Rick Doty owns several local and regional businesses, including the Chicken Express set to open soon on Richmond Road where Wendy's was.
The restaurant business was something he wanted to get into even when he was a child.
"It was a Dairy Queen I wanted when I was a boy in Cleburne," said Doty, 51. "But I couldn't get one. So later, when I went into the workforce, I worked as a driver for UPS for 12 years, saved my money, (and) eventually, I bought a farm. After a while, I sold that and moved to Texarkana."
Eleven years ago, he started his first Chicken Express on West Seventh Street in Wake Village. Seventh Street has kind of become the center of his business empire. He also owns Big Cheese Pizza and The Edge Salon there.
"My family is deeply involved in my businesses," Doty said. "My youngest daughter runs The Edge Salon. The husband of my middle daughter manages some of the stores. My son-in-law and oldest daughter now own the Atlanta, Texas, Chicken Express."
His business got started with family.
"I'm doing this because of my father," Doty said. "He told me that the one thing he regrets is not taking more chances in life, more risks. So that is what I do."
Texarkana is noted for its number of restaurants, and Doty admits he helps keep that going.
"My family loves to eat out, just like most Texarkanians," he said.
Doty credits God with his success: "Christ comes first. Everything belongs to him. He just lets me run it."