I am a server from Louisville, Kentucky. The restaurant I work at is located at downtown and has been open for over 38 years. The Kentucky Derby nights, we shared tips with everybody total of 30 captains/assistants. On the first night, (of 3 nights) we made over 34,000 in tips, the second night was over $31,000 and the last night was $27,000 all of these numbers are just estimate because we have no idea how much we made since the first and the second room are completely different from each other because the second room are people who works typically in catering so we weren’t able to see how much they really made that night (but we all share tips on this 3 specific nights)
We haven’t got our tips yet and it’s been 3 days. We don’t know how much we made. Apparently, last year there was a lot of rumors that the owner took some tips from the servers because they couldn’t provide a computation on how was the tips distributed to everybody who worked on Derby nights.
Tomorrow we’re supposed to get our check and I was wondering if we could sue them if they didn’t provide and elaborate a computation on how was the tips distributed for the restaurant.
My coworker is saying that it’s a waste of time to even think about suing. because he definitely has a powerful lawyer and can just get away with it. What should we do?

Hey Louisville! I’m originally from Elizabethtown, so I’m no stranger to Louisville. When I turned 21 (a long time ago), I packed my shit & moved to Phoenix. I settled in Scottsdale, & if you told me 5 years ago I would be moving back to Kentucky I would have laughed at you. Well, things change & sometimes life brings you full circle. But I’m scared to make the move to Louisville only to have the same thing happen all over again. Here’s what I’m afraid of…
I’m afraid of STRs (Airbnb/VRBO) gutting Louisville neighborhoods like they’ve gutted my neighborhood in Scottsdale. I know that might sound crazy to people, but hear me out. When I bought my house, the City of Scottsdale did not allow residential property to be rented for less than 30 days at a time. But our governor passed a bill in 2016 that barred all local municipalities across the state from being able to restrict rentals. Now, every dot on this map is a STR: https://str.scottsdaleaz.gov This bill didn’t just destroy Scottsdale. It has destroyed lots of towns & cities all across Arizona. Airbnb is a cancer on society. Now there is a similar bill sitting with Kentucky’s state legislature: https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1710329 If this bill passes, I feel like neighborhoods all across Kentucky, especially in Louisville, might also be doomed. Based on this map, it appears parts of Louisville are already saturated: https://data.lojic.org/datasets/jefferson-county-ky-short-term-rentals/explore If someone had warned me 5 years ago that I would end up surrounded by Airbnbs that cater to screaming bachelor & bachelorette parties in what was a low key neighborhood, I wouldn’t have believed them. But I have been given a front row seat, & I don’t want it!
So what are your thoughts? Do you think this KY bill will pass? Do you think Louisville already has an Airbnb problem? Or do you think I’m overreacting?
Just to be clear - I have no problem with people who rent out casitas or rooms on their property as long as it’s their primary residence & they live on site. It’s the converting of residential properties into hotels without any consideration for the neighborhood that I’m opposed to.

