Editor of The Tribune
HARLINGEN, Texas - Here's the difference in the portraits of the Rio Grande Valley's three largest cities, as things relate to new business anyway: In Brownsville, Barcelona Nights opens downtown after several weeks that followed the strange fire-bombing of an adjacent hotel that damaged its pizza & chicken wings operation; in Harlingen, the elusive dream comes in a proposed taxpayer-financed new Bass Pro Shop that may or may not come; in McAllen it is a new $10 million restaurant set to be completed in late-July.
A $10 million restaurant! No foolin'. Ten million bucks. There is no other dining destination in the entire RGV approaching it. This one is Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, a highly-regarded restaurant better known upstate. By comparison, the latest Red Lobster in McAllen was built for a mere $3 million. It opened three months after ground was broken on far N. 10th Street and is now as crowded as Yankee Stadium on Old Timers Night, when Berra and Reggie and Mattingly and Guidry and Gossage show up to thrill the fans in the hallowed grounds of the Bronx.
The wide range of offerings to the citizens of the three RGV cities is yet another measure of their progress. Brownsville wallows in attracting mid-level businesses, such as Denny's and Starbucks and Holiday Inn Express. Harlingen pushes its hometown downtown, where mom & pop shops reign as if it's still 1972. Its best-known tourist attraction? A baseball park featuring a minor league team.
In McAllen, Pappadeauxs is sparing no money in bringing a cathedral of a restaurant. It will seat 504 in the main room and another 30 or so at the ornate bar. It will draw families who will oooooh and aaaaah at seeing its $130,000 water fountain in what will be the table-waiting area, there alongside a $100,000 bar availing, yes, my favorite Shiraz vino. And that doesn't even speak of its seafood, no doubt the best that will ever have come to fajita-happy McAllen and the rest of the region. It'll be found there near the old El Centro Mall off U.S. 83. For the Houston-based Pappas family, it is a promising venture.
In cahoots with McAllen's much-ballyhooed Downtown Entertainment District, the new restaurant, which opens in September, will afford locals and visitors yet another First Class attraction. For the City of Palms, it is a time for going all-out, for soliciting businesses that long-thought the Valley market simply could not support the very best. It seems to be doing it just fine. Amberjack's, the pride and joy of South Padre Island, opened an eatery in McAllen, on busy N. 23rd Street, a few weeks back. El Pastor and La Fogata, legendary in Reynosa, Mexico across the Rio Grande, are doing gangbusters business in McAllen and Sharyland respectively.
Brownsville has apparently pulled-in, opting to push for a slow approach to any new businesses downtown. Ruling that economic roost are a number of used clothing stores anchoring prime real estate, colorfully-named hair salons, noisy bars and a sprinkling of Tex-Mex cafes. Not that there is an absence of provincial pride in town; the return of Barcelona Nights drew coverage in the local newspaper. Harlingen's main drag, 77 Sunshine Strip, has its attractions, only it must be said that there is nothing spectacular to make, say, someone from McAllen drive the 30 harrowing miles they'd need to drive to get there.
Operators of the Pappadeaux's restaurant are pretty sure it will draw discerning diners - and the curious - from all points in the Rio Grande Valley. Bucolic Brownsville, meanwhile, awaits the return of Pan Am Airlines, while dream-challenged Harlingen is ready to provide Bass Pro Shops with the bounty of a $25 million to $28 million bond sale...
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17 comments:
Once and For All; The Whole Rio Grande Valley Will Always Be a MEDIOCRE Place, just like their Individuals... We are just Conquered individuals Whom are just FOLLOWERS and CONSUMERS of whatever little North of the Valley's chain store, Business or any else LEFTOVER Merchandise is sent to The Entire R.G.V. !!!
Mssr. Machetes (Why do I feel weird writing that?):...You sound too much like that forgotten uncle of one Christopher Columbus who kept telling him he was a worthless slacker. Well, Chris kept dreaming, kept thinking, "If I prove the world is not flat, I will make history!" I will assume you know the rest of the story... - Editor
Mclovio manchetes you need help, "psycholigical help bro" go see the doctor, at once,
Who is the good looking dame on your side bar, dress in white with that flirtatious smile??? She looks very good, she isn't married is she???
Mr. Editor, frankly I trust your judgement and knowledge more that Mr. Jerry Deals Myleadernews, in his comments he tries to explain the difference between hits and visits to a website. I think the harlingen blogs are mad at each other. I guess.
Anyway, what is the difference between hits and visits on a web-site. And do comments count???
