With downtown Texarkana slowly coming back to life, husband-and-wife team Keith and Jennifer Keathley intend to give it a shot in the arm soon by opening Keathley's General Store.
"We've seen living spaces going up downtown," said Keith Keathley, who co-owns the store with his wife. "Apartments going up, folks deciding to live here. They need someplace to conveniently shop. So do the other businesses and others who spend time downtown."
Restaurants, art and activity outlets draw locals and travelers alike. Among planned developments are more historic buildings being turned into apartments.
"We are going to offer basic staple foods, convenience store-style items," Keith Keathley said. "We will also offer some fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. It will be modest at first. We would like to go the deli route at some point, but we are going to start out with the basics."
The co-owner has nothing but praise for city officials he has dealt with.
"They've been friendly and helpful," he said of the Arkansas-side government. "Also, Ina McDowell of Main Street Texarkana has been helping us. They will be assisting in our storefront."
Older businesses that have managed to hang on through the lean years now see a brighter future.
"It has been a long downtown business drought for some of them," he said. "But the vibe downtown is now exciting and optimistic.
"Lots of locals have been coming to me and expressing interest, looking forward to our opening. There seems to be a certain spark that has been ignited. Downtown is lighting up again. This is becoming a place people work, live and play once again."
He said being family-friendly is key to attracting repeat customers.
"Parents and their kids, that will also get things going here downtown. People need to see the opportunity and to feel safe being here," he said.
The general store will have a board where customers can offer feedback.
"The death of a store is to have stock no one wants," he said. "So customers will have input into what we stock directly. We want to give them what they want."
The store's stylized sign was made by another downtown business.
"Check Mark Design here in downtown helped us rig that up," Keathley said.
The owners aim to open Keathley's General Store, 209 E. Broad St., on Sept. 1.