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…
Aracely Salinas’ start in business was born of grief as well as inspiration from her late husband. Michael Bryant Salinas was a longtime Rio Grande Valley paramedic and CPR instructor. For years, Aracely accompanied her husband to classroom and training sessions. Here, her husband taught the essentials of emergency medical care. When he died in August 2018, Aracely had life-changing decisions to make. One came fairly quickly when she decided…
In thinking of entrepreneurs, we usually envision individuals who take on the risk of establishing a business because they have a product or service, which they believe potential customers want, knowing if they are correct it will lead to personal financial gain. The ladies who established The Lamb’s Loom felt the same way, though the personal gain they sought had nothing to do with money. For 14 years, these ladies…
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…
Miguel Lozano holds a tiny wooden box with a mesh top and points to what’s crawling underneath it. There’s a queen bee in there of European origin. It’s an important distinction, he said, because when she’s put in a hive, this queen will center a cluster of bees with Africanized roots, the ones dubbed “killer bees.” “She will calm the box,” Lozano said, looking out toward several hives in boxes…
“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…
Mari Rodriguez accepted a job with Central Power and Light and moved to the Rio Grande Valley in 1994. She thought it would be only for a year. Her plan did not include meeting a pharmacist from San Antonio named Cecilio who had also moved to the Valley. Mari would not return to Corpus Christi, where she lived previously. Mari and Cecilio would walk down the aisle. The couple then…
In a time when it is even more imperative to shop local small businesses comes the South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce‘s “Shop the Island” initiative through Dec. 27. For every $20 spent with all Island businesses, shoppers may register for a $500 shopping spree. Many businesses are open for outdoor shopping opportunities. Every dollar spent locally also ensures a healthy and growing South Padre Island economy. Original receipts may…
Ric Tamez moved back home to McAllen in the early 1980s after working for Kroger in Corpus Christi. He soon realized he should have secured a job before returning. “I was young and stupid, and before long, I was desperate,” Tamez said. He moved back in with his parents with only $200 to his name when he received a job offer to work as a teller at Texas State Bank. That…
Jason Hess took a tour of a nursery by a resaca in Bayview in 2017 and discovered a paradise. It was River’s End Nursery back when Hess first saw it. He works in the healthcare field, with a hobby and passion for growing fruit trees, so the tour was of special interest to him. Hess was in awe of the splendor at River’s End. Ed and Kathy Pechacek took a…