Small businesses across the Rio Grande Valley are moving quickly to adapt to a new and shocking environment they were thrown into by the coronavirus crisis. New days, new paths Linda’s Cakes & Desserts in Brownsville is now selling essential items such as eggs, milk, potatoes and beans in addition to their usual assortment of sweets. Hardknox Strength & Performance, also of Brownsville, is using its social media outlets to…
Belle Gonzalez-Myers has a variety of talents and is confident in utilizing all of them. She is a serious baker of all sorts of pastries and cakes. Gonzalez-Myers is also handy with a hammer. “I’m not afraid to build things,” she said. Her range of skills could earn a distinction of “Jack of all trades,” but she says that label does not fit her. “I’m not a Jack,” she said. “I’m…
With March being Women’s History Month, we celebrate the brave, bold and fearless women who are influencing the Rio Grande Valley. The RGV is home to so many individuals who have dreams and aspirations to create something to call their own. In this feature, VBR picks the minds of the women pioneering what entrepreneurship looks like in the modern era – from mindset to the key to success. The Brave…
While the holiday season is over for most people, another traditional celebration took place among some Rio Grande Valley residents. Such was the case for those who celebrated Three Kings Day with the traditional Rosca de Reyes, a round-shaped pastry consumed by people who follow the customs each Jan. 6. Bakeries throughout the region prepared the item by the hundreds, decorating the rings with dried fruit, cherries and other ingredients. Spanish-speaking…
I eat cake because it’s somebody’s birthday. ~Author Unknown Katie Jones took a leap of faith in August 2019 when she posted a message on Facebook. She let her friends know she was ready to share her love of baking outside of her family-and-friends network and turn it into a business. That was the start of Cookies by Katie. “A simple Facebook post started my journey,” Jones said. “Just asking…
It’s mid afternoon at Pieology in Edinburg. The lunch rush has thinned out, yet the build-your-own pizza restaurant is still busy with mostly Millennial-aged customers. Come back the next day in the noon hour. It will likely be employees from the nearby hospital and medical offices on Trenton Road who are enjoying their break and lunch at Pieology. In the evening hours, families with young children often push the tables…
Veteran-owned and operated 5×5 Brewing Co. is a craft brewery in Mission that is pioneering high quality beer by tackling a labor issue early on. There is an ever-increasing interest for craft beer amongst RGV locals. A brewery apprenticeship program could very well be the missing link between supply and demand in our area. With their rapid growth, 5X5 Brewing Co. anticipates labor issues to arise regarding the abundance of…
Unique. Fun. Vintage. Those are the three words that come to mind when you think of The Happy Camper. Photo booths have been a growing trend over the last several years, and we’re all familiar with them. You step into the booth box, grab a couple of props and take a few pics. The Happy Camper owners Dina and German Hoppenstedt have taken this idea to a whole new level. …
Exotic Berry Frozen Yogurt is leasing 1,453 square feet at Trenton Crossing in McAllen and plans to open in the spring. Trenton Crossing Shopping Center at North 10th Street and West Trenton Road offers both retail and office space. One of the metro area’s four Target stores anchors the center. Other major retailers include Marshalls, Ross, Bealls, Hobby Lobby and PetSmart. Exotic Berry Frozen Yogurt offers a variety of healthy…
Black Friday was coming and Shannon Farrell knew what it would be like on the day after Thanksgiving. “They won’t let their employees leave,” Farrell said of store managers at the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets in Mercedes. “The stores will be full, the workers will be busy, and we’ll be there to feed them.” Shannon’s Sweets is itself located at the outlets and has become a go-to place for…