Open for business: Here’s a look at Longview retail openings in 2024

Retail development was busy in 2024 in Longview, from local businesses to major chains opening in the city.

Here’s highlights from the year in retail openings:

January

■ Fun Noodle began serving its menu of sushi, ramen and noodles at 1809 W. Loop 281, Suite 130, in the Pinetree Centre at Gilmer Road and Loop 281.

Owner Alex Jiao said that while there are other Fun Noodle locations, they are not part of a chain of restaurants. Sun (pronounced “soon”) Liang is manager.

The menu is a mix of different Asian influences, including Japanese, Chinese and Thai.

■ Amber Khan and her husband, Nasir, opened Pack & Post+ at 2309 Gilmer Road, Suite 101, offering a variety of business and residential mail and office services.

Carmela Coates, Amber Khan’s mother, said her daughter opened the business in West Longview because there was nothing like it on that side of town. Khan attended Pine Tree High School, and her family lives in the Spring Hill area.

The business provides FedEx, DHL and U.S. Postal Service services, with package receiving and drop-offs. Additional package services will be added later.

Digital fingerprinting, copy and photo printing services, document shredding and notary public services also are available. Pack & Post+ offers traditional mailboxes and digital mailboxes.

February

■ Tamalocos, a new authentic Mexican food restaurant in West Longview, is in the Pinetree Centre at Loop 281 and Gilmer Road.

Sugey Garcia Hernandez and her husband, Andres, started serving their tamales to the community about a year before they opened their sit-down restaurant in January 2024. It features their hand-rolled tamales they make using his mother’s recipe, but it also serves a variety of other Mexican dishes.

The restaurant also serves breakfast and serves lunch and dinner the rest of the day.

■ Zaxby’s opened its doors in February in the former Five Guys Burgers and Fries at 3405 N. Fourth St. in Longview.

East Texas’ first Zaxby’s features a double drive-thru and a dining room that holds up to 36 people.

The store is owned and operated by JA’s Coop L.L.C., which is owned by Austin and Chelsea Barber. Austin Barber also is general manager of the restaurant.

Zaxby’s Longview store is 2,700 square feet with a “white farmhouse style design.” The restaurant is known for its Chicken Fingerz, Zalads, wings and signature sauces.

■ Burlington, a national off-price retailer opened in February at its new location in Longview in the former Bed, Bath & Beyond at 422 W. Loop 281, Suite 200.

Burlington acquired 50 Bed, Bath & Beyond locations in 2023 as part of that company’s bankruptcy, including the location where Burlington is now opening in Longview.

The Burlington store previously was at 103 W. Loop 281.

March

■ A new-to-Longview oil change franchise opened in March at 2903 Estes Parkway in Longview.

Gene Pickern is owner of Costa Oil-10 minute Oil change-Longview. Manager Jeff Rogers oversees the business.

Pickern said he was a missionary for almost 50 years and bought into the franchise as he was preparing to retire.

Costa focuses on “fast, friendly” oil changes and other basic maintenance such as air filter and windshield wiper replacements.

April

■ The Platform Longview offers a place for small businesses to operate storefronts in the historic Junction area in downtown at 813 E. Methvin St.

The Junction, at Methvin and Mobberly Avenue, dates back to Longview’s railroad roots.

In modern days, the Junction has been a rundown, largely forgotten area of town until in 2023 or so with revitalization efforts that began with the purchase of property in the area by the Goswick family. The family transformed one of the buildings in the area into an Airbnb, and other businesses are moving into the area now.

“We are hoping to turn the Junction back into the melting pot of culture it once was,” Brasher said. She said she’s known the Goswicks for about 20 years.

Brasher, who previously operated a successful T-shirt business that shipped items around the world, said one of her passions also is working with small businesses.

“That’s what we’re doing here,” she said, explaining that the 5,100-square-foot Platform currently provides homes for 42 small businesses.

The Platform provides a home for everything from women’s boutique fashions, children’ fashion, laser engraving, an olive oil company, an artisan baker, a jewelry boutique, candles, a coffee roaster and handmade soaps.

Longview Mall welcomed a new women’s apparel store to its retail lineup in April.

Windsor Fashions describes itself as “a leading special occasion and fast fashion retailer.” The store is near Bath & Body Works.

Windsor Fashions, which is based in Santa Fe Springs, California, opened its first store in 1937. The company has more than 350 stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as what the company described as a “fast-growing e-commerce building.”

May

■ Nothing Bundt Cakes is open at 303 W. Loop 281, Suite 120, in Papacita’s Village.

The national franchise specializes in bundt-style cakes in a variety of sizes and flavors. The business has more than 600 stores nationwide.

■ Uptown Cheapskate opened in May near Papacita’s Mexican Restaurant at 305 W. Loop 281, Suite 104B.

The store buys and sale used clothing.

Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the business has about 130 stores. Lori Stinson, her husband, Bill, and their daughter Lisa Snow, own three of the stores. The family lives in Northeast Texas and has also stores in Texarkana and Tyler.

