Today's blog is about the new Another Round Dallas store.
I recently asked the owners, Andrew and Russel, a series of questions about the new spot.
While I don't personally know Russell yet, I have known Andrew for a handful of years through his work at Kraken Chains and as a member of Team Mint.
I'm really excited for what these guys are planning to bring to the Dallas area. Afterall, they are located right next to Alex Clark, which is the most played course in Texas per 2024 UDisc data released last week.
Hopefully this helps you all get to know some great dudes who are dedicated to supporting the DFW area.
Update: The Grand Opening for the store is planned for March 1-2.
What was the first course you ever played?
Russell: Alex Clark Memorial Disc Golf Course in McKinney in 2011 with one of my best friends, Alex Nicholson. He showed me disc golf for the first time there and I became obsessed immediately. Started playing on a weekly basis to learn how to make a Destroyer fly like he could.
Andrew: Flying Armadillo Mini Course, New Year's Eve 2018. My best friend, Chris, was in town and we had no plans during the day. I don't even remember where I heard about it, but I knew that there was a putt putt disc golf course and wanted to check it out. We showed up and no one was around but we found two discs on the back porch and just started throwing on the mini course. It was a foggy, gross day and we probably only played like 8 holes before we quit, but I was hooked. From then on I would drag anyone from Texas State who let me out to the mini course to throw frisbees and drink beers.
What is your favorite course in DFW?
Andrew: I love Alex Clark for the ace runs and glow golf, but Towne Lake is a gem of a course and sets up well for my game. I still need to venture out and play more courses though!
Russell: Gotta be Alex Clark as well for me. Towne Lake a close second. AC was the first course I've ever played and I have 5 aces there. Holes 2, 3, 7, 12, & 17
What is your favorite disc?
Russell: Favorite disc of all time is the Zone. I'm forehand dominant and love slinging that disc anywhere under 275ft. However, the Bobcat and Lobsters have been the only discs I've been throwing for the last 9 months.
Andrew: The Mint Discs Longhorn changed the way that I looked at distance drivers. I was trying to mash something like a Destroyer or Zeus, but they were just too overstable for my arm speed. I was at the Longhorn release party at Live Oak Brewing, and I haven't been without one (or three) since. The Longhorn taught me how to control a flip up and carve some S lines with my forehand while being just the right speed for me to get all of the disc on my backhand. Don't let the 4 glide fool you, Longhorns go far!
What is your history/background in disc golf?
Andrew: So I started playing at the end of 2018 and dove head first into the sport in 2019. I played my first tournament at McClain Park in San Antonio. We played the Out of Bounds Saturday minis and then the Sunday mini at Starcke Park almost every weekend. This was all while I still lived in San Marcos where I ended up joining the Texas State Disc Golf Club that same year. Along the way I did as many work days as I could and met as many different clubs and groups as possible while I struggled to get better. I was already fully in on disc golf as a sport and community when Covid came around in 2020.
In 2021 I helped to startup a disc golf shop with my family down in San Antonio called Kraken Chains. Around that same time I also got my one and only PDGA win in Ma2 at Zach's(Bat City Open) first ever event as TD!
I ended up joining the Mint Team in 2023 partially because they were my favorite brand, but mostly because they have the best people in disc golf surrounding them and I wanted to be a part of that. In 2024 I helped Zach and the Mint Team get ready for the US Women's Disc Golf Championship and was honored to work as a course director at Live Oak Brewing with the Juniors and age protected AM divisions. That weekend was one of the best disc golf experiences I've had to date. Since then my focus has been working to get Another Round Dallas ready with Russell, and I can't wait for the next chapter to start!
Russell: I started playing casually in 2011 with friends here and there. I was going to Texas Tech at the time and got to play Mackenzie Park quite a lot. I played very casually, on and off, until 2020. Yup. I had just moved to Denver, Colorado in February 2020 a month before the pandemic hit. The disc golf community in Denver quickly became a second family to me. I frequented Thursday night glow nights at Centre Hills Park and then learned about Johnny Roberts glow nights in Arvada on Friday nights. I got my PDGA number the next year, played in my first ever tournaments, bought Mile High and Dragon Tags and frequented their tag events on a weekly basis. Then I learned about Another Round Denver. I got really lucky I was playing at Johnny Roberts and someone told me about it. It was their first week of being open. I fell in love with the place immediately and spent the majority of my time there for the next 3 years. Until I wanted to bring the same idea back to Dallas.
What are you most looking forward to about the new store?
Russell: Providing a place for the entire disc golf community to hang out. A third-place if you will. A safe place free of judgment and negative perceptions. Somewhere people can finally connect instead of just seeing each other out on the course every now and then but never actually talk because they're on different cards. Selfishly, a place I am proud to make my career and wake up every day excited for what it has to offer.
Andrew: I am most looking forward to people's reactions when they see the store for the first time. This process has been probably the most difficult thing I've done in my life for a number of reasons, but it will all be worth it once I start seeing people walk in that door. I want this to be a place of community where people can come hang out after their rounds and talk about all the putts they should've made. I'm also looking forward to bringing new players into the sport that I love so much and which gave me a purpose in life.
What advice do you have to someone opening their own store?
Andrew: Don't serve food. Okay but seriously, make sure that you take the time to understand all of the different things that come with starting a business. I thought that I was prepared because of my previous experiences, but I have learned so much every step of this process. We have some extra fun to deal with because we will be serving beer and food, but make sure that you have spent the time to find the right space and the right community. There will be delays and it will be stressful, but just keep in mind the ultimate goal and the purpose behind what you're doing.
Russell: Definitely find a partner or two that has the same vision as you. Working with Andrew has been an absolute blessing to make this dream a reality. And make sure to read up on as many city laws, codes, etc as possible. Also, find people in your community that want to help you and see you succeed. Take their recommendations, not those only out to get a paycheck.
Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?
Russell: I am so incredibly excited to meet everyone and see what this community can do together to help grow the sport. The ongoing support since our announcement has been immensely appreciated by both Andrew and I. We cannot wait to work with so many amazing people in the community and learn so much more. Please feel free to reach out to myself about anything related to the shop or if you wanna catch a round sometime.
Andrew: If you know me and have supported anything that I have done in the past, just know that your kind words and encouragement have meant everything to me. I wouldn't have this opportunity without the support of the people around me, especially my Mom, and it genuinely makes me emotional to think about how many people are excited for this adventure. If you don't know me, then I hope we get a chance to meet up at the shop so I can talk your ear off about whatever topic you choose. I am still a newer DFW resident, but I cannot wait to help support the growth of disc golf throughout the metroplex and my home state of Texas as a whole. Russell and I want to meet all of you and help out in any way that we possibly can because we love this sport and the people who play it.
I'd like to thank Andrew and Russell
They are busy getting the final touches on the new store and are hopeful to open the doors to the public in February. So thank you for taking the time to answer the questions and share yourself with the Mint community.
Mint Discs is also planning to have a Glow Freetail Release Party at the new store on Feb 15th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. I can't wait to see the store and will be up there with some Team Mint players to hang out during the release party.
Until tomorrow.
Can’t say I know Russell but I know Andrew and know anything he’s working on will be top notch. Hope to make it up to the store sometime!
Thank you Zach for featuring Russell and I! We are so excited to get the store open for business this month. We’ve had some construction delays, so we don’t have a date picked out yet for our soft opening, but our Grand Opening will be March 1st and 2nd while the Disc South Expo is right around the corner. Can’t wait to see yall soon!