From Texas Monthly:
The Battle of Big Taco
With their anything-goes approach to ingredients—and deep-pocketed investors—Torchy's Tacos and Velvet Taco have ambitious plans to expand nationally.
Something stops Clay Dover cold as he strolls behind the restaurant’s counter. The CEO of Velvet Taco has been all smiles and high fives since he entered the chain’s location in the Grandscape shopping center, amid the suburban sprawl north of Dallas. But now, staring at a few chicken strips in a bin under a heat lamp, he cuts off his friendly patter midsentence and pulls out one of the little brown hunks. He turns it over in his hand, tears it apart, takes a bite, and throws the rest in the trash with a faint trace of a pucker on his face. He’s not going to call anyone out on the spot, but he’s clearly not pleased.
Dover happens to be one of the world’s leading experts on chicken strips. As a former executive with Raising Cane’s, a Plano-based restaurant chain whose entire menu revolves around chicken strips, he knows instantly whether they’ve been made with tenderloins, a narrow cut found on the underside of the breast—“It’s the filet of chicken,” he says—or from an oversized breast that’s been sliced. He can detect whether a strip is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside or has devolved into a bumpy slab of rubber.
Today the strips in question were too small and too bready, suggesting that the crew had been serving customers the better pieces out of a batch and leaving the remains too long under the heater. The chicken didn’t pull apart with the telltale ease of a fresh tender. “Thirty-five percent of the protein in our tacos has chicken tenders in it,” he explains. “So if it’s not hot and juicy on the inside, if it’s not perfect—if you screw up the chicken, you’re done.”
Velvet Taco, which launched in Dallas thirteen years ago and now runs 46 locations in seven states, numbers among a handful of chains with the potential to redefine what a fast-food taco looks and tastes like. Sixty-plus years after Taco Bell turned a regional staple into a cheesy drive-through treat, there has yet to emerge a serious challenger with national reach, besides Chipotle, where tacos are a menu afterthought. But Velvet faces stiff competition for that prize position, and nowhere more than at home in Texas.
A few days after Dover’s Grandscape chicken-strip discovery and 220 miles south, Mike Rypka pulls on a fashionable knit blazer over his black T-shirt and heads into a conference room at the headquarters of Torchy’s Tacos, in East Austin. It’s headshot day at the chain Rypka founded in an Austin food trailer, in 2006, and which now operates 127 locations in fourteen states. “Sometimes I have to look professional,” he mutters, before stepping in front of the camera and transforming instantly from a 48-year-old tattooed dude into a corporate executive with thousands of employees.
Torchy’s started as the kind of lovably quirky local outfit whose devoted followers treat it like an extension of their personalities. But as the chain conquered city after city, it began to mirror the experience of a beloved local band that signs with a major label and lands a radio hit only to see its fans cry “sellout.” Rypka at one point stepped aside to make room for a seasoned CEO, but then he stepped back in to lead a changed company—one that’s poised to become a household name in every part of the country.
In phrasing that many taqueros might take umbrage at, Velvet’s and Torchy’s offerings have been described as “elevated” takes on the taco. What that means exactly differs quite a bit between the two chains, but each offers creative combinations of ingredients and an irreverent brand identity that trades on hedonism. Both have taken large investments—hundreds of millions of dollars—from coastal private-equity firms aiming to grow them into enormous publicly traded companies.
Mexican restaurants are on a tear in the U.S., recording some $50 billion in sales in 2022 and growing by more than 9 percent annually, far outpacing the overall economy, according to food-service consultancy Technomic. Meanwhile, Latinos have grown into the second-largest ethnic group in the country, accounting for roughly 20 percent of the population (and double that in Texas, where they constitute the largest ethnic group). As the U.S. absorbs the effects of changing demographics, opportunities for multiple national taco chains will only increase.
To be sure, other players are scrambling to claim a piece of that emerging mega industry—call it Big Taco—but Velvet and Torchy’s share an important advantage in being headquartered in Dallas and Austin, two of the best places anywhere for building food brands. “Both companies are expected to grow much faster than their competitive set,” says David Henkes, a senior principal with Technomic. It’s not surprising that the future of the taco business is being invented in Texas, but the reason has less to do with the state’s Mexican heritage and 1,200-mile international border and more to do with its proclivity for shrewd business.
Turning tacos into cash has been a Texas tradition since the late nineteenth century. Though tortillas emerged as far back as 10,000 BC, it wasn’t until the eighteenth century, according to the prevailing theory, that a stuffed tortilla became a “taco”—a word that Mexican silver miners also used to describe the little explosive paper-and-gunpowder wraps that they stuck in rock walls. When a group of women who came to be known as the Chili Queens of San Antonio started selling food from pushcarts and colorful stalls in the city’s plazas in or near the 1880s, they ushered in a blending of Mexican and American flavors that grew into Tex-Mex cuisine. Among the dishes that took off as a result—chili con carne, enchiladas, tamales—the taco was the most convenient.
It took a Californian, though, to build the first big brand around the taco. Into a crisp-fried tortilla, Taco Bell founder Glen Bell essentially stuffed a deconstructed cheeseburger—ground beef, iceberg lettuce, and shredded cheese. It was 1962. McDonald’s had revolutionized restaurants just a few years earlier with a quick-service concept that Bell adopted for his chain. By 1978, Taco Bell had nearly one thousand locations—including stores throughout Texas—thanks to an aggressive franchising model also borrowed from McDonald’s. With Mexican food still considered somewhat exotic in much of the United States, Taco Bell didn’t face as much competition as its burger brethren. But after it helped usher tacos into the mainstream, the differences between its food and that of mom-and-pop taquerias suggested an enormous opportunity to build something fresher and more authentic.
Enter Felix Stehling, the owner of a bar called the Crystal Pistol, who opened the first Taco Cabana in a decommissioned Dairy Queen in San Antonio in 1978. While Taco Bell emphasized assembly-line speed and precooked ingredients, Taco Cabana offered house-made tortillas, sizzling fajita plates, and a salsa bar. Taco Cabana’s success prompted a Minnesota entrepreneur to copy its formula almost exactly, in a Houston-based chain called Two Pesos. The resulting trademark lawsuit went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, in 1992. Taco Cabana prevailed and eventually bought Two Pesos. But after Stehling handed the CEO reins to a former Fuddruckers executive, the emphasis on fresh ingredients began to slip, and ultimately, so did sales. The chain, which had at one point expanded to seven states, has 149 locations today, all but six of them in Texas.
As Taco Cabana’s fortunes waned, a new entrant called Chipotle was rising in Colorado with a message about ethically sourced ingredients and an investment from McDonald’s. Chipotle was the first Taco Bell challenger to take a serious bite out of the market. By the time it went public in 2006, the chain had nearly five hundred locations in 21 states. Today it has more than three thousand, compared with Taco Bell’s eight thousand, and hauled in about $10 billion in 2023. By emphasizing the quality and freshness of its food, Chipotle popularized the fast-casual dining concept and ignited an industry revolution, an upscaling of fast food without sacrificing the “fast.” Workers chopped onions and lettuce by hand every day. Customers could see raw chicken being grilled on a flattop in the back of the kitchen. Some Chipotle items—such as carnitas and barbacoa—are prepared in a central kitchen and show up in big plastic bags, but none of it arrives frozen.
Amid the stampede of restaurant concepts that then attempted to re-create the Chipotle phenomenon in countless other formats in the first two decades of this century—burgers, grain bowls, pizzas, salads, sandwiches—Shake Shack stood out. Not only did the chain started by New York fine-dining impresario Danny Meyer create a better burger—a melty pile of guilty pleasures packaged in a spongy potato roll—but it charged two or three times as much as McDonald’s for a meal. While McDonald’s and Chipotle report some $3 million in annual sales per location, Shake Shack pulls in $4 million or more.
Shake Shack also showed how an aggressive private-equity investment could grow a restaurant brand as if it were a tech firm. Leonard Green & Partners, based in Los Angeles, had funded the expansion of other companies, such as the Container Store, based in the Dallas suburb of Coppell. It invested in Shake Shack in 2012, when the company operated only a handful of restaurants, and took it public less than three years later, with 63 locations. By then the goal for investors had shifted from finding the next Chipotle to finding the next Shake Shack—and it did not go unnoticed that in the taco space, there were fewer large competitors than in burgers.
Taco Bell delivered lower annual sales per location—about $1.6 million—than burger chains. And as much as Chipotle had changed the game, its menu emphasized burritos, not tacos. Meanwhile tacos were becoming a national obsession, with tiny trailers turning out Mexican-style street tacos, Netflix commissioning taco shows, and one storied magazine even hiring a dedicated taco editor (ahem, Texas Monthly; ahem, the James Beard Award–winning José R. Ralat).
The door was open for a new taco giant—if it had a novel concept.
There may be no metro area in America with more headquarters of mass-market restaurant chains than Dallas–Fort Worth (though Orlando offers stiff competition). It only makes sense, considering DFW’s low $7.25 minimum wage and dearth of natural or political barriers to suburban development. Chili’s, Cici’s, Which Wich, Wingstop—Big D dining concepts go on and on, their towering signs punctuating the view from North Texas highways while mirrored office buildings just beyond house their executive suites. Before Clay Dover took over as the CEO of Velvet Taco, the company was run by its founder, Randy DeWitt, among the most prolific Dallas restaurateurs.
A former commercial real estate salesman who developed strip centers around Walmarts and other national retailers, DeWitt has arguably passed even the late, legendary Norman Brinker as a restaurant savant. (Brinker brought the world Bennigan’s and Steak and Ale—brands that not only created the casual-dining category and established Dallas’s dominance but also ushered in lasting innovations, such as the salad bar.)
DeWitt, 65 years old with an eye-crinkling smile and a flourishing head of politician hair, first fell in love with restaurants as a bartender in Waco while he was a student at Baylor University. He got his start in Dallas in the nineties with a coffee bar and then a seafood chain called Rockfish, whose expansion was financially backed by Brinker’s company, Brinker International. In 2005, DeWitt came up with the concept for a racy sports bar called Twin Peaks. The now infamous chain, he says, unapologetically, would “do everything better” than breastaurant pioneer Hooters, from its double entendre menu items to the acreage of skin displayed by its all-female waitstaff to the not-so-subtle innuendo in the brand name.
By 2013, Bloomberg described Twin Peaks as the fastest-growing chain in America, and DeWitt was an abundantly wealthy man. He moved a few years ago from exurban Frisco to exclusive Highland Park, where he rebuilt a home to include underground parking, a turret, and various Spanish-inspired architectural details that match those of the glittering Highland Park Village shopping plaza a few steps away.
As his empire took shape, DeWitt determined that his strengths lay in spinning up new restaurant concepts and getting them started, not in operating vast chains. So he built his company, Front Burner Restaurants, as a kind of incubator aimed at selling its creations once they proved viable. At the Ranch at Las Colinas, a Texas-themed restaurant he’d opened in Irving in 2008, he noticed the line cooks were experimenting with tacos at the end of each week, combining unexpected ingredients and feeding the staff. DeWitt began looking forward to tasting their latest creations: a rotisserie chicken taco one night, a shrimp-and-grits taco the next.
Light bulb. He’d seen plenty of new and old taquerias that focused on traditional street tacos or Tex-Mex flavors. But what if he could build a restaurant around the idea of the “liberated taco”? He originally planned to call the chain Taco Libre, but when that name turned out to have been taken by a caterer in California, he settled on Velvet Taco—“implying this is luxury and refined and something more upscale,” he says now. On the menu: a fried-oyster taco (since discontinued), a chicken tikka taco (still the chain’s best-seller), and a smashburger taco that one-ups Taco Bell’s deconstructed cheeseburger by reconstructing it.
For the logo, DeWitt chose a design that evoked a royal medallion. Or perhaps both the name and image slyly evoke a part of the female anatomy that Twin Peaks hadn’t. He has a hard time denying that. “We like playful names,” he says with a shrug, before insisting that any innuendo is accidental.
Clay Dover, boyish at 52, has the ambiguous logo embroidered into nearly every piece of clothing he owns, including shirts he wears out for date nights with his wife. He joined Velvet Taco in 2017, when it operated just four locations—in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Chicago. DeWitt had just sold a majority stake to a private equity group called L. Catterton that’s based in Greenwich, Connecticut, and affiliated with the family of Bernard Arnault, the French luxury kingpin who runs the LVMH conglomerate and regularly trades places with Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos as the world’s wealthiest person.
Before his seven years at Raising Cane’s, Dover led a Dallas restaurant group that owned a passel of once successful chains that had lost their edge—Norm Brinker creations Bennigan’s and Steak and Ale, along with steakhouse rivals Bonanza and Ponderosa. He’d met DeWitt, and they’d talked about working together (though not at Twin Peaks—“My wife would kill me,” Dover says), so he’d watched the early growth of Velvet Taco with great interest. The idea was fresh. It reflected a changing Dallas—and a changing country. The restaurant kept its purple neon lights on until four in the morning, to serve revelers in need of taco therapy before calling it a night. Dover spent a full day and night watching the scene at the Fort Worth location before he agreed to join. “It’s a rockin’ place,” he concluded.
Private equity investors tend to come in two flavors: the ones that strip a company for parts and sell them off and the ones that help a promising brand grow to the next stage before selling it to an industry giant or taking it public. Catterton is the latter, and in the five years that it was the majority owner of Velvet Taco, it expanded the chain from 4 locations to 31—before selling it in late 2021 to another private equity company, Leonard Green & Partners—the same $70 billion fund that took Shake Shack public in 2015.
Velvet’s headquarters occupies 10,000 square feet on the second floor of a building overlooking the Dallas North Tollway. There Dover oversees a staff of several dozen who work on everything from marketing campaigns to real estate development. The business end of a taco brand that aims to conquer the world looks more like a 2010s-era tech startup than your typical taqueria. In the Velvet office, a Ping-Pong table stands amid a row of cubicles near a mural of Marie Antoinette sensually eating a slice of the brand’s signature red velvet cake.
When Dover joined Velvet, he was the sole corporate-level employee; everyone else worked at one of the restaurants. Rather than tinkering with the menu, he took his first year to “understand the brand and what it means to consumers”—which involved developing a kind of handbook of catchy slogans meant to encapsulate the culture and principles of the workplace and the food the company hoped to offer. Out went “temple of the liberated taco,” for instance, and in came “tacos without borders,” a more sensitive phrasing that avoided the suggestion that the taco’s Mexican heritage was somehow holding it back.
