By Junius Stone
Texarkana Gazette
After seven years at two locations, Flour Child Fine Foods served customers one last day Tuesday at their Texas Boulevard location in anticipation of serving them this fall at the former Bryce's location.
"We've had plans for a bigger location for quite a while," said Amanda Horton, owner of Flour Child. "Originally, it was going to be another place on Texas Boulevard. But then in January, the Bryce's location became available to us. We kept it under our hats and worked the deal behind the scenes. We wanted it and were working it through that whole time between then and now." The former Bryce's location at 2021 Mall Drive will allow Flour Child to expand its offerings. The larger kitchen alone will increase what they can do.
"We'll be able to enhance our skills, doing even more than what we do now. Also, we can have private events on location," Horton said.
She also noted the new place will have small classrooms for uses that will be revealed later.
"We also are adding a patio," she said.
In addition, Flour Child will be increasing staff.
"We will be looking hard for the right people over the next several months," she said. "Lots to do and we want to do it right."
Horton is a Texarkana native, but spent time out of town going to school and getting work experience, mostly in the restaurant business. Her original training led toward nursing, but it took only one year in a hospital to cure her of that.
"I talked with my husband and we both decided to take a chance. We both quit our jobs and with no savings or financial backing. We decided to take a chance on 'prepared food markets,'" she said.
This would eventually become the first Flour Child location downtown.
"We felt like there was a need for a place like Flour Child," Horton said. "We offered fresh ingredients, no preservatives. It was hard work and grit to get things going."
Horton credits community support for the success of Flour Child.
"We didn't really do the typical thing most do when starting a business," Horton said. "We had no business plan. Ours just organically grew. It began as the downtown open-market idea, but then after catering an event, the business snowballed. We are now booking catering events a year in advance.
"I've seen this kind of community support at other times in my life. But I'm surprised at the deep emotional connection many of our customers have with our current business. Many of them are sad we are moving. People really care about this place. That was unexpected, the depth of it. But I am grateful for our customers, continuing to show up and support our small business. This amazes me. We are able to do what we love and create jobs for those who want to serve others."
The experience running Flour Child has given Horton some insight into the management of a small business.
"In starting a small business, know your schedule is not your own. It is a 24-hour thing. Make sure you do what you love, because you will be doing it all the time. There are no sick days. No time off. You have to keep putting one foot in front of the other."
Horton credits local farmers and growers for supplying her with the unique foodstuffs her business supplies.
"We appreciate our connections with local farmers and are excited to have greater storage and refrigerator space at our coming new location," she said. "That will allow us to incorporate more of their offerings. This region is a great growing region and we are fortunate to have all the dedicated farmers we have here.
"We look forward to people showing up at the new place with an open heart and appetite. We look forward to surprising you with new experiences."