Category Archives: Industry

Harlingen Dedicates New Convention Center

Events Featured Gallery News Recreation & Tourism Comments
Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell cut the ribbon to officially open the Harlingen Convention Center. (VBR)

City officials and community leaders gathered May 1 for a ceremony and ribbon-cutting to formally dedicate the Harlingen Convention Center. Attendees had a chance to tour the building and a community open house was on the schedule for the evening. Mariachis entertained guests upon arrival. A color guard made up of officers from the Harlingen police and fire departments started the ceremony. Harlingen school district students then led the pledge…

Read More

Bootique Creates Retail Niche

News Retail Comments
Bootique owner Elma Chavez works on a display of men’s hunting apparel, one of the newer lines of merchandise. (VBR)

The history of a legendary Rio Grande Valley bootmaker provides the backdrop for the Bootique, a clothing and gift shop in downtown Raymondville. The store is in a portion of the brick building where Abraham Rios crafted custom footwear for decades. The building’s current owners, Cruz and Sonya Tijerina, ran the Bootique until they sold the business to Elma Chavez, former director of the Raymondville Chamber of Commerce. The Tijerinas…

Read More

Natives Grow in Popularity

Agriculture News Retail Comments
Mike Heep surrounds himself with hardy native plants known to attract birds and butterflies. (VBR)

Mike Heep spends his days cultivating native plants and educating people about the benefits of using indigenous vegetation in gardens and landscaping projects. Native plants are drought and freeze tolerant, and attract the birds and butterflies for which the Rio Grande Valley is famous. In 1964, Heep moved from San Antonio to the Harlingen area with his family. He operates Heep’s Nursery on the same two-acre tract where he grew…

Read More

Jumping to Heights of Success

Featured Food & Entertainment News Recreation & Tourism Comments

The business plan is pretty simple. Offer modern facilities with kid-friendly fun, competitive pricing and top-notch customer service, and people will come. Xtreme Jump Trampoline Parks began in San Benito about three years ago and last month opened its newest location in Harlingen. They also have operations in McAllen, Corpus Christi and Laredo, with more planned in the near future for the Rio Grande Valley and other towns in Texas…

Read More

Pursuing a Noble Profession

Real Estate Comments
Texas Noble Builders is constructing the Cameron County Events Center in Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island. (VBR)

Texas Noble Builders is a company that does more than construct large scale commercial and non-commercial projects, even though that is its bread and butter. Founded four years ago by Brownsville native Rene Capistran and several partners, TNB’s community presence certainly speaks for itself. The company logo seems to be everywhere these days, from South Padre Island where it’s building the new Cameron County Events Center and two pavilions at…

Read More

Tampico Style Food on Wheels

Food & Entertainment News Comments
Street tacos Tampico style are among the most popular menu items on the Food Mania restaurant on wheels. (VBR)

The kitchen is hot, customers are lining up, and Connie Chavirra is ready to serve. “You want jalapenos with that, mama?” she asks a customer, handing over a heaping plate of taquitos with slices of avocado, grilled onions and two lime slices on the side. Her husband, Gonzalo Martinez, is flipping over hamburger and hot dog buns on the grill, with a fajita quesadilla ready to go. The couple and…

Read More

Tragedy Tests Will to Succeed

Food & Entertainment News Comments
Baskets with burgers and fries are lined up ready to be served to Ranch House Burgers patrons. (Courtesy)

Building a business from scratch is enough of a challenge, and as Mike Barrera can attest, coming back from a tragedy will test you anew. Barrera was three years into establishing a successful restaurant business in Weslaco – Ranch House Burgers – when a fire struck in 2014 as he was making plans to get his second restaurant open in Mission. All that Barrera had built in Weslaco was gone…

Read More

ERO Architects Contributes To Valley Scholars

Education Featured Professional Services Comments
Representatives from ERO Architects and South Texas College came together for a check presentation April 22. Funds will benefit Valley Scholar students. (photo STC)

A gift of $5.000 is going to the South Texas College Valley Scholars program from ERO Architects. The firm and college came together recently for a check presentation, confirming ERO Architect’s role as a Diamond sponsor for the program’s annual “Night with the Stars” gala. Fittingly, the site of the check presentation was STC’s new Nursing and Allied Health Building B. The four-story addition was designed by ERO Architects. Principal and…

Read More

City Nature Challenge Kicks Off

Events Featured News Recreation & Tourism Comments
City Nature Challenge

The Lower Rio Grande Valley is joining more than 150 cities around the world for the annual City Nature Challenge. From April 26-29, the region joins eight other Texas areas in  the challenge to see which urban area has the most diverse landscape. Residents of cities and the surrounding areas can show the world just how much nature lives in Texas. Anyone can participate by joining an event or making observations using…

Read More

McAllen a Marketing Award Finalist

Events Featured Government News Comments
Fiesta de Palmas award vote

The Event and Arena Marketing Conference’s announcement of its finalists for this year’s awards ceremony includes the City of McAllen. The EAMC recognizes the most innovative and impactful work in the live entertainment industry. Of the top five categories, McAllen is one of three finalists for EAMC Marketing Campaign of the Year. The nomination is a result of successful marketing efforts for last year’s introduction of Fiesta De Palmas. To prepare for Fiesta…

Read More