Today the corporate team’s priorities are more tangible, including how to maintain quality standards at Velvet’s first airport outpost at Houston Hobby. Self-service touchscreen-order kiosks are another priority, but where to place them in a restaurant is a big debate. It’s one thing to figure out where they’ll get the most use, but will cost savings on labor come with trade-offs? How will average order size change? Will diners be more or less likely to explore the menu?
Perhaps most important, there’s the matter of where to expand. Dover plans for eight more locations in 2024, and then a growth acceleration in 2025. In September, Velvet opened its first restaurant in Florida—in Fort Lauderdale. Arizona is next. At some point they’ll likely expand to Southern California, home to the headquarters of both Chipotle and Taco Bell, along with a million tiny taco stands that measure up just fine against their Texas counterparts.
A team from Velvet that included DeWitt recently spent several days scouting SoCal locations and testing tacos from local chains. One restaurant served “almost exactly the same taco” as Velvet’s popular chicken tikka, DeWitt says with a nervy grin. “We know they were inspired by Velvet Taco. But what are you going to do? I came away reassured that if and when we go to that market—” he stops himself. “I shouldn’t say ‘if.’ When we go to that market, we are going to be very successful.”
On a busy weeknight near the southern end of the hypergentrified South Congress shopping district, in Austin, a steady stream of families and teenagers and a single pair of old South Austin hippie types fill the tables of an architecturally ambitious Torchy’s location designed to evoke a fifties roadside attraction. With a ridged metal roof and a series of bright red X-shaped support structures lining the front, the restaurant functions as something like a flagship location for Torchy’s—its most distinctive building, on Austin’s most iconic avenue. Runners scurry about delivering trays of tacos with names such as the Democrat (brisket, avocado, and onions on a corn tortilla), the Republican (jalapeño-cheddar sausage and pico on flour), the Tipsy Chick, and the Trailer Park, along with beers and ranch waters.
If Velvet Taco is the consummate Dallas chain—from its flashy branding to its corporate lineage—Torchy’s is as Austin as it gets. Rypka’s original Torchy’s trailer anchored a gravel lot just a few blocks from today’s flagship, on a then-scruffy stretch of South First Street across from a ramshackle botanica.
Rypka grew up in the Washington, D.C., suburbs amid the eighties punk scene—an only child of divorce whose dad, a celebrated photojournalist, was living on another continent. He picked up drugs and alcohol by age eight, developed a crack habit by fourteen, and spent two years in and out of rehab before getting clean at seventeen. Less than a year into community college, where he’d hoped to train to become a drug and alcohol counselor, Rypka woke up one night with a bolt of inspiration to drop out and become a chef.
By the time he finished culinary school a couple of years later, he knew all too well how rampant substance abuse was in professional kitchens, so he sought a straitlaced job with a company that ran in-house dining halls for large corporations. He started at the World Bank, in D.C., before working at Enron, in Houston (“I literally served the last supper there,” he says), and then at Dell, where he fell in love with Austin and decided to stay. Then an opportunity arose to repurpose a friend’s old barbecue trailer.
In 2006 food trucks were still a novel concept, but Rypka envisioned a path from those humble beginnings to a proper restaurant or even a small chain. He just needed the kind of bold flavors that make a lasting impression. From his World Bank days, where he’d run a food court with stations representing various global regions, he’d developed a wide palette of preparations to experiment with. And when he took a tour of Texas taco joints to assess the competition—in San Antonio, in the Rio Grande Valley, in Houston and Dallas and the east side of Austin—he saw his opportunity. “They were all good, but they were kind of in the same genre,” he says. “They weren’t doing anything to sort of flip it on its head.”
Authenticity wasn’t what he was after; he was a suburban East Coast white guy with a creative streak, so he built a menu accordingly. “Not everybody in the world uses serrano peppers the same way they use them in Central America,” he says, “so you can take ingredients like that and do fun things with them. Our playground is kind of limitless when it comes to food.” Each month Torchy’s offers a different limited-time special. Its first was the Trailer Park, which put hunks of fried chicken in the starring role, alongside pico de gallo and green chiles. Ordering it “trashy” style meant dousing it in queso, turning it into a celebration of gluttony that would make Guy Fieri proud. It was a home run that soon joined the regular menu.
The early years of Torchy’s coincided with the peak of Austin’s capitalizing on its “weird” image. The city hadn’t fully succumbed to the forces of Big Tech, and it still represented a kind of laid-back lifestyle mecca, even if the old-timers were already fearing a corporate takeover. Torchy’s fit right in, with graffiti-inspired bubble letters in the logo and a little red devil mascot flanked by the words “Damn Good.” Austin was a party town, and this was indulgent party food. With taco names like the since-discontinued Dirty Sanchez (a reference to . . . well, you can look it up), it also flirted with the bounds of decency (or gleefully trampled right over them).
After the taco trailer took off, Rypka opened a brick-and-mortar shop down the street, and then another location, and another, and by 2010 the chain had expanded to Dallas. Torchy’s hadn’t just drafted on Austin’s vibe; it had become something of an Austin icon itself, popular enough that even then-president Obama stopped at the South First restaurant on his way downtown from the airport before attending an event in 2016. The company had just opened its first location outside Texas, in Denver. The world awaited.
Rypka, who shaves his head and road trips in a lowrider Volkswagen bus, tells his story in a hexagonal sitting room that juts off the back of his three-story home built into the side of a steep slope above Lake Austin. In the past decade plus, the start-up boom that accompanied Austin’s explosive growth transcended tech and began to turn out trendy new consumer brands. Some of these have blown up into international icons—Kendra Scott, Tecovas, Yeti—but most of the restaurant chains born in the capital—including another beloved taco shop, Tacodeli—have remained local or regional cult phenomena.
In the far more populous Dallas–Fort Worth area, by contrast, where new chain eateries can draw from a large pool of back-office talent with deep industry experience, growing quickly by running a proven playbook is more readily achievable, even if the results don’t always inspire a passionate following.
As Torchy’s began to expand beyond Texas and exceeded forty restaurants, it needed money to fund its next phase. General Atlantic, a New York–based private equity group, bought “a significant minority stake” in 2017—and three years later added to its stake with a $400 million second investment. Among the first moves when GA came on board was to bring in the professionals—big-time executives with big-time experience who could turn Rypka’s promising little project into a global giant.
Rypka stepped aside, while G. J. Hart, who had most recently served as the CEO of California Pizza Kitchen, took over. Hart had made his name in the industry overseeing the expansion of Texas Roadhouse from $63 million to more than $1 billion in annual revenue. (Texas Roadhouse, alas, is not a Texas brand; it’s based in Louisville, Kentucky.) During Hart’s four years in charge, the Torchy’s restaurant count shot up from 45 to 96, even though the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the office lunch rush and dine-in traffic in general.
Meanwhile, Rypka, who had been eager for a break from the business, grew frustrated by what he regarded as the new management’s unforced errors. Some of the new expansion cities, he felt, were questionable choices. “They’d pick markets where Roadhouse did well,” he says. Shreveport, Louisiana. Wichita, Kansas. “But we’re not at all the same customer as Roadhouse—which is a pretty blue-collar, red-state type of deal. I mean, I’m not afraid to say that we’re a f—ing liberal brand. You know what I mean?”
The corporate playbook that might make sense when Torchy’s has hundreds of locations didn’t work for a brand that was still relatively unknown outside Texas and Colorado, Rypka reasoned. Bloomberg reported in early 2021 that the chain was exploring an initial public offering that would value it at $1 billion in its stock market debut. But by the end of that year, the IPO had failed to materialize, some of the new locations were underperforming, and the staff at headquarters had ballooned to nearly two hundred. Hart stepped down.
Tired of what he terms “farting around at the lake,” Rypka returned as CEO with a newfound energy and focus. The company needed to get scrappy and entrepreneurial again, and that was his comfort zone. “I always do better when things are a little bit on fire,” he says. He laid off 65 employees at headquarters, closed three restaurants (including the two in Wichita), and started upgrading some ingredients— making fresh tortillas in the restaurants, for example. Now, from a one-story, metal-sided headquarters building in East Austin, he’s back to fanning out across the country, this time aiming to expand to cities such as Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville—and his old haunt, D.C.
It’s hard not to notice that the founders of both Torchy’s and Velvet Taco are non-Hispanic white men. So are the industry-veteran CEOs each company hired. So was the founder of Taco Bell. And the founders of two long-established, Texas-based Taco Bell copycats: Abilene-born Taco Bueno and Fort Worth’s Taco Casa. And the founder of Irving-based Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, a fast-growing franchise that’s aimed at a lower-priced tier of the market than Torchy’s and Velvet. Add Chipotle and California-based Del Taco to the list, for that matter, and on down through the ranks of Big Taco giants and aspirants.
Even the founder of San Antonio–born Taco Cabana fit the Anglo profile—and if there’s one large city in Texas that ought to be the birthplace of a Latino-founded taco giant, it’s San Antonio. Taco Palenque, which began in Laredo and has started to spread north into other parts of Texas, is an exception [see sidebar], but so far, it’s still a regional play. (Its founder, Juan Francisco Ochoa Sr., also started California-based El Pollo Loco.)
The taco has become as much an American staple as pizza, so it’s not surprising that its mass-market brands reflect corporate America’s boardrooms more than the culture that gave rise to the food in the first place. As Texas Monthly’s taco editor, José R. Ralat, puts it, “I’m not going to say that so-and-so shouldn’t open a business because it might represent cultural appropriation. But it’s worth noting that a popular food is always going to attract the type of entrepreneurs who already have the wealth or connections to gain access to investor meetings or consultants. And who is that? Not an immigrant.”
Ralat notes that Taco Cabana might be the one chain that historically “got it right”—by which he means emphasizing fresh ingredients, at least at first. Some of its locations still do an excellent job, he maintains, such as the one near where he lives, in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas. But the chain’s history is a cautionary tale, as it eventually prioritized growth over maintaining its standards. It became a publicly traded company, beholden to shareholders above all. Then it was acquired by a large New York–based restaurant group, then spun off into another outfit, the Dallas-based Fiesta Restaurant Group. Over the past several years, Taco Cabana’s sales plunged 20 percent, and the chain closed 23 restaurants. Now it’s poised to grow again, but with a new risk factor.
Taco Cabana was purchased in 2021 by a company called Yadav Enterprises, a Northern California–based operator of hundreds of franchise locations of Denny’s, Jack in the Box, TGI Fridays, and a few other brands. Franchising is a risky business model but a common one in the fast-food industry. It can enable rapid expansion because the franchisees—independent operators who buy the rights to open locations—take on the financial burden of building out new markets. But no matter how stringent a chain makes the process and guidelines for its franchisees, it inevitably loses some control over quality and branding.
Franchising tends to work best with the simplest operations, such as Taco Bell—or more recently, Fuzzy’s, where a whopping 98 percent of its more than one hundred locations are franchises. Anil Yadav, the owner of Taco Cabana’s new parent company, announced that he hoped to expand the chain to one thousand locations all over the country—naturally, by franchising.
Both Velvet Taco’s Clay Dover and Torchy’s founder Mike Rypka say they understand the hard realities of the franchise model and vow to keep their chains growing at a more measured pace, with the companies owning every location they open—much as Shake Shack and Chipotle have done. “We’re going to keep it real tight and ‘core’ because we want to maintain the control,” Dover explains. “The details, the quality of the ingredients, the prep that goes into things ahead of time—it’s hard to go, ‘Hey, we’re just going to whip out fifty of these.’ ”
As Torchy’s and Velvet continue their national expansions, they will bump up against other challengers. Ohio-based Condado, for instance, has locations in several Midwest and Southeast states, with a creative-tacos concept that sits roughly at the culinary midpoint between those of Torchy’s and Velvet, with Korean gochujang sauce and Thai chiles mixed in among more traditional Mexican American flavors. Florida-based Capital Taco has begun selling franchises to operators in other states eager to serve its self-described “Tex-Mex” menu that oddly includes a cheesesteak taco and something called the South Beach Hot Chicken.
At some point, the word “taco” can become a questionable description of the items on these menus. Velvet, for instance, serves a chicken-and-waffle taco that involves fried chicken wrapped in, you guessed it, a waffle, topped with maple syrup; it makes Taco Bell’s Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch taco look like a Oaxacan street-food classic. “The tortilla is just the vessel,” Dover told me one afternoon over a tableful of his tacos. “You can do anything you want”—including, apparently, replacing the tortilla.
In any case, the caliber of investors and number of dollars that have backed Torchy’s and Velvet make it obvious to anyone in the restaurant industry that they’re onto something big. “Tacos Are Poised to Take Over Fast Casual,” the trade publication Restaurant Business declared last year. Can Torchy’s or Velvet ever equal Taco Bell’s 8,000 stores? Not a chance, say the leaders of both companies. The menus are simply too complicated to work in that many locations, because lower-traffic spots just wouldn’t be able to turn a profit—whereas Chipotle and Taco Bell can because they require far fewer ingredients and employees. But 1,000 Torchy’s restaurants, or 1,500? “That’s the fully mature version, yeah,” Rypka says.
Early in a restaurant chain’s growth, the executives will choose expansion locations based largely on gut instinct and what’s available. But at a certain point, companies begin to rely on real estate consultants who weigh a complicated matrix of factors. A Taco Cabana might make sense in a Walmart parking lot, for instance, whereas a Torchy’s or Velvet works better in the shadow of a Target. They look at satellite images to understand whether an area’s crowds coincide with a chain’s top selling hours. They look at cellular data to profile demographics that match a chain’s strong suits. At Velvet Taco, a concentration of Indian Americans is a positive indicator—perhaps explaining the popularity of the chicken tikka taco, Dover suggests.
When all of those factors come together, sometimes the result is a Torchy’s and a Velvet sharing the same parking lot. In Lubbock, in a shopping center one short block from the campus of Texas Tech University, the two direct competitors sit not one hundred yards apart, with nothing but a Potbelly Sandwich Shop between them. In North Dallas, Torchy’s and Velvet occupy kitty-corner strip malls at the intersection of Preston Road and Forest Lane. The future of Big Taco might not be Torchy’s or Velvet, but both.

