When did you last pull off I-35 at the old outlet mall on Gainesville's north side? Plenty of people last went there when it was still a place to shop for brand-name discounts, and many have only driven past since. The property at 4321 N. I-35 now goes by Thirty-Five & Liberty. A year ago it was in the news for one tenant's eviction. This December it hosts a full week of Christmas market days that start on the same Saturday as one of downtown's best-loved holiday traditions.
The site has changed twice. Its comeback does not rest on one big draw filling the old footprint. It runs on a steady calendar of markets, food-court vendors and themed weekends, and that calendar now makes the north end of town a second December destination beside the Square.
A Mall, Then a Truck Stop, Then a Calendar
Thirty-Five & Liberty owns what was once the Gainesville outlet mall, according to the Gainesville Register. Its owner is Neal Snow.
For a stretch of 2025, the property's best-known tenant was a large truck stop. FreightWaves reported that it was evicted on November 7, 2025, and that the owner planned to redevelop the site as a multi-use destination.
In its statement at the time, the ownership described a long-term plan to "transform the former outlet mall into a thriving destination that enhances local pride." Snow told the Register, "We're building something that all of Gainesville can embrace and take pride in."
Two months later, the City of Gainesville calendar listed a free ribbon cutting at 4321 N. I-35 on January 16, 2026. It was billed as the kickoff of a "Grand Celebration," with a promise of events planned for 2026.
What's Inside the Old Storefronts Now
Thirty-Five & Liberty calls itself an Entertainment District. Its website lists a group of small tenants rather than one large anchor. Here is the directory the district publishes, grouped by what you would stop in for:
- Food and drink: 35 & Liberty Bar, Los Dos Primos, Jo Jo's Snack Shack, Tami's Tasty Treats, The Candy Man Company
- Shopping and markets: Local Market, Tractor Bob's
- Services: Destined Hair Designs, Carley & Co Photography
- Other listings: 35 & Liberty RV Park, Scoot Your Booty, RAK Random Act of Kindness
The RV park offers full hookups and access to the district, so some visitors stay overnight within walking distance of the bar and event space. The bar is the center of the place. The district describes it as "More Than Just A Bar," with live music, monthly markets, food trucks, car and bike events, and community gatherings. The district points visitors to its Facebook events page to see what's coming up.
The food court is where the events and the permanent tenants overlap. For the October 31 Halloween party, the food-court vendors listed were Los Dos Primos Mexican Food, Mexi Sweets & Treats and JoJo's Snack Shack. These are local operators. They give a large property somewhere to eat between events and a reason to come back on an ordinary weekend.
The Weekends That Built the Habit
A district run on events needs a calendar people can count on, and 2026 has filled one in month by month.
After the January ribbon cutting, Nielson Honey Farm's market schedule listed a Thirty-Five & Liberty Wellness Event on Friday, March 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In late October came the biggest weekend of the fall. The Liberty Fall Roundup ran October 23 and 24, with vendors open Friday evening and all day Saturday and music until midnight both nights. It featured local vendors, pumpkin and fall activities, kids' activities, a food court, photo spots and drinks at The Bar at Thirty-Five & Liberty, according to Texoma Weekend Guide. A week later, the Halloween party on October 31 had games, a costume contest, vendors, drink specials and a DJ.
The holiday market is not new to this address. A listing for Thirty-Five & Liberty's events shows a market billed as "WE'RE BACK! North Texas Largest Christmas Market returns for 2024!" on November 29, 2024, followed by a Christmas Car Show on December 7, 2024. The Christmas market was running at this address in 2024, well before the January 2026 relaunch.
December Runs on Both Ends of Town
The City of Gainesville's December calendar lists the Texas Christmas Market at Thirty-Five & Liberty, 4321 I-35, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day from Saturday, December 12, through Saturday, December 19. Eight straight days at 10 hours a day is a longer run than any single downtown holiday event on the same calendar. Most of those are one evening or a few showtimes.
Downtown keeps the older traditions, and the two calendars fit together well. Here is the season in order, starting Saturday:
- Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m. to noon: Fall Seed & Plant Swap at Frank Buck Zoo, 1000 W. California St.
- December 3 through 13, selected dates: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a youth production at Butterfield Stage, 201 S. Denton St. Performances run December 3 through 8 and again December 10 through 13. Check the city calendar for individual showtimes.
- Friday, December 4, 5 p.m.: Spirits & Sparkles at the Santa Fe Depot, 605 E. California St.
- Sunday, December 6, 2:30 to 5 p.m.: A Swingin' Christmas with the Gainesville Swing Orchestra at 1525 W. California St.
- Saturday, December 12, from 10 a.m.: The Texas Christmas Market opens at Thirty-Five & Liberty. It runs daily through December 19.
- Saturday, December 12, 3 to 7 p.m.: Historic Holiday Home Tour, starting from the Morton Museum, 210 S. Dixon St.
December 12 is the day to plan around. The market opens at 10 a.m. on the north side, five hours before the Holiday Home Tour starts downtown. That leaves time for a morning among the vendors and a lunch from the food court before the 3 p.m. tour at the Morton Museum. If December 12 fills up, the market's daily schedule leaves seven more days to go. The market's last day, Saturday, December 19, falls right before the final week of shopping before Christmas.
Why the Old Mall Works This Way Now
In 2025 the property's best-known use was one large operation built for highway traffic. In 2026 it is a set of smaller pieces: a bar, a few food stalls, a hair studio, a photographer, an RV park, a market, and a weekend schedule that changes with the season. The calendar gives people a reason to come back from one month to the next.
For anyone who lives in Gainesville, the north-side holiday market and the downtown traditions don't compete. They run on different schedules: the Square and the Depot hold their events on single evenings and set showtimes, while Thirty-Five & Liberty hosts an eight-day market with longer hours. The Texas Christmas Market is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, December 12 through 19, at 4321 I-35.
If you own commercial or development property in Cooke County and are thinking about what its next use could be, Social Living Real Estate brings local relationships and commercial experience to that conversation. Schedule a consultation.
