DTX-MCK: Impact 6/18/2026

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McKinney council pauses downtown parking garage discussions

McKinney City Council members are pausing discussions about a proposed downtown parking garage until officials have a clearer vision for other city-owned properties in the area.

What happened: Council members discussed the potential parking garage again during a June 16 work session. The meeting featured discussions among council members, city officials and Michael Kowski, president and CEO of the McKinney Economic Development Corp.

City officials have been discussing redevelopment of several city-owned properties in downtown since before the new McKinney City Hall opened in 2025.

Current plans include a potential parking garage at the corner of Hunt and Kentucky streets, and a collaboration with MEDC to develop office uses on the former City Hall property.

Quote of note: “This is a matter of timing,” City Manager Paul Grimes said. “We recognize that the timing may not quite be there—or the comfort level for the consensus of the council is not quite there on the timing of it.”

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On The Business Beat

Toasted Simple offers simple syrups infused with toasted food at East McKinney shop

A new storefront for simple syrup company Toasted Simple is now open in East McKinney.

The business, which was founded just over five years ago, makes simple syrups infused with real toasted food. The East McKinney shop offers cocktails and mocktails made with Toasted Simple syrups.

The setup The company was founded by Matt Thornton and Brad Pendleton, longtime friends who have career experience in bars, restaurants and alcohol distribution companies. The business idea was sparked by a desire to see real food used in products that flavor drinks like an old fashioned.

The specifics: Simple syrups offered by Toasted Simple are all-natural and small batch, the company’s website states. The top seller is the Toasted Old-Fashioned Elixir, a brown sugar syrup infused with flame-toasted orange, cherry, vanilla and cinnamon, Thornton said.

Quote of note: “Your old fashioned doesn't have to taste the same every night. That's why we developed this brand,” Thornton said.