After 53 years in business, an SMU favorite shuttered this past March. New York Sub was a popular hangout for generations of students and their families, a place as much a community gathering space as a restaurant. Fans of the iconic sub sandwiches can still pick up their favorite sandwiches from a ghost kitchen (or have them delivered), before a new location opens on West Lovers Lane this summer. The building itself, however, is getting a refresh when Rollin Joe’s Sips & Co. debuts later this year.
The new all-day café comes from SMU alumnus and entrepreneur Jerry W. Mooty, a longtime business leader and nephew of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. He’s joined forces with Kirk Thompson, a hospitality pro who owns multiple Panera Bread and Jimmy John’s locations across three states.
The menu at Rollin Joe’s will focus mostly on drinks, including coffee, espresso beverages, specialty teas, matcha, smoothies, and energy drinks, alongside gourmet grab-and-go snacks and sandwiches. To create a sense of community and a place to lounge and linger, music will play a key role. From the in-house soundtrack to guest DJs curating programming, the concept taps into the vibes found in popular vinyl-record listening lounges.
The concept’s moniker is inspired by a fictional character named Joe who’s laidback personality harkens back to that of a 1970s stoner that loves music and just wants everyone to have a good time.
“The Rollin Joe’s concept, and Joe’s distinctive look and personality, has been a passion project of mine since I left the legal profession in 2012,” said Mooty, concept creator, and co-founder in a recent press release. “I always believed in Joe as the focus of a beverage concept, but I knew bringing him to life would require operational expertise I didn’t yet have. For more than a decade, Joe sat waiting in a Dropbox folder until my lifelong friend Kirk Thompson moved to Texas in 2024. With his deep hospitality experience and entrepreneurial background, everything finally came together.”
Thompson says he immediately saw the potential the moment Mooty showed him what he’d created.
“The beverage category is evolving rapidly, and there was an opportunity to build something different,” Thompson said in the release. “I knew right away this was a special concept.”
Because of Mooty’s ties to SMU, opening Rollin Joe’s in the right building was key to bringing the cafe to life.
“The former New York Sub location holds a special place in the hearts of generations of SMU students and Park Cities residents,” said Mooty. “When the opportunity arose to bring new life to the space, we saw a chance to honor that legacy while creating a new gathering place built around great drinks, music, community, and meaningful connections.”
The founders believe the place will transition from a place to grab coffee in the morning to a hangout for study sessions and gatherings in the afternoons to a place for music in the evenings. Tunes will come courtesy of nightly guest DJs as well as live music from local performers and bands.
Once the renovations are complete—courtesy of architect Alexander Quintanilla, AIA, of Q-ARC—the 1,373-square-foot space will feature comfortable indoor seating, a covered patio to enjoy good-weather days, and a “Quick Sip” window for anyone needing their caffeine fix in a hurry.
Mooty and Thompson hope to build on the location’s nostalgia to create a new student hangout for generations of SMU Mustangs to come.
Rollin Joe’s, 3411 Asbury St., Dallas, rollinjoes.com