You might want to visit his web-site, since I am not to computer sabee, thanks for your help.
I am curious as to the differences. Thanks
I feel that McAllen is reaping the benefits for the smart (and sometimes risky) investments its leaders have made recently. Certainly they wised up to their potential long before Brownsville and Harlingen -- that's not to say that there aren't some good things happening in those towns now. I've always admired the restoration projects that have happened in Harlingen, and I think health care in Harlingen surpasses that of any RGV city.
I think with the development of social media and the constant connection to the outside world we have now, and that wasn't present for previous generations in the Valley, it's making it easier for younger people to imagine their hometown being something greater.
I believe that McAllen is only the tip of the iceburg for the Valley. Harlingen and Brownsville are already starting to make some great strides. It's just a matter of time.
(BTW, technically Pappadeaux is in Pharr, and it'll be two restaurants Pappasito's and Pappadeaux, thus the hefty price tag.)
AnewHarlingen:...Pappadeaux's location is inside the City of Pharr, but barely a block east of N. Jackson Rd., which is the boundary between McAllen & Pharr. It's safe to say that it is McAllen bringing Pappadeaux's down, not Pharr. We know Pharr and the best it offers in culinary fare is that neat place I also like - The Junction Cafe on Cage Blvd. just south of Business 83, where I have my most brilliant conversations while dining alone. The $10 million price tag, we're told is for Pappadeauxs. That comes from the construction superintendent. Do you have another source? Pappasito's is not in the immediate plans, we're also told - although adjoining acreage purchased by the corporation could indeed be used for its construction.... - Editor
La Palma:...We are not at liberty to give you particulars about the attractive lady at the top of our sidebars on the right. Indeed, I have a hard time knowing she's on Earth with heartless, cruel and uncouth men and not with me here on the Moon. But she knows how I feel about her, so..... - Editor
What Mr. M.Machetes is Trying to say is That We as Hispanics, Mexican - americans, Chicanos; Do not Own / Invest in a Business That is " sent to us" to Consume. Is it for Lack of Leadership or We just feel so Powerless and Belittled.
Eliot,
Admittedly, my source is the old Action 4 News report located here: http://www.valleycentral.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=229612
I'm not in the habit of poring over Pharr's building permits. Harlingen's on the other hand... ;)
I would also like to request, if possible, that my full name -- rather than my website's name -- appear whenever I post a comment. I am logging in using Open ID, which I guess automatically adds my blog URL, even though I supplied my real name. (Although, I may have just rectified this by choosing "Name/URL" instead of Open ID.)
Thanks!
Mssr. Perez:...We're aware of that report. However, our information is that the project has been changing since it was annnounced. As you may know, Pappadeauxs was supposed to open last March. We're told design changes, plus a decision to place Pappasitos on the back-burner have led to the present state of affairs with the restaurant. Again, our info comes from the man in charge of the construction site. He tells us he is in daily contact with the corporate office in Houston. Could he be wrong? We'll pose your concerns to him in the morning. He's in our Coffee Shop gang...-Editor
Mclovio speak for yourself, I am doing well, I walk to a beat of a different drum, and the heck with the politicos.
Ben Trevino, if the hispanics from harlingen were to think like Mclovio, we still be picking cotton.
We are going to win the fight, and any commissioner that doesn't follow the voters issues will pay the price. He will be booted out.
No one should belittle themselves like Mclovion Machetes.
He needs help, as someone suggested.
No, He is Just telling the Truth, Unfortunatelly, Ignorant people won't accepted and rather look the other way...Like Always !
Maclovio Machetes is Mr. Ben Trevino is Dr. Zekub.
For shame, posting under an assumed name and then flattering yourself using another assumed name, just shameful. If you persist in doing this, learn to not capitalize every other word you write. That little tidbit will always give you away.
I'm surprised you have not been banned, or maybe you've been banned already.
Mr. Wachale
P.S. I've noticed you do the same thing at El Rocinante.
Dr. Zekub, I would say Mr. machetes has a very low opinion of himself and Dr. Zekub you need to help him, wait so what does he suggest??? or how does he resolve the leftover issues?? and how has he come to that conclusion??
His diatribes merry more explanations other than calling the local followere and conquerors.
It's all done in The Name of Freedom of Expression and freedom of Information, Learn from Him !!!
Machetes and Dr.Zekub, you two are fakes and phony's that can't support your comments.
Quit lashing at bloggers and calling them name. If you are going to provide an opinion, learn to defend it, as for freedom of expression, you are off base here my friend.
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