There is an amazing living classroom called My Nature Lab (https://www.mynaturelab.org/) In Louisville, CO. They are holding their biggest fundraiser of the year on April 27th and it would be a really INTERESTING Date night, night out, something totally different, whatever!! This donation will help sustain the lab, grow the programming, support the animals and more!
The evening will be AMAZING! Catered, photo ops, silent and live auctions, meet the Zoologists who make the place as amazing as it is, and more!! Luau themed 🙂
So get your tickets, come and see this place in action!! https://www.mynaturelab.org/event-details/spring-emergence-2024

In the dynamic landscape of commercial and industrial services, one company stands out as a beacon of excellence – Alpha Mechanical Services. With an unwavering commitment to providing top-notch solutions, Alpha Mechanical has become synonymous with innovation, reliability, and comprehensive expertise.
Find more: A Comprehensive Guide to Commercial Refrigeration Service and HVAC Contractor Engagement
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Hello folks,
My fiancée and I are looking for suggestions on how to pull off a wedding for 20-30 people in Louisville in which we can have significant input into the food and drink. Almost like a tasting menu deal with custom cocktails? In discussing what matters to us at our wedding, we quickly reasoned that this type of experience with close family and friends was more important to us than a specific venue, big party/dancing, outdoor setting, etc. For something of this size, we could operate essentially without budgetary worries.
Most online wedding advice, including previous threads in this subreddit, seems to offer much larger venues, as well as caterers/bar packages that are not particularly flexible. We are almost wondering if we just need to rent a small space with a kitchen (??) and hire a chef, few cooks, and a cocktail whiz, but unfortunately we don't know the first thing about doing that either.
Any suggestions?

Hello everyone, My partner and I are moving to Washington DC for work (originally from the Bay Area, and I'm from India). We're a young couple looking for a neighborhood that strikes a balance between safety, community, and cost of living. With most of my team, including leadership, based in DC, the preference is leaning towards this city over Louisville. We value a vibrant community with amenities like gyms, public transport, grocery stores, and social activities for the weekends. Could you share some recommendations for areas that cater to these needs? We heard that many live in Arlington, Virginia, and commute to DC for work. If so, could you please share your thoughts on this and also suggest any other suitable housing areas that could make it easier to commute to Washington DC. Your insights on managing living costs and finding that perfect neighborhood vibe would be incredibly helpful! Thank you all in advance for your guidance!

