Bring local brands to Love Field

Here's an idea the City of Dallas should copy: instead of looking at the same bland concessionaires that now service Love Field, convince some local restaurants -- anything from Mothers and Daughters Diner to the Grape -- to establish locations at the city-owned airport. The Austin City Council is scheduled to vote tomorrow on a proposal that would allow Austin food stallwarts Saxon Pub, Hill's Cafe and Nuevo Leon to open locations in Austin-Bergstrom Airport.

Under the proposal, the concessions would be operated by a joint venture of Brazos Concessions Co. and Scott Roberts, who owns the original landmark Salt Lick barbecue restaurant in Driftwood. Brazos operates several other concessions in the airport terminal, including Maudie's Tex-Mex, Earl Campbell's Sports Bar, Schlotzsky's, Salt Lick barbecue, Amy's Ice Creams and the Longhorn Store.

The City is working on a new modernization Love Field Master Plan anyway. Here's another way the city could add some luster to the joint. Love Field becomes a more unique terminal if the concessions feature Dallas-only food establishments rather than ones featuring menus you could find in any other airport in the country.