A taco phenomenon originating in Fort Worth has made its way to Denton.

Despite its hazy nomenclature, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop has a crystal-clear recipe for success.

The Denton location opened last month on Industrial Street, anchoring the southern corner of the building that housed the original Denton Feed Store. The storefront shares the historic site with Dan’s Silverleaf, Little Guys Movers and Seniors in Motion Inc., and a new high-end restaurant is currently in lease negotiations.

DRC/Al Key

Fuzzy's Taco Shop co-owner Mel Knight stands in the newly opened establishment at 115 Industrial St. The restaurant, which is the third Fuzzy’s location, opened last month, serving Baja-style Mexican food and targeting college students. Knight and Dan Mojica of Dan’s Silverleaf plan to host a combination grand opening and Industrial Street block party in March.

“As a Denton resident, I knew the east side of the Square is growing,” Fuzzy’s co-owner Mel Knight said.

As Fuzzy’s third location, the restaurant is part of the formula Knight and partners Alan and Chuck Bush have mastered — Baja-style Mexican food that’s appealing to all types of people but targeted toward a familiar demographic, college students.

“We have college kids, families, business people — a diversity of people that we attribute to the difference in menu options,” Knight said.

Billed as the home of the original fish tacos, Fuzzy’s tacos can be ordered soft or crispy, with fish, shrimp, beef, pork or vegetables — and extras such as feta cheese, garlic sauce and an optional habeñero kick.

Breakfast items, which are served all day, are available as early as 6:30 a.m. on weekdays. The shop stays open until 3 a.m. on weekends to cater to the late-night crowd.

“We’re unique in that we’re open a lot of hours,” Knight said.

The newly painted interior of bright blues, yellows and reds is counterweighted with the original painted concrete floor from the feed store.

After placing an order at the front counter, customers wait to retrieve their food at the pickup counter — under a stuffed marlin with “Eat me” painted across its belly.

The fend-for-yourself, fast-food concept is why Fuzzy’s is able to keep its prices low, Knight said.

“Customers may have to work a bit to have a nice meal,” he said, “But for that, you get a good value.”

Joe Powell, owner of JP Boots and Saddleshop, has been coming to Fuzzy’s at least three times a week since it opened.

“Besides the big variety of menu items, the food is fresh, and they make it while you wait,” Powell said, “I can get in and get out. With as much hustle and bustle as there is on the Square, he’s providing a good service.”

Seating indoors can accommodate 120 diners, and there are extra tables on the patio on the feed store dock. Sports games play on six TVs on the walls.

“We liked our demographic in Fort Worth, and there is a similar one here,” Knight said.

Chef Paul Willis of Fort Worth created and opened the original Fuzzy’s Taco Shop there near Texas Christian University.

Six years ago, father and son Alan and Chuck Bush, along with some investors, purchased the concept. Four years later, adding Knight to their team, they opened a second location in Fort Worth’s Riverside area.

“It was one of the first businesses to go in there,” Knight said. “That area is coming back to life.”

With two successful locations, the team hired Buxton, a market research company, to find out where their next taco shop should go and suggested Denton, a natural spot for Fuzzy’s owners.

Knight, a Denton resident, graduated from Denton High School in 1978. He and his wife, Kathryn, who has taught at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School for 18 years, have raised three children here.

Alan Bush met Knight when they each owned restaurants in Denton — Bush was the original owner of Mercado Juarez, now the site of El Guapo’s, and Knight opened Bullwinkles in 1989, which later became Rick’s American Grill.

“He was a customer of mine,” Knight said.

Knight sold Bullwinkles three years later and worked in management for Whataburger and Jamba Juice until partnering with the Bushes.

“I’ve been in the business forever, and I’ve loved it,” he said.

The owners of Fuzzy’s are launching franchising opportunities this month.

Knight said he has had several inquiries about franchising from investors from cities including Boone, N.C., Lawrence, Kan., and Norman, Okla. — all college towns.

“I don’t want to be a franchise company that’s missing anything,” Knight said. “We are evaluating locations and getting operations and training manuals in place.”

Knight attributed growth on Industrial Street partly to recent changes on Fry Street.

With the new condo developments recently breaking ground across the street and Dan’s Silverleaf as a neighbor, he said, “The synergy is bringing options for people on this side of the Square, and it’s exciting.”

Knight and Dan Mojica of Dan’s Silverleaf plan to host a combination grand opening and Industrial Street block party in March.

“Our goal is to get people down here to see what’s going on,” Knight said.

RANDENA HULSTRAND can be reached at 940-566-6845. Her e-mail address is rhulstrand@dentonrc.com.

Fuzzy’s Taco Shop

Where: 115 Industrial St.

On the Web: www.fuzzystacoshop.com