BSCENE Magazine August 2015 by BSCENE Magazine

AUGUST 2015

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OH NO! SAY IT AIN’T SO Ten ways to beat the back-to-school blues

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PUBLISHER'S

LETTER We had no id ea how muc h t i m e an d energy ru nn i n g a bus i n e ss wo u l d r equire. We we re youn g, we we r e n ' t eve n parents ye t. So, be li eve m e wh e n I say that we have mad e our fai r s har e o f mistakes alon g the way. During this time of year when school is starting back and everyone seems to be getting out of the relaxing vibe of summer and back into the swing of things, we decided to focus on local businesses and growth. I can tell you from experience that owning a business is hard work. Next month will be the 15th anniversary for BSCENE and almost 10 years of my wife and I being the owners. We had no idea how much time and energy running a business would require. We were young, we weren't even parents yet. So, believe me when I say that we have made our fair share of mistakes along the way. The key is learning from those mistakes and not being afraid to ask for help. Where does one turn for business advice? The Small Business Development Center at Tyler Junior College is ready and willing to help. They help your company grow, reevaluate your business strategy, or even learn how to market your services in a way that is productive and improves your overall company performance. When you’re first starting out, a lot of what you have is time and a lot of what you don’t have is money. The Small Business Development Center is grant-funded, therefore the services are offered free. What could be better?

Inspiration can come from many places, but more often than not it comes from other people. Watching them succeed and live out their dreams encourages you to do the same. This issue, we’ve compiled a list of we’ve compiled artists, bakers, realtors, restaurant owners, stylists, makers and many others to bring you the best of East Texas’ young, bright and fervent entrepreneurs. Whether you want to learn the secret to their success so that you can become an entrepreneur yourself, or are simply in need of some inspiration, you’re sure to find that and more throughout the pages of this issue.

SHAWN MICHAEL HANEY SHANEY@H3-Media.com

Learn about their backstories, where they started and how they got to where they are. All offer services that set them apart from others, but above anything else, each one perseveres in the face of adversity. Now, that’s something I can get behind. Be prepared to feel inspired and motivated to create something of your own, whether it’s a business, or simply working harder in your current position. Summer may be ending, but the possibilities that a new season brings are endless.

As you flip through the pages of BSCENE, you’ll find entrepreneurs who had to overcome many hurdles to get their business where they are today. You’ll rarely find entrepreneurs who just fell into the place they are now. Mostly, you’ll see that hard work and dedication pay off when paired together with passion.

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EDITOR'S

LETTER In the next few weeks before school starts and the kids are going crazy trying to entertain themselves (and you’re going crazy from the messy result of them trying to entertain themselves), turn that energy into something productive ... One word comes to mind as summer nears an end and preparations begin for the start of a new school year. Transformation. Each summer seems to fly by faster than before and as a parent of two young kids, it can be difficult to get them enthusiastic about going back to school each fall. It seems that the best way to prepare for the transition is to get creative and make it a celebration. Check out our back-toschool basics and learn how to celebrate the occasion in ten fun ways. In the next few weeks before school starts and the kids are going crazy trying to entertain themselves (and you’re going crazy from the messy result of them trying to entertain themselves), turn that energy into something productive and encourage them to help you harness their creativity and work on some DIY projects for the house. In our DIY article, we show you how to take items you already have and turn them into functional pieces of furniture or works of art. Taking something old and outdated and transforming it into a new, household staple isn’t just about saving money and updating your space, it’s about allowing yourself a productive way to be creative and make new memories.

of school, she got an entire dream closet built, designed and filled with clothes and BSCENE was there to document it all. Yes, the end of the summer is coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean we can’t find ways to be creative, find inspiration and enjoy the last few weeks we have before the kids are back in class. Transformation is all around us and I choose to be a part of it in a positive way. So take some time to slow down and enjoy the little moments. Whether it’s having fun with some back-to-school traditions, helping your kids pick out their very own version of a dream closet, or just taking some time for yourself to work on DIY projects, remember to enjoy the moment, be present and have fun preparing for the new school year!

Kelly Laine Haney KHANEY@H3-Media.com

The new school year is like a new year in itself. It’s a fresh start and for kids transitioning into different schools, it can be an even more exciting time. One of my favorite things to do with my daughter is going back-to-school shopping. It’s always fun helping her pick out that first-day-ofschool outfit. One especially deserving young lady named Abigail, had the opportunity to go back-to-school shopping a little early this year. Not only did she get an outfit for the first day

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B SC EN EM A G.COM

THE MAGAZINE OF EAST TEXAS

903.509.4703 • info@h3-media.com bscenemag.com

BSCENE STAFF Publisher/CEO - Shawn Michael Haney Editor/CFO - Kelly Laine Haney Production Manager - Ashley Westbrook Graphics/Videographer - Lindsey Todd Morgan Distribution - Devin Hunter Editor-in-Chic - Veronica Terres Editorial Assistant - Poonam Patel Staff Photographer - Bryan Stewart Editorial Intern - Addi Simmons Production Intern - Madison Murray

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Myranda Diduch, Bowen Hardy, Devin Hunter, Dr. Scott Lieberman, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, Poonam Patel, Krystal Phillips, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Myranda Diduch, Madison Murray, Krystal Phillips, Dr. Aubrey Sharpe, Addi Simmons

STYLE FILE Model: Stephanie & Jess Mowery Photography: David C. Allen Makeup: Kelsey Capo Special Thanks to: The Foundry Coffee House

COVER On The Cover: Kristal Childs Cover Photo: David C. Allen

PUBLISHER H3 MEDIA, L.L.C. ©

BSCENE welcomes unsolicited submissions and photographs, but does not assume any responsibility for publication or return of materials. When any editorial or photography submission, whether in advertisements or editorial, is provided to BSCENE, by any means, whether electronically or otherwise, the person/business making the submission assumes all responsibility that the submission does not infringe on any third party’s rights and title, including all copyrights and/or releases. No fees are due to anyone, including photographer or models, unless previously agreed upon by all parties involved. The opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the representative writers and authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of this magazine.

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We are proud to announce our newest location

DOWNTOWN TYLER BRANCH

Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Petroleum Building 102 North College Avenue, Suite 100 903-730-5900

Jon Honea Tyler Downtown Branch Manager NMLS# 546372

PHOTO BY BILLY HATHORN

! n e p O w o N

AUGUST 2015

CONTENTS 2

PUBLISHER'S LETTER

EDITOR'S LETTER

STREET SCENE

COVER STORY

CHANGING ROOM

BRILLIANT MINDS

BIG PLANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

47 DINING GUIDE 54 MAN ABOUT TOWN 60 STYLE FILE

76 ELBOW GREASE 90

OUTTAKES

10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE BACK-TO-SCHOOL

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PURSUIN G EDEN IS A SALES AND R ENTAL B O UTIQ UE O N THE V ER GE O F FA M E AND SU CCES S TH AN KS TO THE ENTR EPR ENEUR W H O STARTED IT ALL .

T WO LO CAL B USINES S ES HELP M A K EOV ER MO R E TH AN A CLOS ET SPACE , THEY GIV E O NE SPECI AL LADY A DAY SHE W ILL N OT SOO N FO R GET .

S M ALL START - UPS AND ESTAB LISHED B USINES S ES ALIK E TUR N TO THE SB D C FO R GUIDAN CE AS THEY N AV IGATE THEIR WAY TO THE TO P .

EVENTS 18 FAREWELL ROAST OF JIM KENDRICK 24 AUTISM SPEAKS CHARITY DINNER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT THE DINER

ST. ARNOLD'S TASTING AT JULS

DADDY DAUGHTER DATE-NIGHT

32 DOWNTOWN TYLER WINE SWIRL BUSINESS AFTER HOURS AT CORK

38 KOMEN RACE WRAP PARTY TRF FRIENDS OF THE ROSE

44 TB&T ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST 58 TRF TEXAS SIZE CELEBRATION 74 4TH ANNUAL TEXAS ADAPTIVE AQUAFEST

82 TRF WINE & CHEESE TRF LADIES IN WAITING LUNCHEON

88 MAH JONGG FOR MEMORY

54 54

THE “ M AN ” CELEB R ATES JULY FO URTH HIGH AB OV E THE CASCADES W ITH AN EX PLOSIV E 3 6 0 ° V IEW O F THE FIR EWO R K DISPLAY .

TR AN SITIO N EASILY FR OM O FFICE TO AN AFTER - WO R K CO FFEE DATE IN FR O CKS TH AT GIV E A W H O LE NEW M EANIN G TO B USINES S - SAV V Y .

FO R GO THE GR OAN S O F THE COM IN G SCH OO L Y EAR W ITH THES E 10 WAYS TO CELEB R ATE BACK - TO SCH OO L W ITH YO UR K IDS .

STREET SCENE What is â&#x20AC;&#x153;STREET SCENEâ&#x20AC;?: glimpses of glitter, photos of friends, a few lines of life and laughter. Like a school's yearbook, Street Scene chronicles life in East Texas. You'll find businesses and others commemorating anniversaries. Celebrations and charities gloss these pages, accompanied by faces you know. Music, theater and other cultural events also make the scene.

As a way to say thank you to the staff at Longview Regional Medical Center, the Peters Chevrolet team held a live drawing, at the hospital, to give one lucky employee a brand new 2015 Chevy Colorado, in Longview, on July 14.

Texas Bank & Trust (TB&T) proudly opened its newest branch at the Petroleum Building in Downtown Tyler. The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce was on hand to welcome them, with a ribbon cutting, on July 8.

Stallings Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was welcomed into the ranks of the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce, with a ribbon cutting at its location, in Nacogdoches, on June 23.

Early Step Bilingual Academy, in Tyler, proudly sliced the crimson tape representing its induction into the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce on July 21.

A ribbon cutting was held for The Loft Boutique welcoming them into the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce at its new location in Swann Plaza, in Tyler, on June 25.

The Longview Chamber of Commerce welcomed Moda Me Boutique into its ranks, with a ribbon cutting, at its location, in Longview, on June 29.

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The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce was on hand to help celebrate the completion of PATH's 54th Community Home with a ribbon cutting, in Tyler, on July 1.

The Longview Chamber helped kick off Longview Transit's "Dump The Pump" campaign, inviting everyone to give public transportation a try at the Willis Transit facility, in Longview, on June 16.

Brookshire's Grocery completed construction on the update of its Bergfeld location, in Tyler. The celebration commenced with a ribbon cutting by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, on July 8.

Superior Healthplan sponsored the 31stÂ Annual Tomato Fest Photo Contest, and along with members of the Jacksonville Area Arts Council awardedÂ Tiffany Hammock ($500), Lisa Lalumandier ($250), Paige Goodwin ($150), and Alicia Yanez ($100) the prize money, in Jacksonville, on June 25.

Expectant Heart Pregnancy Center became a member of the Longview Chamber of Commerce and were welcomed with a plaque and ribbon cutting at its location, in Longview, on July 15.

Rugged Cactus was on hand at Spinout in Tyler, to promote the sale of their new line of Texas themed clothing and apparel, on June 29.

Gusano's Chicago Style Pizzeria became a member of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and was welcomed with a ribbon cutting at its new location in Swann Plaza, in Tyler, on June 6.

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce welcomed new member, The Fairest Salon, with a ribbon cutting at its new location in Swann Plaza, in Tyler, on June 25.

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Operator Training & Inspection Service became a member of the Longview Chamber of Commerce and was welcomed with a ribbon cutting at its location, in Longview, on June 25.

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Relationships

by Design

Article By: Addi Simmons Photos By: David C. Allen

Visiting Pursuing Eden is an adventure in itself. Walking into the store is like walking into a dream. The first time you step foot inside, be prepared for a sensory overload.

ursuing Eden truly is one-of-a-kind, just like the items they sell and rent. Their romantic, whimsy, vintage style makes them a go-to place for brides searching for the perfect wedding décor, photographers looking to rent beautiful antique furniture for photoshoots and those wanting to add some flair to the walls of their home. From styling celebrity weddings to working with notable photographers, the girls at Pursuing Eden show other entrepreneurs exactly how it’s done. Mother-daughter-duo Kristal Childs and Deadre Arden started their business in 2011, after getting remarkable feedback about the style of Kristal’s wedding. When Kristal was planning for her big day, she knew she wanted to incorporate beautiful one-of-a-kind pieces and items that were special to her because of different family ties. But when she first decided to incorporate ombre bridal dresses, mismatched chairs for seating and vintage items, her bridal party and a few friends were BS CENEMAG. COM

surprised that she was going with such an unconventional look. But once it all came together, the wedding was stunning and Kristal started getting phone calls and emails from people all over who had a friend or friend-of-a-friend that attended her wedding and loved her style and décor and wanted to know if she would decorate their wedding for them. At the time, Kristal was still working as a first grade teacher and had no intention of running her own business. But as the requests kept flooding in, Kristal and her mom decided to hunt down some original pieces for events that they could rent out to friends or family. During their first year of being in business, Pursuing Eden rented items to 30 different events. Now four years later, the Pursuing Eden team rents to and helps decorate between 300 to 400 events per year. They don’t just rent to weddings either, they also rent and sell items for showers, business dinners or luncheons, christmas parties and photo shoots.