Hello everyone,
My partner and I are moving to Washington DC for work (originally from the Bay Area, and I'm from India). We're a young couple looking for a neighborhood that strikes a balance between safety, community, and cost of living.
With most of my team, including leadership, based in DC, the preference is leaning towards this city over Louisville. We value a vibrant community with amenities like gyms, public transport, grocery stores, and social activities for the weekends.
Could you share some recommendations for areas that cater to these needs? We heard that many live in Arlington, Virginia, and commute to DC for work. If so, could you please share your thoughts on this and also suggest any other suitable housing areas that could make it easier to commute to Washington DC. Your insights on managing living costs and finding that perfect neighborhood vibe would be incredibly helpful!
Thank you all in advance for your guidance!

Hello everyone,
My partner and I are moving to DC for work (originally from the Bay Area, and I'm from India). We're a young couple looking for a neighborhood that strikes a balance between safety, community, and cost of living.
With most of my team, including leadership, based in DC, the preference is leaning towards this city over Louisville. We value a vibrant community with amenities like gyms, public transport, grocery stores, and social activities for the weekends.
Could you share some recommendations for areas that cater to these needs? Your insights on managing living costs and finding that perfect neighborhood vibe would be incredibly helpful!
Thank you all in advance for your guidance!

First off, this is coming from someone who has gotten annoyed with the Iowa overexposure and doesn’t root for them in other sports. But I legit don’t understand why it benefits anyone to draw the most ridiculous region for Iowa when they were arguably the #2 overall seed.
Like, these teams aren’t just good teams. These are all teams with experience playing Iowa and/or have given Iowa a hard time before (KSU, Colorado, LSU, Creighton, Louisville). They totally threw the no rematches principle out of the window here. In addition, Iowa’s biggest struggle is against big post players, and they get put in region with Angel Reese, Ayoka Lee, and Lauren Betts. I’m not just trying to be dramatic when I say this region felt perfectly catered towards trying to eliminate Iowa early as possible (and The Athletic said this as well), and if they somehow make it out, they’ll be more worn out than other Final Four teams. And it inadvertently resulted in a few other cupcake regions.
Yeah, you have to beat the best to be the best. But I just don’t understand what the selection committee wants from this? For Iowa to have an early exit so the tournament can lose TV ratings and money? So people see the worse numbers and decide not to invest in the women’s basketball? To prioritize petty jealousies over growth of the sport?
Would like to know other people’s thoughts on an explanation of why. Yeah, everyone’s path to winning their region is hard because the final four is hard to make. But Iowa’s regional draws don’t feel like a coincidence and it’s super fishy to me.

Hi everyone! I am on a committee at work and we are planning a company picnic for our employees and their families later this spring. We came up with some obvious venues (Waterfront, Louisville Water Tower, various country clubs) but I was wondering if you all had any ideas?
Here is what we are looking for -

• ~ 400 people
• Somewhere either in Louisville or between Louisville & Lexington
• Space for catered food (possibly food trucks)
• Space for a couple bouncy houses and an obstacle course
• Restrooms or space for rented trailer
• Voltage
• Parking

Thank you! 😊

Green tea, with its delicate flavor and aroma, has long been cherished not only as a delightful beverage but also for its extensive health benefits. Originating in China, green tea has permeated cultures worldwide, celebrated for its potential to enhance well-being and prevent various ailments. Cozy Farm delves into the world of green tea, exploring how this ancient brew can contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

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Heart Health and Green Tea

Regular consumption of green tea is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. It aids in lowering LDL cholesterol levels and improving arterial function, thereby enhancing heart health.

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Green tea has been identified as a natural ally in weight management efforts. Its active ingredients can boost metabolic rate and enhance fat oxidation, making it a popular choice among those looking to shed extra pounds.

Cognitive Function and Mental Well-being

Green tea's influence extends to cognitive health as well. It contains L-theanine, an amino acid that, in combination with caffeine, can improve brain function, mood, and vigilance.

Cancer Prevention

Research suggests that the antioxidants in green tea may lower the risk of certain types of cancer by preventing cell damage. While more studies are needed, the evidence points to green tea's potential as a preventive measure.

Aiding in Diabetes Management

Green tea's impact on blood sugar levels is noteworthy. It can enhance insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for both diabetes management and prevention.

Enhancing Skin Health

The antioxidants in green tea are not only good for your internal health but also for your skin. They can help protect the skin from damage caused by UV rays and improve overall skin complexion.

Cozy Farm's Green Tea Selection

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Green tea's versatility extends beyond a refreshing beverage; it can be incorporated into various recipes, from smoothies to desserts. Its mild flavor complements a wide array of ingredients, making it a versatile addition to your culinary repertoire.

Green Tea Preparation Tips

To derive the maximum health benefits, it's crucial to prepare green tea correctly. Steeping green tea for too long or in boiling water can make it bitter and reduce its health-promoting properties. A
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Green tea stands as a testament to the notion that sometimes, the simplest natural remedies can offer the most profound health benefits. At Cozy Farm, we are committed to providing you with the finest green tea selections to support your journey towards better health. Explore our range and discover the perfect blend to elevate your wellness routine.

Table: Green Tea at a Glance

Benefit	Description
Antioxidant Rich	High in catechins, which combat oxidative stress.
Heart Health	Lowers LDL cholesterol and improves arterial function.
Weight Management	Boosts metabolism and enhances fat oxidation.
Cognitive Function	Improves brain function and mood with L-theanine.
Cancer Prevention	May lower the risk of certain types of cancer.
Diabetes Management	Enhances insulin sensitivity and lowers blood sugar.
Skin Health	Protects against UV damage and improves complexion.

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"I live and eat baseball. My life is wrapped up in it. I can't think of a day when I won't hope to have something to do with baseball." -- Bill Knickerbocker

