Editor's note: This story is part of an ongoing series for Arts Access examining the health and well-being of our North Texas arts economy.
Inside Hyphen Space near Fair Park, a neon 鈥渉ey y鈥檃ll鈥� sign invites visitors in.
On the right is a 3D mixed-media work by Dakari Butler that looks like a cosmic pillow with swirling orange, pink, green, blue and yellow acrylic paint.
The creative co-working space is outfitted with two barista stations, a photo studio, DJ booth and 鈥渢atami and chill area.鈥� It鈥檚 a specific vibe that co-owners and Gen Z entrepreneurs Alyx Nguy峄卬 and Vivian Luu said exists in major cities like New York, Los Angeles and across Asia, but is missing from Dallas.
Hyphen Space is the answer to a growing demand for connection among Gen Zers who are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation, according to . After the pandemic and an ongoing loneliness epidemic, they鈥檙e looking for inclusive third spaces, locations other than work and home.
Christina Hahn, who founded and leads the Dallas Asian American Art Club, said it鈥檚 also crucial that Hyphen Space is a Dallas-based food business run by Asian Americans.
鈥淭here's a lot of really cool boutique restaurants or pop-ups that are Asian-themed [in Dallas], but I'm not sure if they are often Asian-led in that way. So I think for Alex and Vivian, as young Asian American entrepreneurs who are Texan Asians, it means something different,鈥� she said.
However, finding the funding to create these spaces hasn鈥檛 been easy. While Nguy峄卬 and Luu opened their store in December, it was a four-year journey to get there.
In 2020, Nguy峄卬 and Luu launched their first brand, The Boba Plug, during the pandemic with $5,000. Motivated to share boba with uniquely Asian American flavors and fresh ingredients, the two catered over 90 pop-ups and events in North Texas over the last four years including collaborations with popular restaurants like La Casita and Detour Doughnuts.
Catering across the region helped them grow a loyal customer base that was willing to follow them wherever they showed up. However, Nguy峄卬 said they wanted to have a physical location where they could more deeply connect with customers, foster community and host workshops and DJ sets.
Like most entrepreneurs, Nguy峄卬 and Luu went to the bank to get a loan. But Nguy峄卬 said because he dropped out of high school and didn鈥檛 go to college, banks typically view investing in him as 鈥渉igher risk. 鈥�
鈥�We did apply for a loan, but then they said no. They said they wanted to see how we would work out with a checking account and other aspects as well,鈥� he said.
Though they were denied a loan, the entrepreneurs had always intended to crowdfund through Kickstarter. So, they launched a campaign in March of 2024 and ended up raising over $36,000 from 233 supporters by April.
Luu said funding the business through Kickstarter was also important to the entrepreneurs because it represents their roots in the community.
鈥�It's not just big businesses or just having loans. It鈥檚 these people that have supported you from the very beginning or those even interested in your story 鈥� they could find you in a more public way,鈥� she said.
One of those supporters is Diana Nguyen. She visited Hyphen Space for the first time during their soft launch in December, a week before their grand opening. The 24-year-old UI/UX designer lounged on the couch in the entryway as a barista made her a Japanese flash brew.
Nguyen, who is Vietnamese American, said she feels more comfortable going to Hyphen Space because it speaks directly to an Asian American audience.
鈥�I like the ambiance of the place and it seems really peaceful,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was really drawn to Hyphen space specifically because I know like other third parties, I think like WeWork and stuff, it feels more corporate.鈥�
The business owners are trying to build up their credit and tax history to eventually re-apply for a loan. In the meantime, they鈥檝e invested over $100,000 from pop-ups back into their business.
They鈥檝e also found support through the National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship鈥檚 NextGen program.
ACE NextGen and the National ACE helped them apply for Grubhub鈥檚 AAPISTRONG Restaurant Fund, which helps support independent, Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned restaurants. The grant provided about $5,000, which Nguy峄卬 and Luu have used to hire new employees and expand their store鈥檚 payment system.
The entrepreneurs said learning how to apply for grants and loans has been pivotal.
鈥淲e didn't know that we weren't answering the questions the way that the grant givers are looking at it. It's just that inside knowledge that we didn't know as small-business owners, so we're always learning,鈥� Luu said.
Over the last year, Nguy峄卬 and Luu have had to quickly learn what it takes to own their own brick-and-mortar shop. They鈥檝e navigated hiring staff, getting permits in order and staying on budget with rent and rising food prices.
It鈥檚 not been an easy path, but Nguy峄卬 hopes they can be an example for other young Asian American creatives.
鈥淲ith the store space, it鈥檚 getting to that realization that, hey, I'm able to make it as well as I'm able to show even my little siblings who want to be creatives that you can do this,鈥� he said.
Luu said one of the biggest steps towards making it all possible is preparing financially.
鈥淚t is very difficult as a small-business owner,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven if you think you have enough money, you will need more money. 鈥� You never know what will happen.鈥�
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