Pursuing Eden is a faith-based business. The name itself is about pursuing what God intended for them to do and to continue pursuing their relationship with God. Kristal said that the key word at Pursuing Eden is “relationship”. Relationships are what drive the business. “There’s the relationship between the husband and wife, the relationship between the business and our clients and the relationship between the client and the piece they rent,” Kristal said. “Clients always have some kind of a relationship with the piece they rent, whether it’s simply due to affection, or because they remember a family member having a similar piece and want to incorporate it into their event.” Although Pursuing Eden helps style many events, weddings are still the most common.

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“Clients always have some kind of a relationship with the piece they rent, whether it’s simply due to affection, or because they remember a family member having a similar piece and want to incorporate it into their event.” Kristal said that working in the wedding industry can be challenging at times because it’s always changing, but those challenges are few and far between. The most rewarding experience that comes out of working in the wedding industry is helping to make the bride’s day special and turning their vision of a dream wedding into a reality. “You get brides who, for them, it’s the biggest day of their lives and they want everything to be how they imagined it to be and it’s really fun to help them mold that vision and to be a big part of their special day. That’s the best part of working with the wedding industry, that and working with professional vendors and venues. There’s some great people out there who are all good at what they do and when you put all of us together, you get like, a dream team,” Kristal said. Kristal admits that although the business has been tremendously rewarding, it occasionally has its ups and downs. In the beginning, the real struggle was to continue to be inspired

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by herown personal vision for the company, something that no one else has seen before. Pursuing Eden remains original by finding beautiful, vintage pieces. But what really sets them apart from other vintage rental and sales shops is that you will always find something that absolutely no one else has. They constantly cycle out furniture and other items, bringing in new items all the time. Visiting Pursuing Eden is an adventure in itself. Walking into the store is like walking into a dream. The first time you step foot inside, be prepared for a sensory overload. Outside it looks like a normal house with a few items on the front porch, but inside, it’s a beautiful, whimsy wonderland of treasures. The house isn’t very big, but you could easily get lost for hours browsing around. In the center of the store, where you check-out, theres a mountain of candles flowing over antique tables. The warm scent of caramel macchiato, wafting through the house begs for you to stay awhile smelling ok the other types of candles.

Suitcases and other vintage furniture are set up to reveal delicate, one-of-a-kind jewelry. Each room has a different theme and color scheme to it, which caters to various, individual styles. One room may be light pink with dainty, romantic items in white and gold, while another could be slate gray with classic, timeless kitchenware. As you walk further back you’ll find european-inspired rooms and rooms that follow a more woodsy, outdoor theme. The whole store is covered in peculiar, eclectic items, which make it impossible not to have your head constantly turning from one direction to the next as you walk through the house trying to take it all in. At the end of the hallway is a division that separates items that are for sale from those that are for rental purposes. In an unused bathroom, you’ll find that the bathtub is overflowing with giant vintage picture frames, typically for use in photo shoots and as wedding props. In the back rooms there are shelves piled high with B SC EN EM A G.COM

blankets, pieces of fabric and vintage tablecloths. Walk out the back door and you’ll see items gathered in the yard and a large storage building that is packed full of more rental items. It’s here that you will find most of the furniture that is available for rent. From beautiful antique, velvet couches to a plethora of eclectic wooden chairs and towering archways adorned with vintage details like dainty chandeliers. “The plan for now is to keep it a unified experience. So, we have the rentals as a separate business and the sales are a separate business within Pursuing Eden, but we do want to keep it as an overall onestop-shop type of experience where you can access both at one location. That’s the plan for now,” Kristal said. Kristal mentioned that one of her favorite parts of running the business is re-stocking inventory and finding new items to include in the store. “It’s a lot of hours and mileage and gas, but the experience is so fun,” Kristal said. “I do have some honey holes and I know that I can contact certain people that are always on the lookout for specific things. Sometimes you find yourself in boots and gloves, looking for something in a barn. You heard someone had it, so you’re knocking on the front door asking. Occasionally you’ll in end up in very interesting places with very interesting people. But there are some things that just have a vintage style even though they aren't actually antique. Those we’ll just order, which is helpful when someone wants a little bit more of a uniform look.” When Kristal and her mom, Deadre, first opened Pursuing Eden, they would both re-stock inventory and scour different areas to find the perfect vintage item that people were looking for. But ever since Kristal’s daughter was born, Deadre’s role in the company has changed. Deadre now watches her granddaughter full-time while Kristal takes the reigns on the business. Kristal said she couldn’t have started the business without her mom by her side and emphasized how relationship-driven the business is. Every time she helps a client with an event, by the end of it, she feels like family. Even when Kristal brings her one-year-old daughter up to the store, the clients are always excited to see her. “She’s learning the ropes,” Kristal laughed. It can be a bit of a sacrifice trying to run a business and raise a child at the same time, Kristal explained, but she knows it will all be worth it one day. As for whether or not her daughter, Arden Rose, will eventually take over the business, Kristal said that it is completely up to her daughter. “You have to have the passion for this business to run it and I really want to see her just do whatever God wants her to do. Whatever that is is great with me. Who knows, she may even have a more ingenious idea for Pursuing Eden and take it and

run with it in a new direction and that’s great too,” Kristal said. Although Kristal was fully immersed in teaching and didn’t think she would ever open her own business, entrepreneurship runs in the family. Kristal’s dad and grandfather both owned and operated automative repair shops. Growing up, Kristal watched them interact with clients and how they handled certain situations. That knowledge resonated with her and has carried over as she runs Pursuing Eden. When the store first opened in 2011, Kristal was still working as a first grade teacher. But as the business picked up, she realized that she needed to pick one profession and give it her all. Kristal knew that Pursuing Eden wasn’t just a trend, but that it would be around for a long time, even though their style has evolved from being vintage and themed to being a little more classic, elegant and rustic, without being too

country. Pursuing Eden is redefining what the vintage style used to mean and turning it into something classic and timeless. After having such a great experience owning her own business, Kristal said that if for some reason she had to stop Pursuing Eden, she wouldn’t go back to teaching, even though she did enjoy it. “I feel like I’m called to be a mom number one,” Kristal said. “If for some reason God changed my path and Pursuing Eden wasn’t a part of it, I think I would focus on being a mom. That being said, I do have a natural drive to create and to bring life to a vision, so I have a feeling that I would do something with that skill.” Kristal’s creativity fueled with passion and drive has led the business to expansion beyond the East Texas area.

The items they sell have been shipped all over the nation, from California to New York. They don’t ship items that are being rented, however, but even those items have found their way to neighboring states and Arizona and Arkansas as well, due to those picking them up and driving them across state lines themselves for weddings and events. The Pursuing Eden team has worked on many events and have had the opportunity to collaborat with many several notable photographers including: Hunter Leone, Elisabeth Carol and Brandi Smyth. Recently, they worked on a celebrity wedding. Unfortunately, Kristal is not allowed to give details about it until it airs on T.V. in September. However, she did mention that Pursuing Eden played a significant role in the event! Since the beginning, the business has grown immensely. Kristal said that looking back, the whole thing has really just been a constant learning experience. “I’m still learning. I’m learning to do my job better. I’m learning to get a vibe off of clients and know what kind of pieces they’re looking for. A lot of pieces, people love but don’t want to take home, so I’m learning how to carry more items that they can use and feel like they can’t live without. I’m learning what that looks like,” Kristal said.

Even if the client can’t find what they’re looking for at Pursuing Eden, the team will find it somewhere else. If a client is looking for something specific but doesn't want to spend time searching for it themselves, the Pursuing Eden team will look for them as a service. They even take price range into consideration, so that they know not to purchase something that is out of the clients’ budget. Kristal is also opening up a business that is inspired by Pursuing Eden, but not directly related to it. She will offer styling, design and connection services for those who are looking for someone to help them turn their vision of a wedding, event, or even home decor ideas into a reality.

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“I’m branching in another element of what we do here,” Kristal said. “I’m separating event design. Not coordination, I love event coordinators, but I am not one. I’m more of a stylist and designer for events. That includes prop styling for photoshoots and interior decorating. Like, helping people pick a good paint color that compliments their floor tone and help them bring out the style that they want. I’ll have a consultation with them and go out there and do floor plans.” The business will be called simply, “Kristal Childs.” They’re currently in the process of getting it up and running, but plan to have the website launched and everything fully operating by the fall. But Kristal Childs won’t

be limited to using items for events just from Pursuing Eden, because Kristal understands that sometimes that’s not feasible. “Some people will come in here and they don’t need help picking out rentals and they don’t need help styling an event or home decor,” Kristal said. “They’ll just buy an item or rent it and be on their way, but for those who need help, I’ll be able to offer the same thing I’ve always offered. However, instead of trying to fit it inside of Pursuing Eden, as Kristal Childs I can say, you know what, you’re planning a wedding, it’s going to be in Dallas, let’s just rent a few things from Pursuing Eden, because the deliveries to Dallas might be a little more than you want to spend, and let’s visit a few B SC EN EM A G.COM

other great places that I know in Dallas to find the rest. We can even bring in a florist that I know from the area. I’m not limited to using Pursuing Eden. I love it, this is my baby, but I know that you don’t get everything that you need for an event at one place. The best event is where you’ve gathered and curated a collection from a lot of different places.” Because Kristal herself owns a local business, Kristal was adamant about stressing how important local business are to a community. Anytime that they collaborate with other businesses, they start at the local level first so they can help strengthen the Longview community and support it by buying locally sold items and services.

So what’s Kristal’s secret to being a successful entrepreneur? “Taking wise risks. Stepping out of place, but having a strong foundation beneath you at the same time,” Kristal said. Kristal has a big future ahead of her and has many ideas to grow Pursuing Eden in a positive, fruitful way without compromising great service and quality items. Kristal said that they’re starting to plan for their fifth year at Mistletoe and Magic, where they will have a booth set up selling beautiful christmas decor and some other items like furniture and accent pieces. Selling and renting items for special events and weddings certainly makes Kristal think

back a lot to her own wedding. While she said she wouldn’t change anything and was happy with the way it turned out, there’s a lot of speculation around the store about whether or not Kristal and her husband will renew their vows for an upcoming ten year anniversary. “He and I haven't really talked about renewing our vows for our tenth anniversary, but there’s definitely talk up here within the company, where our team members have said, ‘You need to do that! Why not? You have all of this at your finger tips, it would be such a wonderful testament to commitment and it would be fun, let’s do it!’ So we may have something in the works … maybe,” Kristal said, smiling.

That’s the best part of working in the wedding industry ... and working with professional vendors and venues. There’s some great people out there who are all good at what they do and when you put all of us together, you get like, a dream team,” Kristal said. Kristal thought more about the relationship between she and her husband and how far the company has come since they opened not long after they were married. “The really cool part of renewing your vows is that you have more perspective,” Kristal recollected. “You know what unconditional love means, you know what commitment means. You’ve seen the good, bad and ugly. Until death do us part is for real. So there’s a lot of elements that go into a vow renewal that you wouldn’t have in a wedding. Hey, maybe we should make a plan to do that.” Kristal said that her clients, her employees and herself are like one big family. Sometimes, clients will come in, get what they need and leave, and Kristal said that’s perfectly fine. But more often than not, Kristal has people coming in for multiple visits after one big event so that they can use items for future events, or even just for decorating their home or office. “They’ll rent for their wedding, and then they’ll come back and rent for baby showers and sometimes they’ll come back and just bring their coffee and hangout with us,” Kristal laughed. “We welcome that. We love to stay connected with our clients and know where God is taking them from here. For some clients, it’s a one time use and they don’t need us again and that’s okay too, but if they're remodeling a home or want new home décor for the couple’s new house together, then we’ll see them come back. It’s like a community, that’s what we love about it.” It all comes back to relationships. If you don’t have a community of friends and family supporting you, then you don’t have anything, Kristal emphasized. “After all, that’s what life is about.”

FAREWELL ROAST OF LRMC CEO, JIM KENDRICK JULY 9

PINE CREST COUNRTY CLUB, LONGVIEW

Guests gathered for the Farewell Roast of Jim Kendrick at the Pine Crest Country Club, in Longview, on July 9. Over 300 people comprised of community businesses, physicians, friends and family came together to organize a farewell send-off for the former CEO of Longview Regional Medical Center (LRMC). During Kendrick’s 10 year tenure, he helped to develop key service lines and worked in JOHN CROMER, ELIZABETH BAUMGARDENER, collaboration with LRMC staff and employees ALLISON HEBERT, DARNECIA WRIGHT to enhance patient care services. Kendrick has accepted a newly created position as Network CEO of 10 Community Health Systemsaffiliated hospitals in Oklahoma.

