Henry Camargo dispenses with any high-tech gadgetry when it comes to making boots. After five decades of stitching, sewing, hammering and stretching leathers to make boots for celebrities and common folk alike, Camargo said he’ll stick to the time-tested basics of the craft. “I’m old school,” Camargo said at his Mercedes shop Camargo’s Western Boots on Business 83. “I do everything by hand.” By his side is his brother, Santos,…
Some businesses come and go like the wind. Others not only survive but stay alive and prosper despite enduring one obstacle after another. Barbara, an upscale boutique on South Padre Island, falls in the latter category. The shop, owned by Remedios Villarreal, has been in business for nearly half a century and has been doing remarkably well after all those years. “I am still running Barbara,” she said. “It was…
Dark chocolate, rich in antioxidants and other nutrients, can have positive health benefits, according to numerous studies. After his physician recommended eating dark chocolate, Rio Grande Valley entrepreneur Anthony Matulewicz started experimented with making it in his home kitchen. Today, he is three years into a journey to turn a private passion into a viable business with Mozna Chocolate, a small but growing dark chocolate factory in the border town…
Do you need to slim down, bulk up or just fine-tune your personal health? All Star Nutrition is a one-stop shop with three Rio Grande Valley locations, precisely suited for those seeking expert guidance on everything from weight loss to sports nutrition, vitamin and mineral intake, detoxification and hydration. At the store in Pharr on North Jackson Street, co-owner Sally Balderas Bracewell said that it feels good to help customers achieve…
From his catbird seat of an office, Ryan Vaughan oversees three brands of boots that are made and crafted by hand every week at Rios of Mercedes. The iconic Rio Grande Valley company traces its roots back to Zeferino Rios, the father of boot making in the region. The three companies operating under one extended roof today at Rios are continuing that legacy – and doing so under the leadership…
Some of the best advice I can give to you if you’re looking to someday own a franchise business is to look at industries that are growing. The pet industry is one of them, and I have the stats to prove it. The pet industry is huge … and it continues to grow, with or without a strong economy. Not many industries can claim to do that. But, is that reason…
Outdoor grilling is as popular as ever in the Rio Grande Valley, with greater numbers of people taking it well beyond simply firing up a gas grill or charcoal pit on the back patio to cook steaks, ribs, chicken, vegetables and more. A fast-growing segment is expanding their options to install outdoor kitchens, some of which are as well-equipped as the indoor versions. Ruben Castillo, an architect who moved to…
One of the shops along Jackson Street in downtown Harlingen is a thrift store that not only recycles old clothes and other merchandise, it fosters new beginnings for victims of domestic family violence and sexual assault. The small retail outlet is operated by the Family Crisis Center of the Rio Grande Valley. “Repeat Performance generates revenue that comes back into the center to help us run the center,” said Laura…
The former Toys R Us site adjacent to La Plaza Mall in McAllen will soon undergo redevelopment by Houston-based Murdoch Capital LLC and Parkway Partners. Property plans have not reached finalization, but the partners report positive feedback in the preliminary stages of its marketing. “McAllen has a strong reputation for high retail sales volume, so we jumped at the opportunity to purchase this site as soon as it became available,” said…
Success pushed Mid-Valley Pharmacy to a new location in Mercedes this year. Robert Zamora, John Hinkle and Adrian Cervantes had purchased the pharmacy in 2004 Even when the pharmacists bought the business 14 years ago, the pharmacy building was small. “People were used to going there,” Cervantes said. “We struggled with the idea of changing locations, but we outgrew the space. We needed something better for us, for our employees…