The store focuses on casual, current, trendy clothing that was new in the past two or three years, Stinson said. Uptown Cheapskate also stocks some new clothing, with a focus on casual clothing.

■ A new food truck celebrated its grand opening in May in Longview.

Regina Jamerson is owner of It’s a Vibe Kitchen and Catering. Her sister, Freda Wobberton, is handling most of the cooking. Wobberton also has previously operated a food truck and restaurant.

The food truck will regularly be stationed in the parking lot of 401 S. Mobberly Ave., but it will be at other locations, too. Jamerson said location updates will be provided on the food truck’s Facebook page, tinyurl.com/4wtst49d .

The menu offers chicken, fish, salads, nachos, hamburgers, tacos and more. The business also offers turkey items for people who don’t eat pork, Jamerson said, including turkey chops, turkey burgers and turkey wings.

“It’s just a variety of food with different flavors,” Jamerson said.

■ Dollar General opened a new DG Market i May at 3016 Estesville Road in Longview.

The new store features an expanded selection of fresh meats, fruits and vegetables as well as the same categories, brands and products customers typically find at Dollar General.

DG Market stores employ 10-15 people.

June

■ Master Fry and Grill in Longview represents Dwayne Quinn’s hopes for his family.

“I just really wanted to just get a business going for me and my family to live off of, start a legacy for my kids and their kids, something to give back generation to generation, something we can call ours,” he said.

He and his wife, Tamika, opened the restaurant in June at 1511 E. Marshall Ave., but they had first operated the Master Fry food truck in Marshall starting in 2018. He took a break after COVID-19 and eventually decided he wanted a brick and mortar location.

The Quinns have three children. One is an adult, and their teenage son and daughter work in the restaurant with them.

“It’s a family business,” Dwayne said.

Dwayne said his family is from New Orleans. He came to Marshall following Hurricane Katrina.

“We’ve got a lot of Cajun spicy food,” he said. The menu includes fish and shrimp that has a “a different kind of taste than you’re used to out here because “it’s a New Orleans thing.”

■ Frankie’s Filling Station opened in June in Longview at 2301 Judson Road.

The store, which is open 24 hours, is operated by East Texas Fuels, a third-generation family business owned by Longview resident Sam Howell.

Frankie’s Filling Station, which sells Valero gasoline, includes a drive-thru window, “beer cave” and wine, hot prepared food and baked goods, health-conscious options and more.

July

■ Okidoki Hibachi Express opened in July at 1204 Alpine Road in Longview.

Brothers Tommy and Holis Hariyanto already have locations of their restaurant in Texarkana, Shreveport and Marshall. The new restaurant is in a building that years ago was a Whataburger.

They have updated the building and made improvements.

The restaurant’s signature dishes include chicken teriyaki, hibachi steak, shrimp and lobster, salmon and shrimp dishes. Yakisoba, or fried noodles, also rae on the menu along with fried rice, eggrolls, crab rangoon and pork dumplings.

■ The name of Jody Maples’ boutique in downtown Longview has a special place in her heart.

Rose is her adopted daughter’s name. Maples previously owned a boutique in Longview for 10 years, but she sold the store after Rose came into her family’s life, first as a foster child.

Rose, 8, is a special needs child.

“She is a miracle baby,” Maples said.

She stayed home with Rose, but in the summer of COVID-19, she decided to start Gypsy Rose as an online store. She held pop-in sales at her house and had booths in other stores.

“I couldn’t get away from having a business and doing clothes,” Maples said. “That’s what I’ve always done. I wanted the name to be associated with Rose.”

She opened at 112 W. Methvin St. in July, selling women’s clothing in sizes small to 3X. The store sees customers from ages high school to late 70s, Maples said.

August

■ Lakishia Fountain and LaJoyce Walters opened The Underground Boutique at 315 N. High St. with a mix of merchandise provided by vendors and items curated by Fountain and Walters.

The name, Fountain said, points to the independent business owners that operate booths at the boutique.

“A lot of times, entrepreneurs don’t get a highlight,” she said, explaining that they’re underground, but their boutique helps bring them into the open.

■ Boba Pub celebrated its grand opening in August at 405 West Loop 281 Ste. L, which is next door to Albertsons in Longview.

Boba tea typically is made with tea. Then, milk and flavoring are added in with small, flavored tapioca balls.

■ Salt & Light Salon and Suites celebrated its grand opening in August at 2302 Gilmer Road, Suite 200B.

Darlene Barron is owner, along with her husband, Daniel Barron. She said the salon also rents out booths and private suites.

“We have a lot of different services here,” she said, including hair, highlighting and blonding, braids and eyebrows.

Contact the salon by direct message through Facebook at facebook.com/allthingsbeautd .

September

■ A new clothing boutique opened in September in downtown Longview.

Amanda Boyter’s 1826 Boutique opened in downtown Kilgore earlier this year, and she relocated it to 107 E. Tyler St. Boyter said her boutique features women’s and men’s clothing, with the store’s clothing styles mixing “bougie” with “grunge.”

She said she moved to Longview because the downtown area has “better traffic.”

