When it’s hot outside, it’s smart to find activities indoors. This summer you and your kids have plenty of options to keep cool while having fun, learning new skills or honing existing talents. You can exercise your minds and bodies as you build self-confidence and muscles. Besides year-round activity venues, kids’ camps and programs abound along with several open to adults. Let longer daylight hours tempt you into pursuing a…
At the turn of the millennium, the U.S. fitness industry was on the cusp of a huge growth decade. Young adults in the 18–34-year-old range drove membership, helping to make it the fastest-growing job market by 2006. Large gyms, of more than 10,000 square feet, studded with endless rows of Nautilus equipment and treadmills, dotted the typical upscale suburban landscape. In recent years, however, the robust $20-billion-plus industry has undergone…
Leaving the Expressway, city streets and even county roads behind appeals to certain adventurous spirts. The owners of all-terrain vehicles, Jeeps, dirt bikes and mountain bikes roam the wide open spaces that many people never get a chance to see and enjoy. In rain and shine, dirt and mud, they find camaraderie, challenges and good times when out communing with Mother Nature, far from the trappings of civilization. Texas has…
By design and intent, any very small business (fewer than five employees) has had to learn to work smart. The owners can become generalists, willing to handle all types of challenges on their own, or they can choose to outsource non-core tasks. Most rely on technology to operate efficiently and to connect to potential and existing customers. In fact about 23 million of America’s small businesses have no employees other…
Back in the Valley’s early days, some businesses customarily brought their goods and services to their customers’ homes and businesses. In 1910 McAllen, for example, residents living on Main Street would hang a sheet on their porch if they wanted Dr. Frank Osborn to stop in for a house call. Fifty years later, ice cream trucks, pizza delivery cars and door-to-door peddlers were the final vestiges of house calls. Today,…
The Valley’s high proportion of young people includes very young people: infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Certain Valley businesses cater to that population, helping families keep their children clothed and entertained. Whether shopping for gifts for a friend’s newborn or playing beloved auntie and taking the tikes to the zoo for the day or searching for dress clothes for a wedding’s little ring bearer and flower girl, you will find what…
For many of us, the holidays revolve around food, old favorites and new. The Valley now boasts a growing number of artisan food businesses: small establishments that turn out a limited amount of their savory treats. These very small (for now) businesses bring a professional consistency to fresh, flavorful foods that you love to eat, week after week. The food produced by these passionate connoisseurs can be found both at…
The work of skilled crafters blurs the line between art and craft. That pleasing merger of art and craft depends on the skills of the crafter/artist, the medium and the eye of the beholder. Local experts in mediums as varied as stone and silver, fiber and wood, antler and beads, are creating one-of-a-kind pieces. Across the Valley, you will find craft studios and boutiques specializing in handmade items ranging from…
Once fall arrives, Valley garden centers and nurseries give a collective sigh of relief. Cooler weather allows people to emerge from their homes, eager to work in their gardens and revive their landscapes. Newcomers have absorbed the lesson that summer is not the time to start a garden. For southernmost Texas, which is subtropical planting Zone 10, fall is the best time of year to plant trees, vegetables and flowering…
Our cars, trucks and SUVs represent major investments and lifestyle choices. Investing money in keeping them running well and looking great is a wise decision. We take pride in our vehicles and baby them to keep them in optimal condition: washed, waxed, oiled and aligned, accessorized with custom sound and alarm systems, new tires and window tints. A wide range of Valley businesses stand ready to primp our ride. Vehicle dealers…