PHIL AND KATHY HAWNER

PATTY TANNER, MEAGAN TANNER

MEENAA AND DR. KAREEM RESHEED

KAYCEE AND BLAKE WHATLEY

GRANT COX, MAKENZIE KENDRICK, JIM KENDRICK, TONYA KENDRICK, COLE KENDRICK, CHER RATAY

SHIRLEY AND JAMES HALL

RACHEL LAZARUS, BRITTANY SCOTT

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MORGAN AND JANTI PATEL

LEEAH AND MATTHEW JOSEPH

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BWELL

CHANGING ROOM

TWO LOCAL BUSINESSES HELP MAKEOVER MORE THAN A CLOSET SPACE, THEY GIVE ONE SPECIAL LADY A DAY SHE WILL NOT SOON FORGET.

BRILLIANT MINDS BS CENEMAG. COM

BIG PLANS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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CHANGING Article By: Krystal Phillips, Photos By: Bryan Stewart

Despite news that Abigail may need to undergo more surgeries in the future, she continues to do well at all of her annual appointments, and her joy remains unwavering.

t has been said that when love and skill work together, you can expect a masterpiece. This is definitely true for two East Texas businesses, who partnered together to make dreams come to life for one remarkable sixteen year old. This summer, Gaudy Me and Campbell Custom Homes decided to put their skills together in order to build a dream closet for one especially deserving candidate, Abigail Jones. Together, Campbell Custom Homes built a fully customized dream closet, and Gaudy Me filled the shelves with handpicked outfits catered just for her. Their gift to Abigail is incredible, but what Abigail gave back to them is priceless. This is the first year for Gaudy Me and

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Campbell Custom Homes to do the Dream Closet Giveaway. “Jeni Ramsey (Gaudy Me) contacted us with the idea and we immediately jumped on board,” Jason Campbell said, describing how the process came to be. Both Gaudy Me and Campbell Custom Homes are extremely active in the East Texas community, with friends and customers that have lasting relationships with their team members. Gaudy Me partners with several nonprofit organizations throughout East Texas, including the American Cancer Society, the East Texas Angel Network and Komen Race for the Cure. They also participate in fundraising events for several schools and churches. “We strongly believe in giving back to our community that has supported B SC EN EM A G.COM

us for over twenty years,” Bethany Cunningham said. “We are so fortunate to partner with Jason Campbell and his team.” Campbell Custom Homes is involved in many school sponsorships and East Texas events with the goal of spreading the gospel through their involvement within the community.

BEFORE:

Gaudy Me and Campbell Custom Homes teamed together this spring and the process began. They started by reaching out to local schools and churches throughout East Texas, as well as driving social media and in-store campaigns. The application process lasted two months. “We received so many great entries for the giveaway. It really helped us learn more about who our customer is. We have built very strong relationships with several people who have entered the contest,” Bethany praised. “There were so many deserving applicants. However, when we received the letter from Abigail’s mother, we were immediately drawn to her story.” Margie Jones went to Gaudy Me on a normal day searching for a birthday present and left with overwhelming hope and excitement. The Dream Closet Makeover applicant box caught her eye. “The application asked for a brief paragraph or so about the person being entered for the contest. I thought to myself, Lord God, where do I start and how much do I share?” Margie wrote her daughter’s name, Abigail Jones, on the application and began to share a brief paragraph about her daughter and their amazing journey.

“There were so many deserving applicants. However, when we received the letter from Abigail’s mother, we were immediately drawn to her story.” Abigail was born with a rare disease called Goldenhar Syndrome. It is a disease of multiple symptoms, of which Abigail only possessed the physical. The major symptoms Abigail was born with included Tetraology of Fallot (TOF), a congenital heart condition; her right ear was not formed correctly and she can not hear in that ear; her tongue is forked and connected; and one side of her jaw is longer than the other. Abigail has endured surgery after surgery, the latest of which on July thirteenth of this year. Abigail’s family has worked with doctors throughout East Texas and the Dallas Metroplex area. They have been closely associated with Dr. Rowan and Dr. Holton, for the past two and a half years, in preparation for Abigail’s oral and facial surgery. Despite news that Abigail may need to undergo more surgeries in the future, she continues to do well at all of her annual appointments, and her joy remains unwavering. Abigail’s favorite scripture is, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thes. 5:16-18 (NIV). Abigail is a true testament of this scripture and radiates the joy of the Lord everywhere she goes. She is in the process of a huge physical transformation. In addition to the surgeries and countless appointments with physicians, Abigail celebrated her sixteenth birthday on July eleventh of this year. A dream closet with a wardrobe to match, made for a truly sweet sixteen!

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“I really appreciate them.” Campbell Custom Homes is a faith based business. Their hope is for their labor of love to spread throughout East Texas as they “pay it forward.” “As Christians, we are commanded to help others in every way we can,” Jason Campbell said, “What’s a better way to share our construction abilities than to help others? We hope that Abigail enjoys her new closet and that it will inspire her to continue to help others in some way also.”

photos By: Krystal Phillips

Once the closet design was finalized, it was time to fill the shelves with a new wardrobe! Based on questions given to Abigail, the Gaudy Me team pulled items from all over their store to create custom outfits that catered to her style. When Abigail walked through the doors for her shopping day, she experienced the royal treatment from the team of style experts. “Abigail has never been one who liked the spotlight on her,” Margie claimed. “However, she humbly embraced the shopping experience!” Abigail’s physical transformation has inspired her to try new things she never imagined before, “For the longest time, when I chose what to wear it would be a shirt, jacket and jeans because I just didn’t really care what I wore. However, with the big changes happening for me, my style is changing into things I didn’t even know I would like,” Abigail recalled. “The Gaudy Me team was so kind, nurturing and

The Gaudy Me team traveled to Abigail’s house to hand deliver each piece of her new wardrobe and place the items in her new dream closet! When Margie received the news from the Gaudy Me team that Abigail was their 2015 winner of the Dream Closet Makeover, tears filled her eyes and her smile spread from ear to ear, “My Abigail was chosen! What a wonderful gift for anyone and this would be a continuation of Abigail’s transformation,” Margie claimed. When Margie shared the news with her daughter, Abigail couldn’t believe it. “She had a hard time believing that she was worthy of such a gift, but when she came back from youth camp she understood that she is special, not because of her physical needs as a special needs child, but because of Who made her and the lives she touches every single day." “Abigail was so excited when we shared the news, we knew this was going to be something great,” Bethany Cunningham said. This closet meant more to Abigail than new shelves and clothes, “I was so excited for everything, because it was a new start for me,” Abigail added. Campbell Custom Homes treated this closet as they do all of their custom designs, with options of double hanging bars, shoe racks, shelving and a small chest of drawers catered specifically to Abigail’s needs and desires. They created a true, dream closet for Abigail, and she was able to design it herself from floor to ceiling. “The team at Campbell Custom Homes kindly answered all of our questions and gave this project their full attention,” Margie said.

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generous to Abigail. They searched the store for the right accessories, gave great fashion advice and were genuinely excited about equipping Abigail with great fashion, skills and tips. Some even got on their hands and knees to roll up pant legs and put on shoes. They also surprised her with cupcakes for her birthday,” Margie remembered. The racks were overflowing with clothes and outfits put together based on Abigail's personal style. Her hands were full as she entered the fitting room, and everyone gasped with excitement each time she opened the door to reveal her next outfit. As Abigail left the shopping day at Gaudy Me they were in awe. Looking

AFTER:

This closet meant more to Abigail than new shelves and clothes, “I was so excited for everything, because it is a new start for me,” Abigail says.

at her mother, Abigail said, “This was like the movies!” “We don’t just sell clothes,” Bethany said, “We are building lasting relationships with the people who shop with us. We love what we do, and it is so rewarding to work for a company whose mission is about giving back to the community in any way we can, by glorifying God in all that we do.” The Gaudy Me team traveled to Abigail’s house to hand deliver each piece of her new wardrobe and place the items in her new dream closet! This Dream Closet Makeover was not only a fun-filled sixteenth birthday gift, but a chance

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for a deserving young lady to feel as beautiful on the outside as she is at heart. “We hope this gives Abigail confidence in knowing and feeling that she is beautiful. You would never know what she has been through just by meeting her. She has such a bright light around her and is a true testament to God's love. I feel as though we are better for getting to know her,” Bethany praised. Having experienced so much through her journey already, Abigail is looking forward to her future. She plans to graduate high school and go to college for psychology and forensics, but for Abigail, the possibilities are endless. Jason Campbell said it best, “We hope this closet opens doors to new blessings!” A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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CHARITY DINNER AT FRESH BENEFITING AUTISM SPEAKS, JUNE 25

FRESH, TYLER

JESSICA & DAVID FEATHERSTON

RONALD HOLLINS, JONELLE YELEY, MICHAEL BRADY, BRITTNEY KEMPTON

SCOTT REILY, DR. STEPHEN BOID

BOBBYE TAYLOR, BRODY TAYLOR

LEZLIE TAYLOR, BROOKE TAYLOR

MEGHAN GOODSPEED, BRENDON REILY

DONOVAN YELEY, SHARRON ANDERSON, CARREN & JOHN YELEY, SAVANAH YELEY

DENA & JOHN CULPEPPER, ALISON CULPEPPER, MELISSA & DAVID MCELVEEN

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS, JUNE 25

ED SANTOS, DETRESE HARKEY, FRAN RODEBAUGH, SAM OLIPHANT

THE DINER, TYLER

JIMMY ARBER, DON SKYLAR, PAUL WHITE

AUSTIN VASS, TERESA GLOVER, SUSAN THOMAE-MORPHEW CAROLE & JERRY GLAZEBROOK

STACEY DUNHAM, PAIGE EVERETT

NETA & GENE COLTEAUX

BJ HORNBOSTEL, BILL CLYDE

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KEESIA HILL, HOLLY & TIMOTHY GARLAND

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For more information, call 1-800-642-JOIN (5646). To enroll online, visit etmc.org/ems_membership.html. * $60 fee for a new membership with health insurance $68 fee for new or renewed membership without health insurance

Kimberly helped found “Go West Longview,” a grassroots organization to bring attention to the retail/commercial/ infrastructure issues facing our community. Kimberly is an award winning freelance writer. She has been a features writer for Uniquely Longview magazine for several years with articles also published inTexas Highways and Victoria Magazines. Kimberly and her family are members of Mobberly Baptist Church and Kim thoroughly loves being a greeter in the Children’s Building.

Kimberly Fish loves Longview and all of its potential. Having lived in Longview for 16 years, she will gladly tell you that Longview has some of the friendliest folks in the state, abundant natural resources, and ideal public and private transportation. Kimberly was born into a military family in Gainesville, Georgia. As a result of her father’s career, Kimberly was able to live all over the States and even in Panama. After

Serving in various volunteer capacities and booster clubs, throughout her children’s school lives, Kimberly committed herself to staying involved with organizations such as, Junior Achievement and being the first class of Pine Tree ISD’s Community U. She is an Active member of Longview-Greggton Rotary, Zonta International, Gregg County Republican Women, LeTourneau University Presidential Advisory Committee, and Longview 2020. She serves on the boards for Community Connections Center, Longview 2020, Baylor Parent’s League, and is a Board of Trustee member for LeTourneau University. She has been a member of Longview’s Comprehensive Planning Committee to bring a 20-year long-range graduating from Bob Jones University, infrastructure plan to the City of Longview and have previously Kimberly married a military physician, Dr. served on Longview’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Melton Fish, and they moved to Germany. They spent a few years in Europe before Kimberly helped found “Go West Longview,” a grassroots moving to San Antonio. When her husband organization to bring attention to the retail/commercial/ left the army, they moved to Longview. infrastructure issues facing our community. She also volunteered Kimberly and her husband have been to be on the committee to support an initiative to support future married for 26 years and have two beautiful growth of grocery and convenience stores in dry parts of our city. Described by her peers as a “great friend to many,” there is no doubt children; Michael and Laura. that Kimberly will contribute to the history of Longview. Kimberly Fish is indeed a star in our midst.

SAINT ARNOLD TASTING, JULY 15

JULS, TYLER

AUSTIN GUIDRY, KIM SHIPLEY

DIJANA ARMSTRONG, SONJA COVEY

TREY HUGHEY, SAM DUTY, JOHN ROWAN

HANNAH MUNROE, BUDDY LOGAN

MICHAEL HARRISON, JOHN MARTIN, LUKE FREEMAN

MATTHEW CROUCH, CHRISTINA BROOKSHIRE

RYAN AHLQVIST, GARY HOSAK, CHAD MOWERY

TRAVIS HARTSFIELD, JARROD MANESS, CHISSA RAIVALDI

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DADDY-DAUGHTER DATE NIGHT, JULY 23

A Daddy-Daughter Date Night was held at the Tyler Rose Garden Center, in Tyler, on July 23. This event gives fathers and their princesses the chance to bond with a bit of sparkle and flair. The night included food provided by Chick-fil-A, live music, keepsakes and more. 50 percent of the evenings proceeds go to benefit Tyler Parks and Recreation. MEREK BURKHART, GREG BURKHART, SLOANE BURKHART, ADDISON BURKHART

TYLER ROSE GARDEN, TYLER

LIBBY FARRELL, STEVEN FARRELL, HATTIE HAMMOND, ALEX HAMMOND

GW THOMPSON, ADAEJA GOODSON

SOFIA LOREDO, MARC LOREDO

BAYLEE SILVERTOOTH, LANCE SILVERTOOTH

IKEY EASON, JOSHUA JOHNSON & THE CHICK-FIL-A COWS

HUTTON CHICK, TRAVIS CHICK

KALLIEGH HODGES, JOHN HODGES, KATE HODGES

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SOPHIA ABERNATHY, MATT ABERNATHY

DAVID WALBORN, FIONA WALBORN

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With an arsenal of cancer technology rivaling the biggest names in health care, it’s no wonder that UT Health Northeast Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center is considered innovative. Simply put, it’s in our nature. Our specially trained team of medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists, and other cancer experts all work together under one roof. Powered by The University of Texas System’s resources, we are the only university medical center in the region surrounded by 600 healing acres of peaceful pines. If you or someone you love is looking for hope, give us a call for an appointment now at 1.855.506.HOPE. Healing just feels better here.

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BRILLIANT MINDS THE LIVES OF YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS Article By: Addi Simmons

rom bakers and artists to real estate agents and insurance groups, these young, local entrepreneurs are a great example of how hard work and dedication truly pay off when coupled with passion. Some have faced various challenges in getting to where they are now. Some have crossed oceans, some have always known that they would end up exactly where they are, while others had no idea. But one thing all of them have in common is serving the East Texas community the best way they know how. Whether or not you have a dream of becoming a small business owner yourself, read the stories of these young entrepreneurs and get ready to be inspired. They all have something in common other than age and being a part of the East Texas community. Each one has worked hard to get where they are. They’ve taken risks, made mistakes and learned from them, reached out to others for assistance, got their hands dirty and above all, had a passion for what they’re doing, because they truly believe that they can make a difference in their community and beyond. Whether you’re aspiring to become an entrepreneur or not, we can all take a page out of their book and learn to persevere in the face of adversity and when not faced with adversity, to take what you have and run with it.

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DRAKE REAL ESTATE Matthew Marshall and Casey Hymer don’t seem new to this. Sure, they’ve worked in real estate before, but they’ve never owned their own business. Yet, here they are, owning and operating Drake Real Estate and Investments as if it were as simple as riding a bike. Although they make it seem like the whole process has been a breezy ride, anyone who has started a business will tell you that it’s always an uphill climb. The difference between the owners of Drake and other business owners however, is their passion. Matthew and Casey joke about being 80 years old, retired and still going into the office everyday to sit around and watch Fox News. “We love what we do,” Casey said. “If we’re gonna get up and go spend time away from our families and our kids and our wives everyday then I want to do something that I love doing and we both do. We enjoy it. It’s just fun. It’s something different everyday.” Casey always knew he wanted to own his own business one day, but didn’t know that he would end up in real estate. After graduating from Texas A&M, he went to work for a big construction company, where he began learning more about the real estate process.

“We were both young, hungry, aggressive, and like-minded so we just kind of said okay do we want to grow a company or do we want to stay here and kind of grow under this?” Casey said. Matthew, hailing from Dallas, drove into Tyler on the weekends and off nights to work as a camp counselor at Sky Ranch before deciding to make Tyler his permanent home. When he first got into real estate he began at the residential level. “I did a few commercial deals and liked the complexity of the transaction. It’s just a little bit different and less monotonous than selling homes. So I started doing commercial,” Matthew said. Casey and Matthew decided to open up a business as partners after working together at a different company. “We were both young, hungry, aggressive, and like-minded so we just kind of said okay do we want to grow a company or do we want to stay here and kind of grow under this?” Casey said. So Casey and Matthew decided to take a risk. They started Drake Real Estate and officially opened their doors in October of 2012 at the ages of 32 and 29. Their company operates in a way that’s different from any other real estate business in Tyler. Each of their agents specialize in one specific type of BS CENEMAG. COM

realty. One may be an expert in all things landrelated, while another is well-versed in industrial property. Instead of having to go to a lot of different people who know a little bit about everything, at Drake, the client will be referred to the person that correlates to their specific needs. Because the team at Drake operates in this way, Matthew and Casey say it’s impossible to sell only out of Tyler and make a sufficient amount of income. Therefore, they’ve expanded the region they serve, which includes North Texas, South and Central Texas and Western Louisiana, as well as, the East Texas area. They now have an office in Ft. Worth to help accommodate this expansion. Both Casey and Matthew are family men and keep their faith at the forefront of it all. Casey has two sons and Matthew has two daughters with another one on the way. Even though the kids are still

young, both men plan to get them involved in the business as early as possible. “We’ll definitely get our kids involved in real estate in some form or fashion,” Matthew said. “Casey’s oldest is going to be mowing yards for us probably. We’ll put them to work.” “He’s only three, but he should be able to mow by the time he’s six,” Casey joked. “I think we know, that as leaders of our family, we were called to serve the Lord and our families, but we’re also called to work,” Casey said. “That doesn’t mean that when you’re working a lot, you’re neglecting your family. There’s a balance. When we’re away from our family our job is to work as hard as possible. So that’s what we show up every day and do.” Cont'd on Pg. 34 A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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DOWNTOWN TYLER WINE SWIRL KICKOFF PARTY, MAY 26

GALLERY MAIN STREET, TYLER

MECHELE & JEFF MILLS

VEL WILLIAMSON, BRIAN PEARSON, MITCH ADAMS

ZUKER GILL, BOBBIE HARE, RICHARD LEE

LAKEIDRA LINCOLN, BEVERLY ABELL, ABBIE ABEL

KATY CLINE, WHITNEY PATTERSON

SANDRA EDWARDS, SANDY GOODMAN

DACE KIDD, CASSIE BARTLEY, MATTHEW MARTIN

ERIK BIRD, COURTNEY RANDALL, AMBER ROJAS

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS, MAY 28

LUKE LOCKMAN, NICOLE WILSON, KURT KITCHINGS

CORK. FOOD & DRINK, TYLER

VEL WILLIAMSON, JAMES JOHNSON

KATHERINE RICE, DUSTIN GLOVER, CARRIE MILLER JONATHAN GADDIS, TONY TRAWEEK

AUSTIN VASS, ALAN SMITH, KEN BARRON

TRISHA LEGGON, TAMMY DENNIS

JEFF GONZALES, MICHAEL ESTERABADI, SUZI STEIN

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TOM FULLER, MARK WAGSTAFF, JON FLORENDO, CHEF CHRISTIAN CHAVANNE B SC EN EM A G.COM

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MEDICAL RECRUITER.com

Photos By: LaVoie Films A lot of people were hit hard by the 2008 recession and Blake Moser, owner of MedicalRecruiting.com, was no exception. Instead of becoming discouraged and giving up, he decided to push a little harder to make his dream become a reality. He changed his business plan, focused on his most profitable assets, and turned his business around into something that continues to prosper today.

eventually got his Bachelor’s Degree before going on to get his Master’s Degree.

“There are many things that are outside of your control. One of my biggest challenges when starting my business was understanding where the risks were and just making sure that my risks and liabilities were covered.”

“When the recession hit in 2008, we were seeing unemployment rates that we hadn’t seen since the great depression,” Blake explained. “All of that impacted my company in a way that I had no control over. We began that year as a successful business and by the end of the year, we were hit hard and the money I had saved up was gone and I was going into debt.”

Originally, Blake was a theater major at Tyler Junior College, but after two semesters, dropped out. At the age of 21, Blake was struggling to get by and was in need of a part time job. He came across a company that needed an oil and gas recruiter and decided to give it a shot. After working for the company for a few years, Blake got back into school and changed his major to business. This time, he stuck with it and

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While he was in school, Blake began working towards starting a recruiting business. He had some experience with a few companies by this time and was ready to branch out on his own. That’s when the recession hit.

Although Blake was facing some of the biggest challenges of his life, he stayed focused on the business and how to get it back where it needed to be. That’s when he discovered that the Medical field was one industry that was still doing well in spite of the recession. At the time, Blake was offering recruiting services as just one branch of his business. Recruitment was doing decently well compared to the other aspects of his business, so Blake decided to put all of his energy and resources into that and incorporated the medical field into it by specializing in medical recruitment. The business strategy was a

success and the company bounced back. “The first lesson that I learned while starting out, is that your business can be impacted by the larger economy,” Blake said. “There are many things that are outside of your control. One of my biggest challenges when starting my business was understanding where the risks were and just making sure that my risks and liabilities were covered.” The many obstacles Blake had to overcome has only increased his desire to grow the business at a constant, steady rate. He revealed that each year he comes up with a company goal and boils it down to one word so that he and his team members can easily remain focused on what needs to be done. “For 2015 that word is ‘hustle.’ Last year was ‘focus’ and we’re looking at ‘grow’ being the goal in 2016,” Blake said. Their long-term goal however, is to diversify beyond healthcare, branch out and eventually offer other services. They’ve started working on a remote software-engineering recruitment branch, which is already taking off.

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and everyone else’s.

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FLYNN CHIROPRACTIC Cont'd from Pg. 34 Dr. David Flynn was talented at playing lacrosse and football when he was a high schooler living in Pennsylvania. He was even recruited to play lacrosse at Division I Radford University in Virginia. Unfortunately, he suffered a knee injury which left him unable to play at such a high level and ultimately shutdown his potential of making the sport into a career. Although that chapter of his life came to an abrupt end, another one was about to start. Dr. Flynn ended up transferring to Penn State University after the injury and started studying the human body. “Being sidelined by my injury opened up a whole new world of studying how the body works,” Dr. Flynn said. During his time at Penn State, he discovered that he had a passion for anatomy, physiology and biomechanics. With encouragement from a few of his professors, Dr. Flynn decided to start studying to become a chiropractor. Soon after, he enrolled in Chiropractic College in Pasadena, Texas and graduated with honors. “I moved to Texas because there are only a couple of chiropracting schools, one of the good ones was in Texas. My mom was one out of eight children whose parents lived in Texas. So I grew up visiting Texas a lot to see them and Texas has a great atmosphere and climate. Whenever I graduated from college the economy crashed, but Texas was still strong,” Dr. Flynn said.

Dr. Flynn has different techniques that help relieve pain in specific problem areas, as well as the entire body. He utilizes chiropractic manipulation, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Kinesiotaping, rehabilitative exercises and nutrition to tackle challenging cases. After he graduated, Dr. Flynn moved to Sugar Land and worked with other chiropractors and doctors. A few years later, at the age 30, Dr. Flynn decided to open up his own practice and thought Tyler would be the best place to work and live. Dr. Flynn has different techniques that help relieve pain in specific problem areas, as well as the entire body. He utilizes chiropractic manipulation, myofascial release, trigger point therapy, Kinesiotaping, rehabilitative exercises and nutrition to tackle challenging cases. “I start off by really listening to my patients,” Dr. Flynn said. “I try to blend rehab chiropracting, acupuncture, massage and sports health techniques. I don’t have something on paper that I go by to cure all of my patients. Each body is built differently and therefore must be treated differently.” BS CENEMAG. COM

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No. 37

KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE WRAP PARTY, JULY 8

RICK’S ON THE SQAURE, TYLER

JAYME FITZPATRICK, KRISTEN EARGLE

KALLIE FOSHEE, ANGIE BROWN

MISTY AND JUSTIN JONES

EVON BROOKS, BRINDA SIMMONS

AMANDA AND LANCE DENT

CATHERINE BURTON, MAGGIE HENDRIX

MELISSA JACKSON, DEBRA BOCHOW

KATHRYN AND AARON MARTINEZ

TEXAS ROSE FESTIVAL FRIENDS OF THE ROSE, JULY 15

COCO BEALL, SUSAN BOSWORTH

WILLOW BROOK COUNTRY CLUB, TYLER

ABBY SMITH , KYLIE STEINER, CLAIRE WHITNEY

LIZ BALLARD, TONYA BOOZER, SHIRLEY PETTY, PATRICIA JOHNSON MEILISSA JACKSON, ASHLEY MCCAIN

PEGGY SUGGS, PATSY LEWIS

CARRIE HALBROOKS, TONI HALBROOKS

RUTH BUCKLEY, ANNA GRAY BUCKLEY

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SHAWNTE SHAVER, MARILIE BORAH

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BIG PLANS

FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Article By: Madison Murray Photos By: Lindsey Todd Morgan

tarting a business can be a lot like raising a child. These are not things that come with manuals that guarantee success. Instead, a rigorous process of trialand-error must be put into effect. Both children and businesses are all-consuming by nature. With a child, you can implement discipline and see results. When things get to be a bit too much to handle, you can hire a babysitter or pass them off to your spouse. However, when your business is hitting the rocks, the ability to hide out and let someone else deal with it is not an option. So, who are

incur expenses you cannot afford. Well, I am about to let you in on a little secret: you can take advantage of these services for free! That is right, it does not cost a thing to have some of the most brilliant minds in the business world guide you, step-by-step, through the process of starting or improving your business. Thanks to a partnership with the state of Texas, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Tyler Junior College, the SBDC is grant funded, therefore enabling small businesses with the necessities needed to prosper.

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you to turn to or where can one go for help? Fortunately, Tyler Junior Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very own Small Business Development Center is like the beloved daycare that all entrepreneurs should get to know. Whether you are looking to start or expand your own business, the SBDC has all the resources you can benefit from. Retail, wholesale, manufacturing, service industries - your speciality is their specialty. With decades of knowledge and experience at their disposal, you may be reluctant to make the call for a consultation with the SBDC for fear that you would

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The SBDC is a part of The School of Continuing Studies, the entrepreneurial arm of TJC, which takes the college to the community. As a comprehensive community college, in addition to offering degrees and certificates for credit, TJC is committed to business training and development throughout the East Texas area. The SBDC is joined in this effort by the Tyler Area Business Incubator, Corporate Services and Training and the Continuing Education programs. With eyes for potential, the qualified advisors at the TJC West Campus represent a team in every aspect of their services. As I sat down to speak to them about the types of work that they do, I was immediately impressed by the aura of respect they had for each other. They were each like a piece to the puzzle that helps

One of the most common things the SBDC faces is small business owners professing that they wish they would have known about the administration before they ever got started.

Perry Smith build up businesses. Kay Bookout, the only woman of the quartet, is the first component. After completing a mandatory “Business Needs Assessment Survey” pertaining to basic background questions - the type of products or services you have to offer, the amount of money you think you are going to make - the prospective clients are able to call Bookout and get scheduled in for advising. With a history of banking, she prides herself in immediately being able to tell if a business will be able to obtain a viable deal. Nonetheless, she asks herself, “Where do they need to start?” and then selects a compatible advisor. From there, they use their skills to craft small businesses into prosperous corporations. The collaboration between the entrepreneur and the advisors results in an innovative idea transforming into a tangible product to hit the markets. As we conjured up a hypothetical situation of a business-owner walking through the doors of BS CENEMAG. COM

an advisor’s office, the process was revealed. “We have to figure out the competition and where you fit into the market,” SBDC Director, Don Proudfoot, said, and that is when the hard truth came out. “You really have to have something special. You have to see what every one else is doing and outdo them!” It must be noted that Proudfoot speaks from experience. As early as the age of five, he understood that business was his calling. Since then, he has proven himself as a capable entrepreneur by launching a New York deli and later, a jazz nightclub. Not long after, he relocated to Tyler and has been advising at the SBDC for the past nineteen years. He folded his hands on his desk, eyes revealing an incessant passion. “The average person sees the way the world is and they accept it. The entrepreneurial mind sees the way the world is, and they see the way they want it to be,” Proudfoot said. He dubs them the “change-agents” of every industry

and clarifies that his main priority is to bring an ingenious entrepreneur’s vision to life. Admittedly, success does not happen overnight, but when it does come, the breakthrough is monumental. Although confidentiality is one of the perks of doing business with the SBDC, one man exposed the details of his business to the media. Some years ago, Doug Marshall sat down in this same office, sharing his idea for adhesive face masks with Proudfoot. FDA approved, these masks could be put on to any sized face and cleanly peeled off. It was there that the business plan for the GameFace materialized. Marshall was advised to take heed of his own business’s future and thus joined a massive queue, from which was picked to join the television show, Shark Tank. There, the investors truly took the bait and made him a deal. “This was a situation where a person has had an idea. A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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Robert Lewis

“The average person sees the way the world is and they accept it. The entrepreneurial mind sees the way the world is, and they see the way they want it to be,” Proudfoot said.

Kay Bookout Instead of painting yourself up for a ball game and sweating it all off, Doug Marshall saw that there was a better way,” SBDC advisor, Robert Lewis, commented. Since then, the GameFace has not only revolutionized athletics events but has also been used for camouflage,

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costumes and any other reason you might need a full-face temporary tattoo. Marshall has become an illustration of an entrepreneur that has literally changed the face of an industry all by asking for some help along the way.

The advisors at the SBDC try to keep the process as uncomplicated as possible. When it comes down to a business plan, they firmly believe that “simple is always better.” But if you are anything like me, you’re already going against his mantra and questioning how that is going to translate. The advisors at the SBDC swap thick, intricate business plans for simple ones that people will actually use. “It’s best if you can run your business off of one card, filled with what we call ‘critical success factors.’ You carry with you at all times a summary of your whole business and the aspects that matter to your business,” Proudfoot explained. This enables entrepreneurs to have a clear vision and laser focus. The SBDC works to lower the risk for this person and optimize the revenue. They made clear that entrepreneurs experience common trends: oftentimes, they have too many ideas bouncing around, and they try to do everything. The advisors encourage pinpointing the idea that truly matters and focusing on that instead. It was along this train of conversation that I was enlightened to the scrutiny that goes into the work that the SBDC does. They noted that these entrepreneurial minds tend to become easily frustrated with things that the average person wouldn’t even question. And that’s why they start their businesses. The fourth advisor, Perry Smith, remarked with a chuckle, “Someone who comes in here saying ‘I want to go into business because I don’t want anybody telling me what to do’ does not have a good enough reason.” Becoming an entrepreneur is in no way that straight forward. Endless hours of work must be devoted, and you would have to say goodbye to your beloved nine-to-five. B SC EN EM A G.COM

TJC West Campus As for those wishing to put their toes into the water and see if this entrepreneurial life is right for them, Lewis teaches Small Business Start-up Sessions. These are like test-trials to explore the realities of possible business-ownership. And for those who become convinced, the makings of a successful business plan are revealed. While these monthly classes are free, the information they provide is invaluable for those who desire to attend. It might be as simple as giving an inexperienced businessperson the vocabulary to go and speak with the advisors. In some ways, these classes serve as a “precounseling” and imbed the question into the participants’ minds: do I really want to get involved in this? Further attempts at educating the public on the subject of business ownership are made with a half-day seminar each year. The “Annual Women Entrepreneurs Conference” is hosted by the SBDC and has grown from fifty people to over two hundred and fifty participants. Included is a couple of workshops, exhibits and vendors to work with. Each year a special guest speaker, specifically a female business owner from the East Texas area, shares her story, encouraging those who wish to do the same. One of the other things they are involved in is the “Tyler Veterans Entrepreneurship Boot Camp,” which was designed to help veterans in a multitude of areas. Put on and run by veterans, the elements that go into starting a business are shared, and the advisors encourage them in each way they can. “This service is another way for the center to get involved and try to help the community,” Lewis commented. One of the most common things the SBDC faces is small business owners professing that they wish they would have known about the administration before they ever got started. But even so, the advisors don’t dignify themselves in being the ultimate recipe for success. “None of us feel like we’re the whole answer. We have been around for a long time. We realize that we are part of the answer, and we try to do a good job with our part,” Proudfoot claimed. The advisors view their job as a talent search, trying to help people with BS CENEMAG. COM

Don Proudfoot

talent get where they want to go. In turn, it helps the whole community as jobs are created. They aren’t afraid of making connections for business owners to speak with outside advisors. In the end, it is all about growing these small businesses. As we sat circled around, I knew I was in the presence of four humbled individuals who realized that they could make a difference in hopeful entrepreneurs’ lives by doing what they do best. Smith spoke on behalf of the group when he said, “We’re just more effective whenever we work together. We’re a team.” A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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TB&T’S 33RD ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST AND EXHIBITION, JUNE 28 MAIN BRANCH, LONGVIEW

Texas Bank and Trust’s (TB&T) 33rd Annual Photography Contest and Exhibition took place at the main bank branch, in Longview, on June 28. One hundred and seven photographers, representing 28 area communities, submitted photographs depicting life in Northeast Texas. Cash prizes were awarded to winning photographers in four categories: Fine Art, LINDA PETTY, ANNA ADAMS, ROBIN ADAMS Human Interest, Landscape and Nature. Winning photographs will appear in the Texas Bank and Trust 2016 Collector’s Calendar.

KATHY BLAIR, TRINYTI BLAIR, BRENDA SCOTT

LANETTE CRITTENDEN, RACHEL CRITTENDEN, KAIDYN KILBY

KIM LIGHTFOOT, NATALIE LIGHTFOOT, DAVID REED

SHERRY GIBBON, DORRIE DELAND

LORI OSBORNE, BRYAN STEWART, KAREN PARTEE, TAMMY GAGE, PHYLLIS HONE

KRISTY SHIVERS, GAYLE JOHNSON

JOHNIE AINSWORTH, EMILY MCFARLAND

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MARILYN HILL, TINA REED

JULIE AND RICKY REED

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COOKWELL

MAN ABOUT TOWN

THE “MAN”CELEBRATES JULY FOURTH HIGH ABOVE THE CASCADES WITH AN EXPLOSIVE 360° VIEW OF THE FIREWORK DISPLAY.

BRILLIANT MINDS (CONT'D) BS CENEMAG. COM

DINING GUIDE

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SISTER2SISTER COOKIES For two sisters, a pecan chocolate chip cookie was what started it all. The recipe was passed down through generations in their family and was always a big hit at events or school fundraisers. Eventually, people started suggesting that they sell them. In 2005, sisters Ashley Randall and Melissa Bennet decided to take that advice and tested the waters by selling batches to family and friends. Although they did well, both girls were tied up trying to raise kids. So, they waited until their children got a little older to open up a brick-and-mortar location, which gave them time to redesign their logo and brand, and evaluate what they needed to make the business successful. The kids are school-age now and the sisters have yet to slow down. On top of being a mom to five kids and running her own business, Melissa works full-time as a landman for an oil and gas company. Ashley takes care of four kids and runs the more technical side of Sister2Sister.

Photo By: Patrick McGown

Even though the business has grown tremendously since the beginning, the chocolate chip cookie remains the most popular item sold at Sister2Sister. “We really wanted a product that tasted homemade,” Melissa said. “Like you could take some cookies to an event and people would think you made them. However, we also wanted it in pretty packaging, so if you were running to the hospital, it’s wrapped in a gift.” To make it even easier on people, they even have a drive-thru for quick pick-ups. In the beginning, the hardest part for Melissa, was the learning curve on how to do everything that comes with running a business correctly. The Sister2Sister employees are like family and Melissa had to learn how to have fun with them, but be able to give them orders as well.

Our reputation for making great products is why people keep coming back,” Melissa said. Not only has working together been a really fun experience for these sisters, it has created a bond that keeps them close. “We balance each other so well. I’m more about business and numbers and she's more of the creative, ‘don’t worry about anything’ type,” Melissa said. Although the business mainly uses word-of-mouth as their marketing strategy, they’ve shipped cookies as far as Alaska. “Our proudest accomplishment is our continued growth. Our goal is to always offer good customer service. Our reputation for making great products is why people keep coming back,” Melissa said. When Melissa isn’t working full time as a landman or owning her own business, you can find her chasing her kids around. Melissa said it’s challenging sometimes because you can’t just turn everything off at five everyday. She works weekends as well, so she said that you have to make spending time with your family a priority or else you’ll never find balance. In the future, you may see Sister2Sister popping up in other East Texas locations. “A lot of people out of town ask if we can have a facility outside of Tyler, so we’re considering expanding,” Melissa said. As for those wanting to follow in her footsteps and become an entrepreneur, Melissa has a little advice. “Be able to make a decision for yourself and be your own boss. There are so many different hats that you have to learn to wear to be an entrepreneur.” Cont'd on Pg. 49

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Photos Courtesy Of: Sister2Sister Cookies B SC EN EM A G.COM

BRUNO’S PIZZA & PASTA ITALIAN RESTAURANT Bruno’s Pizza And Pasta has been providing East Texans with delicious homemade Italian food, pizza, pasta and more for decades. We have catering and takeout available, and our banquet room seats around 55. We also offer appetizers, salads, specialty pizzas and sandwiches. Whether it’s a quiet evening with the family or sharing a slice after the game, Bruno’s has you covered! Be sure to call us and ask for our daily lunch special! And, don’t forget to bring your favorite wine or ice cold beer to our Vine loaction for the ultimate Bruno’s experience!

Now Serving wine and beer at our Old Jacksonville location! 1400 S. Vine Tyler, TX 75701 • 903.595.1676 15770 Old Jacksonville Hwy • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.939.0002

THE BURGER GRIND BURGER RESTAURANT In the world of “The Burger”, freshness is king! Come visit Tyler’s newest taste-craze sensation and discover for yourself what all the buzz is about!

GRINDING OUT THE BEST DAILY!

Mon. - Thurs. 10:30a.m. - 9p.m. Fri. - Sat. 10:30a.m. -10p.m. Sun. - 11a.m. - 3p.m.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK! 15902 CR 165 • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.630.7069

DAKOTAS STEAKS • SEAFOOD • CHOPS Dakotas has been one of Tyler’s favorites for over twelve years. We are your destination for business luncheons, intimate dinners, signature martinis, catering and private events. We specialize in excellence with our service and offer only the highest quality ingredients on our menu. Lunch: Mon. - Fri. 11a.m.- Late Happy Hour: Mon. - Fri. 4p.m. - 7p.m. Dinner: Mon. - Thurs. 5p.m. - Late Fri. - Sat. 5p.m. - Late Ladies Night: Every Wed. 1/2 price Cocktails

An Exciting New Change of Address for Dakotas Coming Soon! FIND US ON FACEBOOK! 5377 S. Broadway Avenue • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.581.6700

LAGO DEL PINO TEXAS FOOD TEXAS FUN Join us for our Weekday Specials! Texas Tues., Wine Down Wed., Thurs. 1/2 Price Apps , Infusion Fri. and $3 Mimosas during Sat. & Sun. Brunch! Now open Tues. through Thurs. for dinner only, 4p.m. to 10p.m., Fri. 4p.m. to 12a.m., Sat. 11a.m. to 1a.m., and Sun. 10a.m. to 8p.m. Lago del Pino is the perfect place for dinner, Saturday and Sunday brunch! Aug. 1 Dovetail, Aug. 7 Folk Family Revival, Aug. 8 Midnight River Choir Aug. 15 Jason Lee McKinney Band, Aug. 21 Parker McCollum Aug. 22 Tuxedo Cats, Aug. 28 Buggaboo

Dinner • Sat. & Sun. Brunch Closed on Mon.

lagodelpino.com 14706 CR 1134 • Tyler, TX 75709 • 903.561.LAGo

Tuscan Slice WOOD-FIRED ITALIAN CUISINE Tuscan Slice is your Christian Family Owned NON-Traditional Italian Restaurant that serves delicious Pizzas and Pastas baked in our Wood-Fired Oven to bring out the rustic flavors. Our Homemade Italian Entrees also include classic dishes and chef inspired mixed grills that will delight any tastebud. Proudly letting Kids Build Their Own Pizzas from the dough up, and allowing most to grab a glass of wine from our diverse Wine and Cocktail list. Located in Front of Home Depot! Catering Available! Open Tues. - Thurs. 11a.m. - 9p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11a.m. -10p.m. Sun. 11a.m. - 8p.m. Happy Hour Everyday 2p.m. - 6p.m. Gluten-Free options available!

FACEBOOK.COM/TUSCANSLICETYLER 1725 WSW LOOP 323 • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.508.2196

YAMATO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR Specializing in traditional Japanese cuisine Steak-Seafood-Sushi Boats-Bento Boxes-Udon Soup Two Private rooms available Live DJ every Friday and drink specials from 9p.m. until midnight Live band every Sat. from 9p.m. - 1a.m. Happy Hour: Mon. - Thurs. 5p.m. - 7p.m. Kids eat free on Sun.

Find us on Facebook! yamatotexas.com 2210 WSW Loop 323 • Tyler, TX 75701 • 903.534.1888

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CORK. FOOD & DRINK

Photo By: Bryan Stewart After working in the food industry for over ten years, Jon Florendo was ready to branch out on his own. He jumped right into opening up a restaurant at the age of 29 and hasn’t looked back. Although Jon was born and raised in the Philippines, he considers Tyler his hometown. He and his family moved from the Philippines when Jon was in middle school. He stayed in East Texas up until he graduated high school, then left for college. “My family is still here and I have a lot of friends here, so I moved back.” Jon said. “I was living in Dallas for quite awhile but I wanted to move back to a small town. I enjoy having a business in a small community and not getting lost in the mix.” The restaurant has evolved quite a bit since it’s opening in 2012. They now offer fresh sushi and are embracing the popular farm-to-table movement, which means that the majority of the food is sourced locally from nearby farms. They have also tweaked their drink selections and craft cocktails, made using local ingredients, fresh juices and Texas liquors. Jon also mentioned that Cork has incorporated a lot more Texas wine into their wine list and are constantly working with farmers to supply fresh, local meat like beef and Texas bacon. A self-admitted foodie, Jon constantly asks his friends and family for their opinion on the food, because Cork prides themselves on quality. While living out his dream is rewarding in itself, Jon claims that the best experience to come out of owning and operating a restaurant has been the relationships he’s made and the unwavering support from the community. BS CENEMAG. COM

“The local farmers have been great. Some of the local wineries as well. I started drinking wine not too long ago before we opened and I learned a lot from them while visiting the wineries. We’re really just supportive of this small town community that has helped us grow,” Jon said. Incorporating the farm-to-table movement has allowed Jon to partner to support and help each other. “We like to give back,” Jon said. “We support local businesses and local farmers and distributors. We support local artists. We hang up their work and do rotations every six weeks or so and we really just like to keep it local and small. We all help each other out.” Jon certainly seems to be on the path to booming growth and although he likes to keep it local, his future plans may include eventually expanding the business. “We’re going on our third year this September, so we’ll reevaluate a few things and hopefully expand into other cities,” Jon said. “But I don’t want to jinx myself.” Cork has certainly found a home within the Tyler community. Jon has shown that he can change and evolve while continually growing the business and always keeping the restaurant’s loyal customers first on his list of priorities. At the rate he’s going now, there’s no stopping him once he puts his mind to it. Photo by: Devin Hunter A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

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LA CABANE DE DESSERT The food supplier for La Cabane de Dessert told owner, Calli Miller Clanton, that she was the only one who buys basic food ingredients like flour and sugar from him. Everyone else buys pre-made dessert mixes or pre-made cakes and just ices it or bakes it. But Calli is adamant about making everything by hand and from scratch. Although it’s pricier and takes longer to make, to Calli, it just isn’t worth sacrificing quality.

“The best part is being able to customize something for someone for their special occasion,”

No matter how much longer it may take, her favorite thing to work on is still custom orders. “The best part is being able to customize something for someone for their special occasion,” Calli said. “Just to make it special for them. For instance, we had a little boy who was turning seven and we made his birthday cake for him. He is allergic to eggs and dairy and possibly nuts. He had all kinds of allergies and never had a cake before. This was his first cake ever, but he loved it and the family has already ordered another cake just to have. That’s definitely what makes it worth it. La Cabane de Dessert was growing every year since it’s opening in 2011, but was hit hard by a law change that allowed people to bake and sell from their homes. “Last year they passed a law in the state of Texas allowing people to bake from their homes and sell it. We’re on the north side of town so we don’t have a lot of foot traffic but one thing we did always have a lot of was custom orders. The weekend that they passed the law, our custom orders dropped substantially. They’ve been slowly increasing but it’s still not back to where it was,” Calli said.

Photo By: Chris Lozano Right now Calli’s focusing on making an alternate business plan for La Cabana de Dessert that will enable her to remain where she is and bake while growing the business. Currently, the bakery only sells their cookies online for shipping, but online growth is something that Calli is considering for the future of the business.

Photo By: Denna Miller from Create ART

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Looking back on the years since they’ve been open, Calli shared that some of her favorite memories have been helping make someone’s wedding day special. She mentioned a time when she had to deliver a five tier wedding cake and assemble it at the event. The cake included a flower that cascaded down the bottom and flowed up to the top, which had to be assembled as well.

“So much work goes into wedding cakes. I think that’s what make them so memorable. Even just making the petals for the flower, all of the petals were hand rolled, cut, painted and curved. So it was just very labor intensive,” Calli said. Although some business owners just happened to fall into place, Calli said she always knew that she would own her own business. “Ever since I was ten, I just knew that I would own my own business one day,” Calli said. “There was never another option. I think that, being an entrepreneur, you have to be driven and determined and if you want it, then you just have to make it happen.” Cont'd on Pg. 53 B SC EN EM A G.COM

LOLA’S HANDCRAFTED SANDWICHES Scratch-made Soups, Salads and Sandwiches Lola’s offers premium quality sandwiches, soups and salads made from scratch daily with a focus on fresh and locally sourced ingredients.

Love. Laugh. Lola’s. Open Mon. - Fri. 11a.m. - 7p.m. Sat. 11a.m. - 5p.m.

CATERING AVAILABLE FIND US ON FACEBOOK! 16700 FM 2493• tyler, TX 75703 • 903.707.2432

Gusano’s CHICAGO STYLE PIZZERIA Gusano’s Chicago Style Pizzeria is Tyler’s new hangout spot for great pizza and a full sports bar. We offer specials nightly and weekly, including family nights and kid specials. Want to watch the game? We have 14 large T.V.’s including two outside on our patio that will sit up to 25 people. Gusano’s offers 12 beers on tap including a Chicago beer and a Texas handcrafted beer. Come see us and try out the newest Chicago Style and Traditional pizza in town!!

$8.49 Daily Lunch Specials Mon.- Fri. 11a.m. - 2p.m. Happy Hour Mon. - Fri. 3p.m. - 7p.m., Sat.- Sun. All day Hours: Sun. - Thurs. 11a.m. - 10p.m. Fri. - Sat. 11a.m. - 11p.m.

7278 Old Jacksonville Hwy #200 • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.630.7274

CORK. FOOD & DRINK EURO-ASIAN FOOD Enjoy modern Euro-Asian cuisine, from our famous New Zealand Lamb Chops and Local Grass-fed Beef, to the market-fresh Sushi & Seafood. Cork Food & Drink is a unique casual dining restaurant with an extensive wine list, live music, hand-crafted cocktails & fabulous dining! We are located in the Times Square Shopping Center! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. SUSHI available for takeout during lunch (through Patriot Delivery) PRDTyler.com Serving Dinner Tues. - Fri. 4p.m. - Midnight Serving Brunch Sat. & Sun. mornings! Sat. & Sun.10a.m. - Midnight We also cater.

corktyler.com 5201 S. Broadway Ave. Ste 162 • Tyler, TX 75702 • 903.363.9197

REPUBLIC ICEHOUSE THE BEST LITTLE ICEHOUSE IN TEXAS Republic Icehouse is Tyler’s newest restaurant and bar located across from UT Tyler. Join the Republic for the perfect place to enjoy great food with a friendly and knowledgeable wait staff. Watch games on our 18 large screen HD TV’s and the largest HD big screen in east Texas. Live music every Friday and Saturday night. Republic features 12 beers on tap with a wide selection of Texas crafts and Texas distilled liquors. $6.99 daily lunch menu and $8.99 daily chef’s special Mon. - Fri. 11a.m. - 3p.m. Happy Hour Mon. - Fri. 4:30p.m. - 6:30p.m. Kitchen open until close nightly. Hours: Sun. - Fri. 11a.m. - 12a.m. Sat. 11a.m. - 1a.m.

republicicehouse.com 3807 University Blvd. • Tyler, TX 75701 • 903.504.5860

Coyote Sam’s BAR & GRILLE

Catering by Jack Lewis Brunch Sat. and Sun. 10:30a.m. - 2p.m. Happy Hour Mon. - Fri. 3p.m. - 7p.m. Extensive menu featuring wild game, in-house smoked meats, steaks, seafood and more. Lunches under $10. PARTY ROOMS AVAILABLE! Mon. - Fri. 11a.m. - 10p.m. Sat. - Sun. 10:30a.m. -10p.m.

coyotesamsbarandgrille.com 5424 Old Jacksonville Hwy • Tyler, TX 75703 • 903.509.4222

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KOOL KAKES BY DYLAN Dylan Humphrey is certainly the youngest entrepreneur that we at BSCENE Magazine have come across. At the age of 11 Dylan started decorating cakes with his grandmother for her to sell. At age 12, Dylan sold his very first cake and by age 13 he sold his first wedding cake. “We would bake cakes over at my grandmother’s house and she would sell them to her old co-workers. I would come home from elementary school and we would start baking cakes to sell and one day I thought, hey, we should start decorating these things and we could probably make a little more money. So I took some cake decorating classes at Michaels when I was 11 and it just kind of blew up from there. I kind of had a knack for it. I’d say it’s a God-given talent because it kind of just fell into place. I remember the first cake I ever made and sold to my best friend was a giant car cake that I sold for 35 dollars and now I’d probably sell it for 165,” Dylan laughed. Although Kool Kakes has been operating seriously for five years, the store location didn’t open until last October. Dylan said that it was always a dream of his to open his own shop, and to see it finally happen was a huge milestone. While Dylan was getting the store ready to open, he was also juggling finals in college as well as baking, decorating and selling cakes to customers, which left little time for personal things. But once the store finally opened and customers started flooding in, all of the hard work was worth it. “You sacrifice a lot and that’s really hard to do. You have to figure out how to balance your family and personal life apart from your business life, because your business life can really pull you down. But if you find balance, then it all works out in the end,” Dylan said. Although Dylan was running the business long before the store opened, he had no idea how to deal with everything that comes along with trying to open up your own shop. “I had a lot of business mentors that helped me with the legalities of things,” Dylan said. “I had to figure out everything really, really quick but I had a lot of help from a lot of people. I had someone from every field help me out with different aspects of the business, like construction, insurance and taxes. You have to reach out for help because you can’t do it by yourself.” Photos Courtesy Of: Kool Kakes by Dylan

“You sacrifice a lot and that’s really hard to do. You have to figure out how to balance your family and personal life apart from your business life, because your business life can really pull you down. But if you find balance, then it all works out in the end.” Dylan said. Dylan said that what really sets Kool Kakes apart from other bakeries is the quality and originality of the pieces that he creates. They constantly strive to create a product that isn’t comparable to other bakeries and they try to develop one-on-one relationships with their customers. “We like to have personal relationships with the customers so that they’re not just an order form,” Dylan said. “A lot of brides like that. Whenever I deliver a wedding cake, it’s not like I just drop it off and leave, I like to stay to see the brides reaction, it’s very personal.” Dylan said that he can tell how much his business has grown and evolved just due to the recognition that he gets around Tyler. “I’d walk around town and people would be like, oh, you’re the cake guy,” Dylan laughed. The “cake guy” may be young, but he has certainly proved himself within the baking community. As his business continues to grow, Dylan is constantly revamping his business plan and personal goals to rise up and meet what is expected of him. Cont'd on Pg. 56

MAN ABOUT

TOWN WITH DR. AUBREY D. SHARPE PHOTOS BY: BRYAN STEWART

A Star-Spangled Stretford Night T

he Fourth of July is a time for partying and partying is what we did … to the highest level. As a matter of fact, we were nine floors high in the “Grand Residences” of The Stretford at the Cascades. This iconic courseside tower offers unparalleled 360˚ views and we took a gander in every direction. Our “hostess with the mostess” was the queen of super parties, Cindi Featherston-Shields, of the Cindi Featherstone Group and the Property Shoppe, ERA. She pulled together a group of 70 lucky folks for a star-spangled party with fabulous food, finely mixed drinks and wine, and a fantastic view of the

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splendid fireworks display that set ablaze the dark night.

The partying started at 8:00 p.m. and lasted till the last fireworks twinkled out. Cindi’s guests included residents of The Stretford, potential residents and a host of dear friends who have come to love her over the years. It was the ideal setting for the Fourth: no fire ants, no humidity, no traffic and no stress. We had valet parking, a fully air-conditioned environment, beautiful furnishings, rich hardwood flooring, crown moldings and private balconies for viewing the lighted celebrations of the night. We were in “hog’s heaven!”

But there’s more. Upon stepping off the elevators on the ninth floor, we were faced with a gastronomical cornucopia of unbelievable proportions. The professionally designed tablescape of food ran the length of the lobby. Every color, texture, fragrance and palate desired was represented. A gorgeous sight and certainly a “post you’d wanna hitch yourself to” for a long night of grazing. You should know the menu was planned and prepared by Cindi in her very own state of the art kitchen, at her exquisite residence at The Stretford. The lady does everything right down to every detail whether it’s managing her ERA B SC EN EM A G.COM

“client first” Property Shoppe or cookin’ in her kitchen. Elegance of the first water! The best. She admits that she had some help in preparing for this large group. Her mother, Phillis Featherston and co-worker, Gayle Rainey, were sous chefs in preparation of a “feast fit for the Fourth.” This scrumptious menu included cedar plank smoked salmon with mango salsa, slow roasted brisket with special slider rolls, pulled pork quesadillas, shrimp cocktail with remoulade sauce, spinach artichoke dip with pita chips, cheese display and decadent dessert displays. I’m tellin’ ya, nothing was a “throwback.” All keepers. To top this all off was a full service bar at one end of the food tablescape. Our bartender, Larry Johnson, kept ‘em a-comin’ all night long. Martinis, margaritas, well drinks, call drinks and all sorts of wines of choice. There is no reason under heaven for one not to have the time of your life.

ON THE MENU

It was good people, good food, good libations and a good time for all!

This Fourth was one to remember and we were cozy and comfortably high in the air conditioned sky of the new Stretford at the Cascades.

Around 9:00 P.M. we all began meandering out on the balconies and standing at the large windows to enjoy the fireworks display. The Cascades was the first to start and it was spectacular, an unending display of multi-colored lights, booms and whistles. Before these began to dwindle, the Lindsey Park city display cranked up with a gusto. The sky was lit in two directions and it was a sight to see. The night was still a-glow at 9:45 P.M.

Sufficiently fed, spirited and bedazzled, we retrieved our valet parked vehicles and got home early … for a change.

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So, if you’re out and about, look for us, we’ll be about town.

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PRISM BEAUTY BAR

Photos Courtesy Of: Prism Beauty Bar At 26 and 27, Chris Robins and Hayley Cox set out to open their very own hair salon in Tyler. Both friends were throwing back and forth different ideas for how they would operate their own hypothetical salon and when they realized that their visions were matching up, they decided to make the dream into a reality. Prism Beauty Bar is different from other local salons and not only because the owners are young entrepreneurs. Prism Beauty Bar is the only salon in Tyler to use Paul Mitchell products exclusively. They also have continuing education classes every month to keep their stylists current on new trends. For Chris and Hayley, the hardest part of starting their own business was figuring out how to juggle all the responsibilities of being an owner. “There were and still are discoveries made every day that Chris and I have to tackle, but I have the best partner in the world and we have a lot of fun working together,” Hayley said. Prism Beauty Bar has different bars set up throughout the salon where a variety of services are offered. They even have a beverage bar so that clients can relax with wine, water, coffee, or soda before their appointment. At the shampoo bar,

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clients receive a complimentary neck and scalp massage with every service and the color bar is an exposed mixing area that gives clients an inside look as to how the coloring process takes place. Although Hayley and Chris started it all, they wouldn’t be anywhere without their stylists, who help make Prism Beauty Bar what it is today. “I’m so proud of our amazingly talented team for helping us realize our vision,” Chris said. “For me, the proudest accomplishments happen every day when another satisfied customer can’t stop looking at their hair and smiling. That never gets old,” Hayley said. To Hayley and Chris, being an entrepreneur means creatively defining their own happiness and success. “Being entrepreneurs brings us a sense of pride,” Hayley said. “We have the ability to give back to the community, provide a fun, professional work environment for our stylists to grow their experience and knowledge, and of course, make our clients look as good as they feel!”

“There were and still are discoveries made every day that Chris and I have to tackle, but I have the best partner in the world and we have a lot of fun working together,” Hayley said.

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TEXAS ROSE FESTIVAL TEXAS SIZE CELEBRATION, JULY 16

The Texas Rose Festival welcomed guests to Texas Size Celebration honoring this year’s Rose Queen, Madeline Wynne, and her Royal Court at the Cascades Country Club, in Tyler on July 16. Attendees arrived in their best western chic to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks and the chance to mingle with Queen Wynne and her court. COURTNEY BOWERS, DONNA BOWERS

REBECCA PRIDEAUX, SUNNI BROOKSHIRE, JENNIE PRIDEAUX, CAMI HAWKINS

THE CASCADES, TYLER

GABBY BOSWORTH, CAROLINE SMITH

KELLY MICHAELS, DEBBIE & HUGHIE JACKSON

SHARON WYNNE, QUEEN MADELINE WYNNE, JAMES WYNNE

HEIDI AND RICHARD MCKELLAR, CHESLEY AND TED WALTERS

ABBY SMITH, SUSAN SMITH

HATTIE SMITH, CHANDLER HARRISON, JENNIFER DEEN

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GAYLE & THOM STEINER, KYLIE STEINER

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STYLE

BUSINESS SAVVY

TRANSITION EASILY FROM OFFICE TO AN AFTER-WORK COFFEE DATE IN FROCKS THAT GIVE A WHOLE NEW MEANING TO BUSINESS-SAVVY.

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Fall into sophistication by doing business in a classic, navy, suit. Basic, yet refined, this suit will take you from a daytime conference call right into your company’s business after hours. Its sleek, clean lines make for ease in dressing the look down for a more relaxed, approachable appearance. But adding a coordinating pocket square provides just the right touch to let them know you still mean business. • Eton Peach/Blue Striped Button Down • Filarte Navy Blazer [Suit] • Donald J Pliner Leather Dress Shoes • J.Z. Richards Pocket Square Available at Harley’s

BUSINESS

SAVVY

Styled & Written By: Editor & Chic, Veronica Terres Photos By: David C. Allen Special Thanks to The Foundry Coffee House

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Matching sets and longer skirts are making a comeback. With fashion taking style cues from the ‘60s and ‘70s for fall, a floral blouse and skirt set combines both trends that will put you in the now. Give the look a raise and add a statement necklace to anchor it all together. • Tracy Reese Printed Zip Back Top and Narrow Skirt Available at Mary V’s • Stephanie Kantis Gold-Plated, Bronze Bangles Available at Cole and Co. • Kori Green Designs Natural Stone Necklace Available at korigreen.com

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Rethink casual Fridays and give your denim a little bit of a break. Instead, employ skinny khaki’s and pair it with a fuss-less, feminine blouse. The effortless look puts in overtime during a relaxing evening out and also can dine nicely at your favorite cafe. • Olivaceous Black Long Sleeve Blouse • Active Khaki Pant • Black Tote Available at Bella Blvd

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BLISSBRANCH Although the business is doing well, Karsyn plans to focus more on the positive lifestyle aspect of the company in the future. She would like to fully transition to a health and wellness blog in order to help others dealing with a variety of unhealthy lifestyle issues. Currently, Karsyn is taking classes to become a certified Integrative Health Coach. She hopes to teach the message of self-love to people around the world from her online platform and offer E-Courses and Skype sessions to clients. “My goals are to fully transition to a health and lifestyle blog, as an Integrative Health Coach within the next year, and to touch the lives of as many young individuals as possible,” Karsyn said. Being a young business owner, Karsyn feels that she will be able to reach a lot of people through her already successful company. She’s focused on helping others and continuing to live a positive lifestyle. “Being an entrepreneur means being honest and true to who you are,” Karsyn said. It’s about wanting to share what you’re good at with the world and change other people’s lives.”

BlissBranch was founded by Karsyn Dupree in the fall of 2012 at the age of 18 as a selflove blog for girls dealing with an unhealthy relationship with their bodies or self-worth. Karsyn had dealt with body-related issues in the past, like an eating disorder and low self-esteem and when she finally overcame it, she wanted to help others do the same. “I’ve always toyed with the idea of starting a blog or an online diary to log my thoughts and follow others, and it was not until I reached a very revealing and important time of personal growth did I finally create my blog,” Karsyn said.

“My proudest accomplishment with BlissBranch is definitely the fact that my husband and I were able to quit our day jobs, and reach out to people all over the world, spreading the message of self-love!” Karsyn exclaimed. However, it wasn’t until meeting and marrying her husband Collin, that they decided to expand the blog into an online store selling vintage and re-worked items. The idea came after Karsyn posted a picture on the social media site, Instagram, telling her followers that she was planning on selling some old clothes and asked if anyone would be interested. The response was overwhelming and in one night Karsyn managed to walk away with 2,000 dollars. Karsyn’s immediate reaction was to take advantage of the opportunity and expand the blog into something that would also help provide an income while encouraging women to feel comfortable in their own bodies. The business venture was so successful that Karsyn and her husband were able to support themselves off the income from BlissBranch alone. “My proudest accomplishment with BlissBranch is definitely the fact that my husband and I were able to quit our day jobs, and reach out to people all over the world, spreading the message of self-love!” Karsyn exclaimed. Cont'd on Pg. 65 BS CENEMAG. COM

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Business attire doesn’t have to be stuffy to be suitably sophisticated. Classic and practical can wear fabulously for fall with just a few finishing touches. Simply add a knit silk tie to give your look texture, while also being on trend. Polish up the overall look by topping it off with a stylish pocket square for instant impact. • Filarte Navy Blazer [Suit] • Eton Peach/Blue Striped Button Down • Dion Signature Striped Knit Tie • J.Z. Richards Pocket Square • Donald J Pliner Leather Dress Shoes Available at Harley’s

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MOSS

there will always be people who are hard to please,” Meagan said. “You work so hard and there's one unhappy customer out of 100 and it just sucks the life out of you.” Unhappy customers must not happen very often though, because Moss has really taken off in popularity across the East Texas community over the last couple of years. They’ve been busy planning out arrangements for weddings and events, as well as collaborating with other local artists. They’re even serving those who would like to learn the craft of arrangement by offering classes for adults and kids alike. While Moss is already leaving a huge impact on Tyler, they hope that customers will see, that by choosing to support Moss, you’re choosing to support many other people in the East Texas community. “We are able to give to ministries, families, and charities that we wouldn’t have been able to monetarily support alone,” Meagan said. “We are creative, passionate and happy to be a part of our ever changing artisan community!”

Photos Courtesy Of: Moss Photos By: Lauren Elizabeth Photography “Bloom where you are planted.” It’s a quote that’s been thrown around many times, but rings especially true to the Tyler flower shop, Moss. At Moss, they like to keep it small and local. They support the community and East Texas artisans, who in turn support them.

became a local favorite. Moss is quite different from most flower shops. With the slogan “Where Flowers are Fair,” Moss takes precautions to make sure that the flowers they’re working with were grown ethically and they believe in supporting local farmers first.