“It’s very busy,” she Friday during the store’s grand re-opening.

“It seems like every building is full,” Boyter said, describing the business atmosphere in downtown.

■ The convenience store A2Z Mart, at 600 N. Eastman Road, has a new neighbor.

Mano Thaiba — who goes by Alex — has opened Lux Laundry at 602 N. Eastman Road, next door to the convenience store, which he also owns.

“Basically, I wanted to do a combined business,” he said, where people can get snacks and drinks at the convenience store while they wash and dry their laundry on the other side.

Thaiba remodeled what was a former barber shop next door to house the laundromat.

“We have a very favorable price compared to other laundromats,” he said, saying he was being mindful of how expensive so many things are now.

October

■ Christopher Wilks, who started Bourbon Alley in downtown Longview with his father, Bryan, has now opened a specialty salon at 112 Methvin St., Suite A.

The salon Blown offers updos, styleouts and blowout services, but not haircuts or hair coloring.

Wilks, a Longview native, moved back to his hometown to be close to his family. He’s been working to bring businesses to Longview that are popular in big cities, he said. He worked as a hair stylist for 15 years and created the training manual for all the stylists who will be working at Blown.

■ The name of C.D Hollins’ new Longview restaurant pays homage to the woman who helped raise him and who taught him to cook. He and his siblings called his grandmother, Lillie Gates Ramey, “Madea.”

Madea’s Famous Kitchen is at 1609 E. Marshall Ave., where Dudley’s Cajun Cafe previously was.

“That’s what we always called her,” when he was growing up in Bastrop, Louisiana, but Hollins said he didn’t know why.

“My grandmother taught me how to cook,” he said, along with his father.

Eight years ago, Hollins owned five restaurants around East Texas. Then, he became seriously ill in 2022.

Hollins also teaches at Wiley College in Marshall and preaches at New Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Marshall.

After his illness, he said he was done running restaurants while also teaching.

Madea’s Famous Kitchen is his first restaurant since his illness.

His restaurant features soul food favorites, including side dishes such as black-eyed peas, green beans, red beans and rice, dirty rice, macaroni and cheese, yams, collard greens and fried cabbage — all made fresh from scratch, he said.

The regular menu also includes several kinds of hamburgers, catfish platters, shrimp, meatloaf, hamburger steak and pork chops.

■ Nathan Le has opened his own nail salon after working at other salons in Longview for about 24 years.

Le opened Oh My Nails! with his fiancée, Kim Pham, at 1721 W. Loop 281, in the North West Village shopping center. The full service nail salon also offers waxing, and Le said they are also looking for a lash technician to join the business.

Le said his father was a Vietnam War refugee who assisted the U.S. Army. That’s how his family was able to come to the United States. He was 11 when he arrived in the country in 1994, he said.

While he moved around some, he graduated from Longview High School.

His sister gave him his introduction to the nail business, and he has stuck with it ever since.

“I cannot stop doing nails. I have to do them,” he said.

November

■ Sydney Reed started juicing when saw the way it benefited her mother when she had colon cancer while Reed was in college. Her mom underwent traditional cancer treatment but also was juicing and eating a whole food plant-based diet. Her mother, Tina Reed, beat cancer.

That inspired Sydney Reed to begin juicing as well a few years later. That grew into juicing for friends and family, and now, Reed and her partner, Chris Williams, have opened East Texas Juicery at 424 E. Cotton St. near downtown Longview.

They recently finished renovating the former Newgate Mission store.

“We make organic cold-pressed bottled juice,” with all organic fruits and vegetables, Reed said.

They sell their juices in glass bottles, as they try to provide more sustainable options for customers, but plastic bottles are available.

“It’s kind of like the old milk bottle system,” and customers can return their glass jars for credit, Reed said. Glass is a healthier option as well, Reed said, keeping juice fresher and colder.

“We will potentially process 500 pounds of produce a week,” Williams said.

“One juice is anywhere from 1 to 2 pounds of produce,” Reed said.

Customers may walk in and buy juice out of the refrigerator or order ahead and stock up.

■ Longview’s newest entertainment venue, Film Alley, opened in November.

Weatherford-based Schulman Theatres renovated the former Regal Longview theater at 3070 N. Eastman Road to house Film Alley.

It features a restaurant with dine-in movie theaters, duck pin bowling and an arcade, among other features.

December

■ The rebuilt Long John Silver’s at 209 E. Loop 281 in Longview reopened in December.

The restaurant, which was originally constructed in 1980, was demolished in June.

Mylice Noel, who was a shift manager when the eatery closed, is returning as the location’s general manager along with several other previous employees.

■ RaceTrac in December opened its first convenience store in Longview at 3120 Estes Parkway near Interstate 20.

“ … This new 8,100-square-foot travel center provides everything needed to refuel and recharge for the nearly 40,000 professional drivers, commuters, residents and travelers that pass through the area daily,” RaceTrac said in a statement.

The location on Estes Parkway had for years been home to a long-vacant and deteriorating gas station and hotel.

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