The space at 3919 N. State Line Ave. has seen many businesses come and go, from a donut shop to one of the many former locations of Texarkana Book Store. Now a new enterprise calls the location home.
Out front, one sees a nondescript storefront facade. But once inside, one begins to get a sort of Big Easy vibe. This is not a coincidence. It is the spirit of New Orleans the proprietors of Twin City Daiquiri are trying to invoke. Or more precisely spirits. And more.
"We offer Cajun and Caribbean food, as well as daiquiris," Morgan said. "But starting out, when we went towards getting our alcohol license, we found that under Texas law, ready-to-drink mixed drinks had to be served with food. Wine-based drinks don't have that requirement. But anything stronger than that we just came up with a menu and expanded on the New Orleans experience."
When it came to jumping through all the paperwork and bureaucratic hoops a small business has to do, Morgan found the experience in Texarkana relatively easy. Things just seemed to come together when they needed to.
"From the beginning, all the things we have needed, especially in finding the right cooking talent, because not just anyone can cook like this, have all lined up just when we needed it," Morgan said. "Working through all the official steps and regulations, everyone, from City Hall on down, they've all been very helpful and we managed to get everything we need when we needed it. They were very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, pointing in the right direction."
Morgan admitted that, at first, she was concerned about what could go wrong. "We heard so many negative things. But right from the start, we had needed help, from just preparing the location (where Texarkana Book Store used to be), where we had to build a restaurant from scratch, pulling up floors, installing a kitchen, we had to do it all."
Texarkana was ready for them. And not just Texarkana. As word has spread, they have attracted regulars from Shreveport and even visitors from places as far away as Dallas.
"We've had a great reception," Morgan said, pointing to the stage at the front of the venue. "So we have added more than just the food and drinks. We have entertainment from musicians to comedians. We want to set up a place where local talent can be showcased. We want to encourage people with talent to come show us what they've got. We want to have a place for performers of all kinds, from music to comedy to poetry."
Twin City Daiquiri takes reservations for birthdays and other special occasions, though Morgan advises to get in inquiries as early as possible for peak business times, most especially from Thursday to Saturday night. They serve lunch and dinner and are looking into a delivery service. Their signature drink is a concoction called the Twin City Hurricane.
For more information, call 903-740-3523 or visit their Facebook page.