Mohamed Sharaf’s initial business visit to the Rio Grande Valley was one of getting a feel for a region where he wanted to build and open a travel center. The concept is one of a modern-day truck stop with lots of floor space for food, snacks and beverages with extra-large bathrooms. Think Buc-ee’s with a different variation of a similar template as designed by Sharaf’s Victron Energy Corporation. One of…
Mohamed Sharaf found kindred spirits in Mercedes that he said reminded him of his father’s farming and agricultural homeland in Syria. The vice president for development of the Waxahachie-based Victron Energy Inc. examined various South Texas markets for a site to build a high-end travel center that would be reminiscent of a Buc-ee’s, with a look reflecting a community’s history and heritage. In visiting the Rio Grande Valley, Sharaf was…
The Expressway 83 space near the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets will soon have a major restaurant and fueling stop development as a 12,000-square-foot travel center comes to Mercedes. Waxahachie-based Victron Energy Inc. has broken ground on the development, which will be located on the intersection of the expressway’s frontage road and Mile 2 E Road. The travel center will serve as the centerpiece of the development, which will also…