Much of Preston Hollow hides behind tall fences. (Photo by Lauren Law)

Much of Preston Hollow hides behind tall fences. (Photo by Lauren Law)

Last week, the Advocate reported that the former Minyard Sun Fresh Market at Midway Road and Northwest Highway is being converted into a Central Market slated to open in fall 2017.

When we posted the news to Facebook, one of the commenters asked if the grocery store technically was located in Preston Hollow.

It’s not the first — and it certainly won’t be the last — time that question has been asked.

It’s been asked so often, in fact, that we published “Where is Preston Hollow? Examining the undefined boundaries of our neighborhood” in 2015.

The answer?

Well, there isn’t one. Old Preston Hollow is considered to be Northwest Highway to Walnut Hill and Preston to Midway, but many residential real estate experts agree the boundaries are Northwest Highway to Royal and Hillcrest to Midway.

While we never pinpointed the neighborhood’s boundaries, we did conclude why its location — and its identity — is so ambiguous.

Preston Hollow is and always has been defined simply as a desirable place to live,” Former Editor Emily Toman wrote.  “It has good home values, the top private schools, quality grocery stores, plenty of neighborhood restaurants and services, and convenient access to other parts of the city. Aside from what attracts homebuyers, people are not united under one identity.

“I don’t think that’s important,” says Dallas City Councilmember Jennifer Staubach Gates. “They go there for those reasons. They don’t feel like they’re rallying around the cry of ‘We’re in Preston Hollow.’ They might describe where they live as Preston Hollow, but it’s not like there’s a mascot … 

While the question, “Where is Preston Hollow?”, may continue to confound neighbors, arriving at a clear answer isn’t all that important in the end. Residents are too busy enjoying their new homes, big yards and shopping destinations to worry about what to call this collection of neighborhoods. 

“That’s a better description for it,” Gates says, “a collection of neighborhoods. We’re talking about a pretty vast area that we’re trying to call Preston Hollow, so you’re not going to have that kind of cohesiveness.”