Daryl Boston never played for the Red Sox, and Reggie Cleveland never played for the Indians, and Tyler Houston never played for the Astros. But there was a player on the Yankees with the very New York last name of Knickerbocker!
William Hart Knickerbocker has the distinction of having the longest last name -- 13 letters -- in Yankee history. (In second place, Doug Mientkiewicz at 12.) Bill was born December 29, 1911, in Los Angeles, California, and graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he also lettered in football, basketball, and track. But the sport he loved most -- and was best at -- was baseball. He reportedly hit .500 as a junior and .472 as a senior, and when he wasn't playing for the high school team, he held his own against grown men in semi-pro leagues.
After graduation, Knickerbocker continued playing in California and during the winter of 1929-1930 was noticed by none other than Casey Stengel, then the 39-year-old manager of the Toledo Mud Hens. Stengel lived during the off-seasons in Glendale and heard about this teenaged wonder boy.
Stengel watched Knickerbocker play and invited him to try out for the Mud Hens during spring training, held in Alabama. Stengel gave Knickerbocker some travel money, which the 18-year-old gave to his parents (such a nice boy!) and then hitchhiked the 2,100 miles from Los Angeles to Anniston, Alabama.
Stengel signed Knickerbocker as a reserve -- in those days, teams in the American Association could have up to 20 reserves, sort of like the practice squad in the NFL. Reserved players could be loaned to other teams to get some playing time. He was sent to the Decatur Commodores, but they rarely used him and eventually returned him to the Mud Hens. The Mud Hens couldn't spare a spot on the active roster for him, nor could they find another team to borrow him, so "Knick" spent most of the summer as a bystander. He finally got into a handful of games in September and was good enough to make the team in 1931.
Again playing for Stengel, Knickerbocker hit .283 in 389 at-bats, not bad for a 19-year-old playing in a league that featured numerous former and future major leaguers. But the Mud Hens finished last, and Stengel was fired at the end of the season. The following year, Knickerbocker blossomed, hitting .336 with a .479 SLG in 697 at-bats, getting the attention of the Cleveland Indians, who signed him to a $3,600 contract for 1933.
Knickerbocker began the season as the starting shortstop, but hit a disappointing .226/.255/.326, and was seriously injured when spiked by Detroit's Harry Davis. The following season he hit .317/.347/.408 -- impressive by today's standards, but a 93 OPS+ in that high-offensive era -- and again missed some time with an injury. But that and his glove was good enough that he was the starting shortstop for the Indians for the next two seasons, despite an emergency appendectomy in 1935.
Prior to the 1937 season, he was traded with Joe Vosmik and Oral Hildebrand to the Browns for Julius "Moose" Solters, Lyn Lary, and Ivy Andrews. It was regarded as the biggest trade that off-season.
Knickerbocker's career in St. Louis got off to a great start -- he went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs in his first game as a Brown -- but a September slump dropped him to .261/.303/.365 on the season. That off-season, the Browns tried to cut Knickerbocker's salary, and he refused to sign the contract. In those days, you couldn't become a free agent; you were the team's property until they traded or released you, even if they didn't roster you.
Which brings us at last to the Yankees part of the story: The Browns traded the hold-out Knickerbocker to the Yankees for little-used utility infielder Don Heffner.
The Yankees wanted a veteran utility man in 1938 because for the first time in four years a new face was joining the infield. The Yankees had released the 34-year-old Tony Lazzeri after the first down year of his Hall of Fame career, hitting .244/.348/.399 (86 OPS+) -- prior to that, he'd hit .297/.382/.473 (123 OPS+) in 11 seasons, his worst performance a 107 OPS+ in 1931. Lazzeri had asked to be released so he could be a coach or a manager with another team, but then changed his mind and told the Yankees he'd stay even as a back-up. But it was too late. (After his release, "Poosh 'Em Up Tony" went to the Cubs as a player-coach for one year, then with the Dodgers and Giants, and was a minor league manager for several seasons after that before retiring to run a bar. He died of a heart attack at age 42.)
Knickerbocker was to be insurance for 23-year-old rookie Joe Gordon, who had hit .280/.337/.474 for the Newark Bears in 1937. A good thing, too, because on April 30 Gordon, going back for a shallow pop fly, collided with center fielder Joe DiMaggio. Gordon missed five weeks and Knickerbocker, as the starting second baseman for 31 straight games, hit .273/.333/.434 with seven doubles, four triples, and a home run. Still, when Gordon finally was able to return on June 8, he took over as the starter again and played every day the rest of the year, hitting .255/.340/.502 with 25 home runs and 97 RBIs in 520 plate appearances. Knickerbocker, after Gordon's return, would get just 12 at-bats over the rest of the season, with one hit.
The following year he saw even less playing time -- just 13 at-bats! He had two hits, one of them an RBI single in an 8-4 win, the other a double in a 5-4 loss.
He was on the World Series roster in both 1938 and 1939 as the Yankees had back-to-back sweeps, but didn't get into a game. At a time when the average American made around $1,700, Knickerbocker earned each of those years $9,000 plus a $5,500 World Series share while mostly sitting on the bench. Nice work if you can get it!
His final season in pinstripes came in 1940, and he saw a little more playing time, with 145 plate appearances in 45 games. He hit .242/.333/.347 (80 OPS+) with time at shortstop and third base.
After the 1940 season he was traded to the White Sox for Ken Silvestri, a backup catcher who after one season with the Yankees enlisted in the U.S. Army on December 4, three days before the attack on Pearl Harbor. When Silvestri was discharged in November 1945, he was a first sergeant.
Knickerbocker played in 1941 for the White Sox and in 1942 for the A's, but slumps and injuries made him a part-time player again. In 1943, the A's released him and he returned to the Yankees, but he never played and was released in May. He then went to the Hollywood Stars in the Pacific Coast League and hit .284/.348/.348 in 263 plate appearances but broke his foot after 68 games and missed the rest of the season. The following year, at age 32, he joined the U.S. Army and became a military policeman.
After baseball, Knickerbocker became a golfer, a liquor salesman, and opened a cafe. He died in 1963 at the age of 51 from a heart attack. He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and four grandchildren.
Knick Notes:

• "Knickerbocker" is a Dutch surname that became synonymous with New York City because it was the last name of the supposed author of Washington Irving's satirical A History of New York. The book was wildly popular and a "Knickerbocker" eventually became slang for someone who lives in Manhattan... so much so that for many years, "Father Knickerbocker" or "Pop Knickerbocker" was used as the personification of the city, kind of like Uncle Sam for the United States. When the New York Giants and New York Yankees played each other in the 1937 World Series, Hillerich & Bradsby -- the manufacturers of Louisville Slugger bats -- ran an ad in The Sporting News with "Father Knickerbocker" congratulating the two New York teams.
  
• In fact, the New York baseball team founded by Alexander Cartwright in 1845 was called the New York Knickerbockers, and the rules Cartwright laid down are known as the Knickerbocker Rules. And Jacob Ruppert, owner of the New York Yankees from 1915 to 1939, had Knickerbocker Beer, one of New York City's largest banks was known as the Knickerbocker Trust, and a series of gossip columnists for New York newspapers used the pseudonym "Cholly Knickerbocker."
  
• But today, Knickerbocker is most associated with New York basketball. In 1946, Ned Irish, the president of Madison Square Garden, wanted to start a professional basketball team with a distinctly New York name: The New York Knickerbockers, almost immediately shortened to "Knicks." The team's original logo pays homage to the inspiration.
  
• The nickname for short pants have the same origin -- Irving mockingly portrayed the descendants of the Dutch settlers of New York as still wearing baggy knee-length pants and calf-high socks, long after they'd fallen out of fashion. The pants continued to be worn for sporting activities, and baseball pants were known as "knickerbockers" or "knickers". Women's underwear, a topic so controversial it was sometimes referred to as "unmentionables", needed a euphemism that conveyed the idea of short pants. They went with "panties" in the United States, but in Britain -- "knickers"!
  
• Knickerbocker is still the longest last name in Yankee history, but for many years, it was tied with a few other 13-letter last names -- DeMontreville, Dressendorfer, Hollandsworth, Hollingsworth, Raffensberger, Schiappacasse, Spooneybarger, Van Benschoten, Van Landingham, Wojciechowski -- for the longest in MLB history. It was finally surpassed in 2007 with the debut of Jarrod Saltalamacchia and his 14-letter surname. Then in 2022 Simeon Woods Richardson weighed in at 15 letters. This season Reds prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand blew everyone away with 17 letters -- not counting the hyphen! -- though the back of his jersey just says "Encarnacion."
  
• Knickerbocker wore #10 all three years with the Yankees. He was the sixth player to wear it. The first, in 1929, was Bill Dickey, who the following year switched to his more familiar #8. (In 1948, the number went to Yogi Berra; it's retired for both of them.) #10 was then worn by Benny Bengough, Arndt Jorgens, George Pipgras, and Tony Rensa. Don Heffner, the player Knickerbocker was traded for prior to the 1938 season, wore it from 1934 to 1937; Knickerbocker took Heffner's #10 with the Yankees, and Heffner took Knickerbocker's #1 with the Browns! After Knickerbocker, the number was briefly worn by Roy Weatherly and Mike Garbark before going to Phil Rizzuto, who wore it from 1941 to 1956. It was retired for the Scooter but not until 1985, and in the interim it was worn by Tony Kubek, Dick Howser, Frank Fernandez, Danny Cater, Celerino Sanchez, Chris Chambliss, and Rick Cerone.
  
• Theodore Roosevelt High School has produced five major leaguers, but Knickerbocker is the only Yankee. The best was 1960s Dodgers outfielder Willie Davis. Other notable "Rough Riders" include Joe Gold, founder of Gold's Gym; Donald Sterling, former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers; and Howard Zieff, director of Private Benjamin (1980), The Dream Team (1989), and My Girl (1991).
  
• The 1931 Toledo Mud Hens had a number of Yankee connections, starting with future Yankee manager Casey Stengel. The 40-year-old Stengel was a playemanager, getting into three games (and going 4-for-11!). Former Yankees Carl Mays, Alex Ferguson, and Al DeVormer were teammates, as well as future Yankee outfielder Dixie Walker.
  
• Knickerbocker was a doubles machine. He set the American Association record with 69 doubles in 1932. It's still standing, and always will, as the American Association folded in 1997. Knickerbocker had 198 doubles in 3,418 major league at-bats, or 5.79%. Derek Jeter, the all-time Yankee leader in doubles with 544, had a double in 4.86% of his 11,195 at-bats. If Knickerbocker had the same number of at-bats as Derek Jeter, he would have had 648 doubles, putting him between Nap Lajoie and Carl Yastrzemski for 9th all time.
  
• Knickerbocker ended his playing days in 1943 with the Hollywood Stars. His manager was Charlie Root, who famously gave up Babe Ruth's "called shot" in the 1932 World Series. Also on the team was naughty name legend Johnny "Ugly" Dickshot.
  
