There are stories of rock bands and software engineers getting modest starts working out of their garages on their first steps to success. It worked for Van Halen and Steve Jobs. In Brownsville, there’s a hometown brewery that got its start among friends in a westside neighborhood off the Military Highway. Pluton Brewery Company was named after a street by that name in the Galaxia neighborhood. This is where some…
Growing up in Weslaco, Zeke Reyna had big dreams growing up during the glory years when Tiger Woods dominated the golf world. “I always thought I’d win the Masters,” Reyna said. He didn’t quite get there although he was an outstanding high school golfer. Reyna was good enough to compete collegiality at SMU in Dallas and then the University of Oregon. He went on to spend some time on the…
Thomas and Ashley Garcia were aspiring entrepreneurs in the summer of 2018 and looking for the right spot to start their coffee shop business. The location they chose to open their Bandera Coffee seemed unorthodox at the time. It was on Van Buren Avenue in the La Placita section of downtown Harlingen. Thomas described it as part of town that had “a rough reputation,” but he and his wife decided…
Every year, H-E-B goes on a quest in Texas, in search of the best Texas-made products for its store shelves. This year, submissions will come via video through April 7 at 5 p.m. H-E-B “Quest for Texas Best” is an open call for local, small food, beverage and general merchandise suppliers. The winners receive their products in H-E-B stores and $25,000. Creative submission videos to H-E-B should be two-minutes and…
Mario Mendiola is an energetic, man-on-the-go entrepreneur and realtor who has a passion for both his hometown and its downtown. In early 2020, he saw through a lengthy restoration of a historic two-story building on the corner of Texas Avenue and Sixth Street in downtown Weslaco. A formerly abandoned building is now a stylishly restored building for offices and upstairs apartments. Mendiola had another downtown project brewing. He wanted to…
Michelle Quiroz is an engineer by training and had a fascination for a topic beyond her work for a large corporation with manufacturing operations along the border. The science and craft of coffee roasting fascinated her and got Quiroz wondering how to apply her disciplined thinking to a dream of owning and running a small business. It would lead to the beginnings of Reserva Coffee Roasters in McAllen. It opened…
In the social media-driven world where a hobby can turn into a business in a flash, Samantha Cervantes is proof how fast such a thing can happen. The mid-20s-year-old mother of two children was looking for a job last year to help her family’s finances. It was a tough go of it as the employment market contracted with the shutdowns and slowdowns. Cervantes also had the issue of childcare for…
South Padre Island will celebrate its second National Cook Your Catch Day Jan. 23 with events for avid anglers and cuisine fans of South Padre Island. The celebration includes a VIP fishing trip and dinner for regional influencers. Currently, eight restaurants will cook the catches of participants. The event also includes tips from fishing guides on techniques for catching different species and ideas from SPI chefs on how to make…
Weslaco had one sweet spot going for it during the slowdown and shutdown months in the spring and summer of 2020. Happiness Cupcakes never closed. The city deemed it an essential business and the cupcake shop with an outdoor patio on Texas Boulevard stayed open. The close-to-the-nest residents of Weslaco and adjacent communities found solace in the array of cupcakes, pies, cakes and breads at the shop on Texas. “It was…
“Brunette Bombshell” from Mission-based 5×5 Brewing Co. is now available at seven Rio Grande Valley H-E-B stores. It is the brewery’s first beer to enter the retail market. The Mission EDC, in an announcement, says the release is made possible through an exclusive partnership with L&F Distributors. As the largest distributing brewery in the area, 5×5 Brewing Co. is one of a number of businesses receiving Mission EDC support over…