth’s comprehensive plan says the proposed zoning isn’t consistent with the
area since the city is promoting appropriate infill development as more homes, churches
and schools have been built in the area, including Euless and Arlington.
Steven Viera, a Euless assistant city manager, told zoning commissioners that the
proposed club would pose a continuing safety hazard since that narrow strip of Fort
Worth lacks fire department resources, often requiring Euless first responders to react
to emergencies.
Dobie Williams, deputy superintendent of business operations for Hurst -Euless-Bedford
ISD, said the area, once remote and industrial, has new neighborhoods with homes and
schools within 2 miles of the club site.
Now, he said, “W e have kiddos running up and down the street.”
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
At bill signing ceremony for property tax
relief bills, Gov. Abbott signals intention to
place spending limits on local
governments, require voter approval for
increases
by Phil Jankowski via X
Click the image to review this thread that includes Jankowski's coverage from the
ceremony: