TEXARKANA -- Downtown Texarkana was the place to be Friday night, with Greater Texarkana Young Professionals' Destination Downtown event, a showcase to highlight downtown and the ongoing business establishment and development that has taken place.
As a result of last year's pandemic, the event was taken outside. Friday night's warm and gentle conditions and golden sunset accented the vista as pedestrians made their rounds and entrepreneurs greeted them.
At the Railyard Saloon, owner Jamie Reynolds greeted her regulars and new arrivals. Smiling with the convivial conditions.
"Look at downtown growing," she said. "Whoda thought? Teamwork does make the dream work. We survived that first year (Railyard Saloon was established in early 2020). After that, we knew we would be all right."
At Verona's, chefs were preparing arancini, the night's special treat.
"It is risotto and mozzarella, fried with homemade tomato sauce," Paul Verona said.
This is Verona's third year for Destination Downtown, and the mild conditions of an early October evening were ideal for sidewalk wine sipping.
"This is just perfect for us," he said
"It is wonderful outside," said Jasie Perry, Verona's hostess. "This is just the thing for exploring downtown. Very pretty. It is good to see downtown becoming a big thing again."
Over at the Texas side of downtown, crowds gathered inside Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery, while diners enjoyed the outdoor dining table.
"GTYP picked us as part of the VIP package," owner Bill Scurlock said. "I'm gratified they think that highly of our food and/or beer. Good to see events like this drawing attention to downtown. Good to see lots of younger types participating in this event. Professionals whose work is not necessarily downtown. Events like this bring them, if they haven't been here before. We also get our regulars during events like this."
"I've been to Pecan Point before," said Chandler Murphy of Maud, Texas. "This is one of my favorite places. Bill Scurlock's son (Justin) is from New York and he designed the interior of this place. As a former New Yorker myself, it is like a bit of Brooklyn in Texarkana."
Ina McDowell, executive director of Main Street Texarkana, was pleased at the turnout.
"So excited we were here to partner with GTYP," she said. Great annual event, Destination Downtown. I'm excited about the crowd and the young professionals supporting downtown businesses. There's a vibrancy downtown, new businesses, new faces, people returning who haven't been here in years. Young families visiting. It is just tremendous."
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October 09, 2021 at 11:10AM
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Destination Downtown drew a crowd Friday night - Texarkana Gazette
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