Deep Ellum bar operators Peter Novotny and Dan Murry are taking their act across town, preparing to open a French-inspired restaurant and bar called Trapeze in the Bishop Arts District. The new spot is moving into a renovated bungalow at 240 W. 8th St., and the partners say they are aiming for a spring debut, with April circled on the calendar.
They describe Trapeze as a colorful, old-fashioned bohemian artist enclave, the kind of room that feels more like an eccentric studio hideout than a straight-ahead neighborhood bar.
Who’s Behind Trapeze
Novotny and Murry are best known for Deep Ellum nightlife fixtures Armoury D.E. and Ruins, where they have built a reputation for serious cocktails and a strong live-music streak. Ruins' website and earlier coverage by Eater Dallas detail the duo's background and their track record in Deep Ellum.
Menu and cocktails
Novotny has described Trapeze as “kind of a French bohemian bar and restaurant,” with New York chef Jeremy Spector brought in as culinary director to shape the food. The plan is a menu built around classic French dishes, paired with flavors pulled from France's former colonial reach, including Moroccan influences. CultureMap reported that the cocktail list will lean heavily into traditional French spirits with absinthe- and Chartreuse-forward creations. Spector's résumé, including his work in well-regarded New York kitchens, has been chronicled in profiles such as the one at The Daily Meal.
Renovation and local rules
The Bishop Arts bungalow has not been a simple turnkey job. Novotny told CultureMap that the structure was essentially rebuilt, with the exterior also replaced as part of the renovation.
Because the property sits inside a conservation overlay, exterior alterations are subject to review and must comply with design standards under City of Dallas historic preservation and building inspection rules. The address and listing information for 240 W. 8th St. appear in commercial property records that identify the bungalow as available and suitable for restaurant use.
Bishop Arts roots
Novotny has said the Trapeze concept nods to Oak Cliff's French-era roots, a local backstory that traces to the short-lived La Réunion colony in the 1850s. The team is positioning the bar as a neighborhood spot that leans into that quirky, historic character. Local histories of Oak Cliff and La Réunion provide the broader context for the tribute, and the Oak Cliff Advocate documents that chapter of the area's past.
The partners expect to release a more detailed menu and reservation information in the coming weeks as they wrap up the build-out and bring on front-of-house staff, while still targeting an April opening if construction and permitting stay on course.