• The Brooklyn Daily Eagle in 1933 said Knickerbocker was “considered by many the greatest young shortstop prospect to arrive in the major leagues since the debut of Glenn Wright.” Wow! But... who was Glenn Wright? A sensation with the Pirates when he first came up in 1924, Wright was seen as the heir apparent to Honus Wagner as the greatest shortstop ever. In his sophomore season he finished 4th in the MVP race, won a World Series ring, and even turned an unassisted triple play. But injuries — including a beaning in 1927 that left him unconscious for 32 hours — derailed what appeared to be a Hall of Fame career.
  
• On September 7, 1935, Cleveland's Knickerbocker turned a most unusual triple play in the first game of a doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox. With no outs and the bases loaded in the 9th inning of a game the Indians were winning 5-3, Joe Cronin hit a line drive at third baseman Odell Hale. The ball hit him in the forehead and caromed directly to Knickerbocker, who caught it on the fly for the first out, then fired to second base for the second out, and then on to first base for the third out to end the game! Hale wasn't injured and even played in the second game of the doubleheader, going 2-for-4. Sportswriter Al Schacht, teasing Hale for his hard head, wrote: "The most astonishing thing was that the ball wasn't damaged in the slightest."
  
• In an odd coincidence, all but one of the six players involved in the 1937 trade that sent Knickerbocker from the Indians to the Browns were former or future Yankees. Knickerbocker himself was a Yankee from 1938 to 1940; Moose Solters played for the Yankee affiliate Binghamton Triplets in 1932; Ivy Andrews was a Yankee in 1931 and 1932, and would be again in 1937 and 1938; Lyn Lary was a Yankee from 1929 to 1934 (and Babe Ruth was the godfather of his child); and Oral Hildebrand pitched for the Yankees in 1939 and 1940. The only player involved in the deal who wasn't or wouldn't be a Yankee was outfielder Joe Vosmik, who spent most of his career in Cleveland -- but he almost was a Yankee, with the Indians turning down the Yankees' offer of $241,000 in cash for Vosmik and Earl Averill after the 1935 season. Five years later, the Indians waived him, but despite manager Joe McCarthy's endorsement of him, the Yankees passed -- with an outfield of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller, Tommy Henrich, and George "Twinkletoes" Selkirk, they no longer needed him.
  
• On June 18, 1937, Al Simmons of the Senators was hit by a pitch from Oral Hildebrand of the Browns and, on his way to first base, had some choice words for the pitcher but Knickerbocker stepped between them. On the next play, Simmons went hard into Knickerbocker on a force play at second base. "He knocked the Browns' shortstop sprawling. Arising, Knickerbocker charged Simmons and they fought just back of second base," The Sporting News reported. Bucky Harris, 40-year-old manager of the Senators, "raced over from the third-base coaching box and joined the melee, grabbing Knickerbocker by the neck and hurling him to the ground." That led to benches-clearing brawl that required "umpires, police, ushers, plain-clothes men and park employees" to be broken up. Simmons and Knickerbocker were both ejected and fined $50. After the game, Simmons said he should have gone after Hildebrand instead of Knickerbocker. "I didn't have any grudge against Knick, except that he had no business sticking his nose into the affair."
  
• Don Heffner, the player the Yankees traded to the Browns for Knickerbocker, was nicknamed "Yankee" and "Jeep", but I can't find any sources for how he received either one. Backing up an impressive infield of Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Frankie Crosetti, and Red Rolfe, Heffner was a good glove, no hit utilityman. He didn't see much playing time with the Yankees, with 586 plate appearances spread over four seasons. But with the Browns he became an every-day player, hitting .245/.322/.306 (61 OPS+) in 1,965 plate appearances in his first four seasons there.
  
• On April 25, 1939 -- Lou Gehrig's third-to-last game -- Knickerbocker got a rare start at second base. Gehrig -- stumbling while walking, his reflexes notably slowed, unable to make contact with pitches he once destroyed -- had what appeared to be an inning-ending 3-6-3 double play go off his glove but the ball caromed to Knickerbocker, who fielded it and threw it to pitcher Red Ruffing to salvage one out. Later in the game, Gehrig was thrown out at second base on what should have been a double. After that game, Richard Sandomir writes in The Pride of the Yankees, "Lou knew it was over." But then the next three games were rained out. On April 29, the Yankees played Washington and Gehrig went 1-for-3 with a walk. The next day, 0-for-4. The following day the Yankees traveled to Detroit for a series against the Tigers, and Gehrig went to manager Joe McCarthy in the lobby and said he was benching himself. McCarthy said he'd give Lou a rest, but he'd never play again. On May 2, he brought out the lineup card to home plate, the first time his name wasn't on it since 1925.
  

Hello declutter! I am working on a "donation guide" that will go in the "useful links" section. I'd like to ask you to read what I have come up with and add any other ideas or suggestions you may have. If you're from outside of the US, please let me know so I can highlight any ex-US options.
I will periodically post categories of the guide for review. If you have an urgent request, let me know and I will work on that topic next.
Today's topic is CLOTHING, SHOES, & ACCESSORIES
FYI, the default for any "gently used item in good condition" is always going to be 1) donate to your local thrift store and 2) offer up on-line. My goal is to capture any less obvious donation (including recycling) opportunities.
And remember, trash is always an option!
Here we go!
CLOTHING, SHOES, & ACCCESSORIES
Whether you decide to sell, offer up online, donate, recycle, or trash your decluttered clothing items is a very personal choice - there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
If you agonize about the fate of your beloved clothes, if you NEED to be sure it goes to someone who wants it, then it MAY be worth your time and effort to find a good home for your clothing. You may want to consider selling (either online or via a consignment shop) or offering them up online (especially if you want to put an actual face to your donation).
If you just want to give your clothes another chance to be worn, items in good condition can generally be donated to a charity thrift store. But if you're going to donate, be realistic about your clothing's condition! Make sure your clothing is washed and in good, saleable condition. Don't burden a charity with clothes they can't resell.
It's a fact of life that clothing will wear out eventually - either from damage, frequent use, or from neglect. But not all items have to go in the trash - textile recycling options do exist and many thrift stores will bale up "unsalable" clothing to sell as rags.
If you're feeling overwhelmed and just don't have the bandwidth to deal with your clothing, there is nothing wrong with recycling or trashing perfectly good clothes. Do what you can do. The ultimate goal here at declutter is to get things out of your space and if putting your clothes, shoes, etc in the trash is what you need to do to maintain your sanity, then trash those clothes and be free. You (and your family) matter - the clothing does not matter.
Selling:
If you have designer, vintage, or "premium" brand clothing, you might want to consider taking your items to a Consignment Store. Consignment stores often cater to different demographics so before you bring in your items, check out the store and see if what they're selling looks like what you have to offer.

1. If your stuff is "too young" or "too old" or "too wild" or "too conservative" you should probably look for a different store.
2. Observe the selling process. Are you comfortable with the "culture" of the store? If you feel weird or the staff makes you feel bad, look for a different store.
3. Does the store purchase your items outright or do you get paid if/when your items actually sell?
4. Do you have to reclaim unsold items or will the store donate any unsold items after a certain period of time?
5. If you decide to consign, make sure to present your items in the very best light - make sure everything is clean, in excellent repair, wrinkle-free, and folded nicely. Consider putting footwear in a bag or in a separate bag.

