One way to succeed in business is to find an underserved niche and, with a little luck and timing, enter the market to serve that niche. Right now, no one serves the vegan market in the Texarkana eatery scene, but TJ Woodruff, senior at Texas High, is offering his knowledge of vegan cuisine and finding Texarkana may be ready for it.
"Our community to date has had no real vegan options," Woodruff said. "I though I would bring some around."
Woodruff adopted a vegan diet four years ago to help with health issues. Since then he has noticed a difference, and he decided to share what he had learned.
"I wanted to lose weight without working out," he said. "Doing this has helped with my weight loss goals."
Texarkana is not exactly known for vegan culture. Woodruff admits that the lifestyle can be difficult to pursue here.
"I have to make everything from scratch," he said. "So that is part of what motivated me to begin TXKVegan, to fill that niche."
This is both a business pursuit and a personal mission.
"TXKVegan is a pop-up business, meaning we don't have a persona location yet," he said. "We are mobile and show up at different places and occasions. We've a spot on Broad Street, where we often show up on weekends."
TXKVegan also has a Facebook page at which they announce upcoming appearances. So far, there has been lots of enthusiasm.
"We've been selling out every time we open up," Woodruff said. "I think, based on the response, that Texarkana is ready for
vegan food."
Eventually, Woodruff would like TXKVegan to become a food truck and sometime down the line, maybe a brick-and-mortar space. But right now, Texarkana is interested and TXKVegan is off to a good start.