City of Fort Worth
Move over, East Exchange Avenue — West Exchange Avenue is about to have its moment in the spotlight, and it only took nearly a decade, some city wrangling, and a whole lot of push from West Exchange business owner Ruth Hooker. That’s right, the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards is welcoming a brand-new ranch-style sign to the western end, right near Hooker’s Grill at 213 W Exchange Ave, with a ribbon-cutting set for 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
“This sign has been nearly six years in the making,” Ruth says, recalling her long campaign to shine a light on the overlooked west end. “People always go to East Exchange, like it’s the only spot of the Stockyards, and you’re like, ‘There’s a lot more to this street.’”
Ruth says she began pushing for a sign a couple of years after opening her burger joint nearly nine years ago. “Every week that we’ve been open, I hear people say, ‘We just left the Stockyards, and we were looking for something to eat,’ or leave reviews saying, ‘We found a great little burger joint just on the outside of the Stockyards.’ You would be surprised how many local Fort Worth people did not realize that there was more up the hill.”
Stephen Montoya
Ruth Hooker
The sign isn’t just decorative — it’s about making West Exchange feel like part of the Stockyards community. “Even though you’re there, you still kind of feel like an outsider a little bit,” Ruth says. “We opened our businesses there because we love the Stockyards, and we wanted to be a part of the Stockyards, and instead we’ve been feeling like we were apart from the Stockyards and not a part of it.”
Design was led by Fort Worth architect Arthur Weinman, a local legend whose work includes projects such as the Tarrant County Courthouse and the Isis Theatre. Construction was handled by Michael Smith Marathon Commercial Construction LLC, with project management by Paul Paine of Fort Worth Stockyards Inc.
Ruth praises Weinman for his generosity and expertise: “I asked Arthur if he could design the sign and also do it for free until I could get the funding… and he agreed.” Acme Brick Co., another Fort Worth company, donated the bricks for the columns once they knew Weinman was involved.
Ruth Hooker
City approvals and funding were part of the process. Hooker appeared before the City Council and the TIF15 board multiple times. “Even if we had a private donor… once the sign’s complete because of where it sits on the sidewalk, it’s city property,” she explains. Mayor Pro Tem Carlos E. Flores, who represents District 2, highlighted the sign’s impact: “This new West Exchange Avenue sign will provide wayfinding for visitors to help businesses get more visibility and define a sense of place in our Fort Worth Stockyards… I very much appreciate everyone who took part in making this sign possible.”
Placement was carefully considered. Hooker originally wanted the sign on Houston Street, but “because of the Rodeo Exchange building and the Alps building, it wouldn’t fit there,” she says. The city picked a location that wouldn’t interfere with historic buildings — conveniently landing right outside Ruth’s restaurant, Hooker’s Grill. “It just happened to work out that way,” she laughs.
With Stockyards visitors increasing from 1.2 million to over 10 million annually, West Exchange has long flown under the radar, according to Ruth.
“We hope that the sign spurs people to want to do business and have a business on West Exchange,” Ruth adds. “But if people don't know, then the people are missing out. Not just the businesses, but the visitors are missing out on a neat experience as well.”
