Rio Room Returns as The Travis, And A Former NFL Player Takes Over The Old Wish Spot.

Back in January, it came as something of a shocker: Swanky Travis Street ultralounge Rio Room, which made a name for itself by cleverly and nimbly blurring the line between the underground DJ and bottle service sets, abruptly shut down its operations as its liquor license expired.

Aside from a brief email sent out to employees and thanking them for their service, no other explanation was given and no word was dispensed about the operators’ plans for the room located at 4515 Travis Street.

This weekend, though, brought news on that front: Quietly, Rio Room’s operators reopened their space on Friday night, with some minor renovations and a name change to show for their efforts. This time through, the space known as Suite prior to its Rio incarnation, has been branded as The Travis. Public records also indicate that The Travis’ operators have procured a new TABC license for the space that runs through 2015.

At the moment, operators are rather mum on their plans for the “new” space. But we do know, at least, that The Travis won’t be alone in its comeback.

Also in store for the Knox side of the greater Knox-Henderson neighborhood is a re-opening of the old Wish Ultra Lounge space at 3001 Knox Street, which also closed around the turn of this past new year. Helmed by Grand Prairie native and former Dallas Cowboy Remi Ayodele, who won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints in 2009, the new space will be called The Monroe. Ayodele, you may recall, also opened a downtown salon in 2012.

Unlike with the Rio’s transformation into The Travis, however, sources involved in Ayodele’s new space say the Monroe’s in-progress renovations involve a complete remodeling of the old Wish space, which, we’re told, will feature more of a bar vibe than an ultra-lounge once it opens later this summer.

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