There are a multitude of online selling options. Refer to our Selling Guide (https://www.reddit.com/decluttewiki/index/selling/) or check out Depop https://www.depop.com/, eBay https://www.ebay.com/, Etsy https://www.etsy.com/, Grailed https://www.grailed.com/, Kidizen https://www.kidizen.com/ (children's clothing & shoes), Mercadi https://www.mercari.com/, Poshmark https://poshmark.com/, The RealReal https://www.therealreal.com/, ThreadUP https://www.thredup.com/, Vinted https://www.vinted.com/, etc. Most online marketplaces have their own subredits or Flipping
Donation guidelines:
If you're not sure what you can donate, call the store and ask if they will take what you have. Or visit the store and see what they have on the shelves - that will give you a good idea of the brands they sell and what they consider "saleable" condition. If your stuff is as good as (or nicer) than what they have on their shelves, then it will probably sell.
Some brands of clothing are going to be more desirable for resale than others. If you have a discount department store or fast fashion brand you want donate but you're afraid the store won't put it out for sale, call and ask. If the store isn't interested, offer it up online. Your local store might not want your Walmart or Shein tee, but a neighbor might.
Some vintage clothing is super cool, some vintage clothing is super yikes. So who decides? One person's hideous fashion mistake may be another person's thrift store haul. If you think you have something "good" then consider selling. Check out vintageclothing
If you have obviously outdated clothing/shoes/accessories you can't imagine anyone would ever want to wear again, you may be right. But it never hurts to call the thrift store and ask if they will accept what you have.
Also be aware of the timing of your donation - it's better to donate seasonal clothing just before or during the current season. If you're afraid your winter coats aren't going to make it to the sales floor in the middle of summer, call the store and ask. Premium brands are more likely to be accepted regardless of season. You can always offer up online or consider other donation options.
It is unfortunately true that a lot of clothing donated to thrift stores (or donation bins) is baled up into giant bundles and sold. Some bales are shipped directly overseas to markets already drowning in used clothing. Some bales are sold to sorting houses that will grade clothing - the good-quality clothing may end up back in a domestic thrift stores but most of it ends us sold to clothing dealers overseas - again primarily to developing countries. On the pro side, the sale of the baled clothing supports the charity's mission and the used clothing is providing resale employment opportunities in the developing countries. On the con side, the influx of cheap used clothing out-competes local textile industries and negatively impacts the local economy. So be mindful of what you donate.
Textile recycling:
Worn-out clothing could be recycled into rags and possibly other fiber products. Wool and cotton have the most recycling opportunities. Many thrift stores will bale up "damaged" textiles and sell them to a textile recycler so again, check with your local thrift stores. Some places may request that you separate out damaged clothing and mark the box/bag as "rags" - some places don't care and will sort your donations upon intake either way.
If you're interested in textile recycling opportunities/realities, check out: https://iwto.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/IWTO_Recycled-Wool.pdf and https://recoverfiber.com/recycled-cotton-textile-circularity and https://oecotextiles.blog/2009/11/11/is-recycled-polyester-fabric-recyclable/.
H&M has a textile recycling program https://www2.hm.com/en_us/sustainability-at-hm/our-work/close-the-loop.html - bring in unwanted clothes & textiles, any brand in any condition, and you'll receive a thank-you coupon towards your next purchase.
The American Textile Recycling Service https://atrscorp.com/ may have a drop-off location in your area - call their 24-hour hotline (866-900-9308) to find out if there is one in your area.
There are many online "take back" programs: For Days https://fordays.com/collections/take-back-bag, Knickery (underwear) https://wearsubset.com/pages/recycle, Retold Recycling https://www.retoldrecycling.com/, etc. Terracycle https://www.terracycle.com/ periodically partners with different companies to support a variety of free recycling programs so check and see the site and see what's available. Otherwise, you can purchase a variety of zero-waste boxes: https://shop.terracycle.com/en-US/products/fabrics-and-clothing-zero-waste-boxes.
Major retailers, such as Nike https://www.nike.com/sustainability/recycling-donation, Patagonia https://help.patagonia.com/s/article/How-can-I-recycle-a-Patagonia-or-Worn-Wear-item, Eileen Fisher https://www.eileenfisherrenew.com/learn-more, Nordstrom https://www.nordstrom.com/browse/nordstrom-cares/get-involved/clothes-donation, The North Face https://www.thenorthface.com/en-us/circularity, etc will take back their geaclothing in store or by mail. There are many other specialty brands with in-house recycling or resale programs.
Other donation opportunities:
There are a variety of social services that help support families in need, foster and adoption services, homeless and/or refugee populations, indigenous groups, victims of domestic abuse/violence, addiction recovery, disastefire relief, etc.
Your municipal/county Social Services department or place of worship may be able to point you in the right direction. They may know of a specific family in need (divorce, death, desertion, fire, foster family, etc).
Active Wear
Clean Out For a Cause https://www.cleanout.org/ accepts a variety of sporting equipment and apparel by mail. Minneapolis, MN
Bags, Handbags, Purses
One Purse https://onepurse.org/donate-purses/ accepts donations of gently-used designer purses to support survivors of sex trafficking.
Purses for a Purpose https://www.cancersupportteam.net/purse-fundraisers accepts new and good condition arm-deep, mid-sized purses, handbags, and backpacks filled with essential toiletries. Pick up locations in Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, New Haven, CT, and Washington, DC
Bras & Underwear
The Bra Recyclers https://thebrarecyclers.com/ accepts new and gently used bras for donation to underprivileged families, homeless individuals, and breast cancer patientsat drop off locations across the US and Canada or by mail. Mesa, AZ
Bravissimo (https://www.bravissimo.com/us/bra-recycling/) accepts any bar in any condition for re-use or recycling - drop-off in store. UK
Dignity Matters https://www.dignity-matters.org/donate-products/ accepts underwear (in original packaging) and new/like-new bras at drop-off locations in Massachusetts or by mail. Wayland, MA
Smalls For All https://www.smallsforall.org/get-involved/donate/ accepts underpants (in original packaging) and new/like new bras by
Children's Clothing
Cradles to Crayons https://www.cradlestocrayons.org/ accepts gently used clothing and footwear (as well as new school supplies and diapers) at drop off locations around Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
Hats
Most charities want new or handmade hats for donation. But if you think you have a historically significant hat, The National Hat Museum https://www.thehatmuseum.com/hat-donations may be interested in your donation.
Outerwear - coats, hats, gloves, scarves, etc
Your local school district, Salvation Army, United Way chapter, public library, place of worship, scout troop, food pantry or other community social services organization may hold a warm coat drive in the fall. Otherwise, do a Google search for "coat donation + your zip code me" and see what comes up in your area.
If you have a sizable homeless population in your area, you may be able to drop off wainsulated items where people congregate. Do a Google search for "homeless shelter+ your zip code" (list may include warming shelters as well). Some areas might have an informal drop off location where people leave hats, gloves, and/or scarves for community members to take. Of course, never go anywhere you don't feel safe.
Agents of Change https://agentsgiving.org/winter-coat-drive/ coordinates donations to homeless shelter, shelter, hostels, etc. UK
Hats and Mittens http://www.hatsandmittens.org/dropoff/ accepts children's hat & mittens in the Minneapolis, MN area
One Warm Coat https://www.onewarmcoat.org/share-warmth/donate-coats/ has a searchable coat drives across the US & Canada
Professional Attire
100 Suits https://www.100suitsnyc.org/suiting accepts men's professional attire, drop off or mail. Laurelton, NY
Dress For Success https://dressforsuccess.org/affiliate-list/ accepts women's professional attire, drop off at affiliate locations.
Shoes & Boots
Soles4Soles https://soles4souls.org/give-shoes/ accepts gently used shoes and apparel at location around the US or online via Zappos for Good https://www.zappos.com/about/zappos-for-good/soles4souls
Scarves
Hope Scarves https://hopescarves.org/donate-scarf/ accepts large scarves, infinity scarves, turbans, caps, and Buff-style tube scarves for caner patients. Louisville, KY.
Socks
Smartwool https://www.smartwool.com/what-matters.html#/smartwool/the-second-cut-project will recycle old, clean socks of any brand or material. Free pre-paid shipping label with online purchase.
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Thanks for you input and suggestions!

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Hi y'all, I searched the sub for information on dance, and most of the posts I found pertaining to hip-hop were years old, so I figured I'd make a post:
I'm going to be interning in Louisville from January to August. I'm not an experienced dancer, but through a dance club at my current university, I do a bit of locking, breaking, and hip-hop choreo, but I'm open to exposing myself to different styles of dance.
I wanted to ask if you knew of specific instagram pages or Facebook groups I could follow to get in touch with the dance community? Also, are there dance schools that cater towards adults? I found Mi Chantli and Streetside; does anyone have experience with them?
Thanks a bunch!

Hello!
My fiancée and I, both from Lexington, have a tight wedding schedule due to extenuating circumstances. We really want to get married in May of 2024 around the downtown area of Lex, but the only day that works for us is May 4th. I know that Derby Day is then too, but neither us nor our friends/family ever care about it, so we did not think much of it.
We were told recently that it’s a bad idea to get married on that day though, because hotel prices and catering are extremely expensive. I also found out that this is the 150th anniversary of the Derby, which would probably exacerbate the issue. Because it’s in Louisville, I did not expect hotel prices here to be so high, and the caterers we want aren’t very traditional so we did not imagine there would be much competition.
With all that being said, does anyone here know the truth to it being a poor choice to get married on this day?
Edit: We are going to move the wedding date, thank you guys for your help!!!