Cinnamon-roll fans flying through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport will soon have a new reason to linger near Gate D12. The Peach Cobbler Factory is closing inside Terminal D, and Cinnabon will take its place, marking the brand's first-ever location at the airport.
The DFW Airport board of directors approved the reconcept plan during its Nov. 5 meeting, according to Community Impact. The new Cinnabon will be operated by Odeh-Mickens DFW Concession, and construction is set to begin now that the board has signed off, though no timetable has been announced for when the shop will actually open.
The location sits near Gate D12 at 2400 Aviation Drive in Terminal D, the same stretch of the terminal where The Peach Cobbler Factory had been serving up cobblers, brownies, Belgian waffles, churro sticks with dipping sauce, cookies and cinnamon rolls. Once Cinnabon moves in, travelers can expect the chain's signature cinnamon rolls alongside coffee, lemonade and Chillatta frozen drinks, with flavors ranging from cinnamon roll and caramel latte to strawberry, mango and cookies and cream, according to its website.
Who's Behind the New Shop
Odeh-Mickens DFW Concession is a joint venture between Bassam DFW, owned by Bassam Odeah, and M2 Concepts, which is run by brothers Leonard Mickens and Ray Mickens, according to previous reporting. Ray Mickens is a Westlake resident who played in the NFL from 1996 to 2007 with three teams, and the Mickens name is already familiar to anyone tracking DFW's concession scene near Gate D12.
That familiarity traces back to an earlier plan for the same spot. The site had previously been lined up for a Smoothie King and Peach Cobbler Factory combination in the former Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt space at Gate D12, with Ray Mickens set to operate it. Online documents at the time indicated work was slated to start March 24 with an estimated completion date of August 22, though the year for those dates wasn't specified. Separately, a Nation's Restaurant News report noted Mickens had recently opened his first Smoothie King location at the airport.
Part of a Bigger Terminal Shakeup
The Cinnabon swap is one piece of a much larger concessions push across DFW. The airport has said its board approved 20 new concessions in all, with dozens more expected to come online over the next few years, per DFW Airport. That same announcement had actually listed The Peach Cobbler Factory among brands joining the terminals, with a planned spot in the Terminal C Pier.
For now, travelers passing through Terminal D will have to wait on an exact opening date for the new cinnamon roll stop. Construction crews are expected to move in following the board's approval, but until Cinnabon sets a timeline, Gate D12 remains a work in progress.
