Mule Alley just opened, but more is coming for the Stockyards’ newest development

As Craig Cavileer sat on the porch of the Livestock Exchange building on a recent weekday morning he counted the crowd for the twice-daily Stockyards cattle drive. Less than 100 were in sight, he surmised, about a third to a fifth what he would normally see for the 11 a.m. cattle walk.

The coronavirus pandemic has stymied foot traffic in the Fort Worth Stockyards in the same way downtown has seen a dramatic drop in commerce. Both districts survive on tourism, which has taken a hit — hotel occupancy rates fell to about 25% during the height of the pandemic before rebounding to around 50%, according to Visit Fort Worth. But Cavileer, executive vice president of Majestic Realty Co. and Stockyards Heritage Development Co., is optimistic that Mule Alley, the much anticipated redevelopment of historic horse and mule barns south of East Exchange, will thrive. It opened in June and boasts boutique shops alongside a blend of homegrown cuisine and popular chain restaurants.

“I have been impressed with the resilience of the Stockyards, but I’m sure looking forward to the day we get everything back to normal,” he said. Read More Here.