Hello A-J readers!
With about 31 business announcements made throughout October – 11 of them coming this week – calling it busy would be an understatement. Let’s dive into the highlights.
An early shock from this week came from Malouf’s, 8201 Quaker Ave., Suite 130. The business has started the process of closing its Lubbock store, but will continue in the DFW area.
“The high-end, luxury retail business, after COVID, it’s become more of a challenge in smaller markets,” said Tripp Gleghorn, store manager. “It’s a sad decision all around. We’ve got a tight-knit family here. Ultimately, when trying to operate a business, you have to make a tough decision.”
The Malouf’s announcement was one of several closures of the week. Logan’s Roadhouse, 6241 Slide Road, closed after the company did a market analysis. Woody’s Pizza, Grill & Pub, 3135 34th St., decided to shut down Friday night due to increased operating costs, and became the fourth pizzeria of the year to close. Hub City Ritas, 216 N. University Ave., Suite 300, also had its final day on Nov. 1. Bodine’s Cocktail Lounge, 1717 Crickets, closed on Nov. 2.
Taco Cabana announced it is searching for multi-unit franchisees in several mid-size Texas cities, including Lubbock. The timeline between finding a franchisee and opening the first location is about 18 months, depending on real estate, so if a Lubbock franchisee is found quickly, the Hub City could see a new restaurant in 2026.
All of these announcements, along with others made throughout October, were detailed in the monthly business roundup. The roundup had 31 businesses, six of which closed and 12 opened.
The Rolling Cones ice cream truck also updated that it hopes to open its storefront at the former Tom & Bingo’s, 34th St., early next year. The same goes for an upcoming Asian restaurant, Kokomo, which will open at 5217 82nd St. #106. I spoke with one of the sisters who owns the business about mochi donuts, Taiwanese Boba, Korean corndogs, and how it feels to be on the way to open their third restaurant is as many years.
Next week, expect to see information on at least one new business. Plans are not set in stone yet, but we are hitting a busy news season, so I’m sure more will come.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting the A-J.