In December of 2012, the small flower shop officially opened its doors to the public. Moss means maternal love which is appropriate for the motherdaughter duo, Paige McGuffey and Meagan Lissner.

They also use environmentally-friendly practices in their work, like taking old jars, pottery and other vessels, then filling them with floral arrangements. They also encourage customers to bring in their own vases and containers to have filled.

Meagan said that she had always dreamt, off and on, about possibly starting her own business, but never thought that it would actually happen. For years, the girls at Moss created beautiful flower arrangements for weddings and events, but they also had a love of scouring through yard and estate sales.

To Meagan, being an entrepreneur means so much more than improving one’s self. For her, it’s all about helping others and the community.

“We didn’t really know what Moss would evolve into. We had a starting point to bring a new perspective to flower shops. We wanted to buy local first, choose fairly made items and reuse things before buying new,” Meagan said. With that vision in mind, Meagan and her mom decided to put their passions to use and open up Moss, which quickly

“Being an entrepreneur means that you have an opportunity to lead,” Meagan said. “You have a voice. You have an opportunity to serve in ways you didn’t even realize.” Meagan mentioned that when starting the business, she had the desire to constantly please other people and when one person wasn’t happy it was hard to let herself off the hook. “You have to make a conscience effort to turn off that mode in your brain, because Cont'd on Pg. 70

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Bold is beautiful and says you’re the boss without speaking a word. Fall in love with color and prints this season. While many may stray from bright colors and patterns, others may choose to make a statement at their next power meeting in an eye-catching dress that works equally as well in the board room as it does at a dinner date. Just adorn it with some pieces including a necklace, shawl and clutch for that evening out. • Amanda Uprichard Phantom Dress • Julie Vos Gold Necklace • Gypsy Red Shawl • Clara Kasavina Orange Python of Color Coral Clutch Available at Bridgette’s

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BS CENEMAG. COM

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Give the pantsuit a break and sharpen your look by adding a houndstooth, pencil dress to your work wear wardrobe. The simple silhouette works hard at the office and plays well outside too! Simply accent the look with easily layered necklaces and subtle, fuss-less accessories. • Black/White Pencil Dress • Shell Necklace, Blue/Grey Stone Necklace, and Silver Earrings • Silver Bangles Available at Jewel

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A NEW ERA IN TYLER FASHION

NEW LOCATION NOW OPEN 5215 Old Jacksonville Hwy Ste. 10 Tyler, TX

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5th Annual Golf Tournament Hideaway Lake Golf Course Registration Begins at 9:00 a.m. Putting Contest Begins at 9:30 a.m. Shotgun Start 11:00 a.m. GRACIOUSLY HOSTED BY:

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903.387.0922

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DACE LUCIA KIDD When asked why she left behind her exciting European life for Tyler, Latvian artist Dace Lucia Kidd’s answer was simple. “For love and Mexican food.” Dace was studying art off the coast of Italy on the island of Sicily when she met her future husband. “We met in the most old fashioned way of our generation. The Internet,” Dace joked. It was through an online art forum and a mutual friend that originally connected the two. Dace had a friend in Australia who was putting together a photography book. A man named James, in Texas, was writing the preface for him. The friend asked Dace if he could send some of her work to James so that he could write a fine art critique. She agreed to send her art out for the critique but was nervous about what it might say. “So one day I receive this critique and it’s so wonderful and I was so pleased,” Dace said. “There’s only one thing wrong. All the pronouns were male. Because my name is spelled D-A-C-E, my husband thought it was a male name. I couldn’t let this go, so I emailed him back. The next morning, James opens up an email from some dude in Latvia. He had no idea that our mutual friend sent the critique to me. I said, ‘Thank you so much for your critique. You really understand what I’m doing, but don’t you think people will take you a lot more seriously as an art critique if you bother to get the artist’s gender correct?’ I didn’t know I was dealing with an arrogant Texas man, so he wrote back, ‘You cannot possibly be a girl. You don’t do chick art!’ That was his response, so of course we became friends instantly.” Dace graduated from college in Sicily not long after and scored a big commission to create paintings for each room in a large hotel in Europe. She decided to put the bonus to good use and travel. “I thought, well, what would be the most exotic place that none of my friends had been to Texas!” Dace exclaimed. She read about all kinds of art museums in Texas that she wanted to visit and especially wanted to go to Marfa, the little West Texas desert town that seems to attract artists and extraterrestrials alike. However, Dace didn’t realize that Texas was so big.

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Photos Courtesy Of: Dace Lucia Kidd

When I moved here, I had to give up a lot of my clients in Europe because shipping is very expensive. So I almost had to restart my business again,” Dace said. “It’s like from Germany to Portugal, so I was like, umm maybe another time,” Dace joked. So where does Mexican food come in to all of this? “When I came to visit, James took me to a Mexican restaurant and I was like ‘Why do I have nothing like this in my home country?’” Dace questioned. “So I thought, I bet this would be a more fun place to live. The climate and the people reminded me of Italy so much because I lived on the very southern part and I always loved the laid back, easy-going vibe. Everybody is so polite and so friendly.” Coming to Tyler wasn’t a very easy transition for Dace’s business, however. “When I moved here, I had to give up a lot of my clients in Europe because shipping is very expensive. So I almost had to restart my business again,” Dace said. In order to gain clients in Tyler, Dace had to get her name out there and show her work. “For a year after moving here, I didn’t show my art locally. I did a couple shows in Dallas and New York and

Miami, but I would just ship my work. One of the nice things about being an artist right now is that you’re not bound to one place any more. Art has changed. In the 80s, you had to be in New York, in the 90s you had to be in Berlin, in the 20s, you had to be in Paris to be a good artist and to be noticed. But now, you just have to be on the internet,” Dace said. Dace explained that when she was first getting settled in Tyler, she realized that the town has a very vibrant art community with a lot of talented artists, but very few venues. “So, I was just sitting there thinking, well, what can I do? How do I bring art to people and educate them? Then I realized that people here love going out and eating,” Dace said. So Dace contacted multiple local restaurants that already had a few pieces of art and asked if they would be interested in showing her work. Almost everyone said yes! Last year, Dace had her first solo show in America. She’s already had a few in Europe, but claims that the one in

America, which was actually in Tyler, was her proudest accomplishment. “I did the show at Arcadia and I never expected receiving such a great response from the public. I had over three hundred guests for the reception. It was a big party. We were dancing until 3 a.m.,” Dace said. For two weeks after, she couldn’t go downtown, because people were constantly stopping her and asking when her next show was. “It’s funny because Tyler is so hungry for art that they don’t realize that big events like that take a lot of planning,” Dace said. When preparing for a show, Dace always starts out with an idea or a direction of how she wants each of her pieces to go. However, the hardest part for her, isn’t starting a painting, but finishing one. “Anybody can paint, but the hardest thing is to know when to stop and how to stop,” Dace said. “I think that’s another type of art in itself.” Cont'd on Pg. 73 B SC EN EM A G.COM

SINCE 1964

Where art is not somethin g that just hangs on a wall

Swann’s Plaza 903.595.5111

THINK

INNOVATE

BUILD

MAKE Saturday, September 19, 2015 HOSTED BY SCI-PORT: LOUISIANA’S SCIENCE CENTER at

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Cont'd from Pg. 70

FIELD TREASURE DESIGNS “I wanted to name the business something meaningful, so that’s where Field Treasure Designs comes from. In the parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 13, he says the kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man saw it, he went and sold all he had so that he could buy it,” Andrew said. and continue helping others, whether through an online course or even possibly writing a resource book for small businesses to reference. Field Treasure Designs ultimately wants to become a resource for others. As if that weren’t enough indication of the passion Andrew has for his company and small businesses, he said that he and his wife would like to eventually put shop class back into the education curriculum in schools. Andrew said that local businesses are so important to a community because it gives everyone a sense of togetherness. He said it’s important to be actively involved where you’re living.

Photos By: Meredith Bacon Photography In 8th grade, Andrew Bacon discovered a new that only 15 years later would become a full blown business. He had never worked with wood before that first shop class, but it lit a fire inside of him which stayed until long after he left middle school. In 2011 Andrew and his wife moved into their first house together and he began making items that they needed. He realized his passion for woodworking all over again and decided to start selling some of the pieces that he made online on the handmade, vintage retail phenomenon, Etsy. “I wanted to name the business something meaningful, so that’s where Field Treasure Designs comes from. In the parable that Jesus tells in Matthew 13, he says the kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure buried in a field. When a man saw it, he went and sold all he had so that he could buy it,” Andrew said. He was only twenty-eight when he opened Field Treasure Designs in 2011. Since then, it has evolved from a small maker’s site on Etsy to a lifestyle brand with its own website and designs, from t-shirts and handmade candles to clocks built from old pallets. The business also has their own branch called Field Treasure Designs Collective which works with other makers and sells their items in their online store. “We resell other makers stuff from around the country. So we’re giving other people a chance who might not have a market to sell their goods. We love the idea of empowering people to start their own thing,” Andrew said. Field Treasure Designs has expanded exponentially since it first opened. They’ve shipped items internationally but try not to because it’s difficult to do. “I think it’s safe to say we’ve shipped items to all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii, which is pretty fun,” Andrew said. As for the technical, business side of it all, Andrew mentioned that it can be challenging at times but he loves helping others who might have trouble getting started with their own business. “There are always people ahead of you to be encouraged by and people behind you that we try to help out and encourage to keep going,” he said. As for future business plans, Andrew would like to keep selling other makers’ items

“We are constantly asking ourselves: are we giving back? Are we helping? Are we participating?” Andrew said. “I love that we can sell to and serve people all over the nation, but I love when people buy here because we don’t want to just take from our city, we want to be able to give back as well.” Cont'd on Pg. 84

4TH ANNUAL ADAPTIVE AQUAFEST, JUNE 27

Texas Adaptive Aquatics hosted the 4th Annual Lake Palestine Adaptive Aquafest, in Bullard, on June 27. The event enables individuals with disabilities the freedom to take part in water-skiing, tubing and pontoon rides. The day featured jammin’ tunes by DJ Shane Payne, grilled hamburgers and a water slide for the kids. Over a hundred RENEE MAJORS, CORA PUDWILL, volunteers participated in giving a record MOLLI MAJORS, DARBY GOOD, number of skiers a lake day they will not TERRI GOOD soon forget.

BEVERLY WEEMS, SHARKY ANDERSON, JIM SURBER

LAKE PALESTINE, BULLARD

MASON RODRIGUEZ, MANDY AND JERRY RODRIGUEZ

KELLY LAINE HANEY, AMY BARBER, TOD BISHOP

MIKE SCHOVANEC, DEBBIE BRYANT

SHERRI SOULES, HOLLY BROWER

GENNA FOSTER, CLINTRELL WADE

SHAROD MCGOWEN, TERRI WHIPPLE, DEMARCUS HARRIS

BRETT BURKS, SORY RIVERA, MARK TURNER, JESSY HEFNER, SEAN PERKINS

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KRISTOPHER HALE, HOLLEY HOWARD

MYLES GIBBS, LAURA WHIGHAM, EMILY BOOKER B SC EN EM A G.COM

AT HOME

92 10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE

BACK-TO-SCHOOL

FORGO THE GROANS OF THE COMING SCHOOL YEAR WITH THESE 10 WAYS TO CELEBRATE BACK-TO-SCHOOL WITH YOUR KIDS.

ELBOW GREASE BS CENEMAG. COM

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ELBOW Article & Photos By: Myranda Diduch

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‘Do it yourself ‘

projects are not just ‘trendy’ right now, but can save you tons of money and add that unique customized touch that you cannot find in a store. I want to show you just how easy it is to tackle a DIY project and where to start!

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Trunk to coffee table

Skill: Medium (2-3 days)

BEFORE

IN-PROGRESS

AFTER

INTERIOR

Materials: Fine grit sandpaper Stain or paint of choice Material of choice (Length and width determined by top of trunk) Upholstery Tack Strip / Hardboard Upholstery tacks Optional - glass cut the size of the trunks top Optional - wallpaper for inside of trunk

After my grandfather passed away, I found one of his old trunks from World War II. Taking something sentimental and restoring it to your taste will make your project so much more valuable than anything you can find in a store. Determine if you are going to use new hardware, or existing and remove prior to staining. I prefer using existing hardware if the piece is sentimental or passed down in the family. Start by using fine grit sandpaper and, by hand, sand it to create an even, smooth finish. Depending on how much paint, BS CENEMAG. COM

stain, etc. is on the existing trunk, that will determine how long it will take to sand smooth. Sanding is the longest process, as well as the most important. Once the surface is smooth, you are able to apply your paint or stain to the surface. From a fabric store, you will need to purchase a material you want for the top of the trunk, upholstery tacks and a roll of tack strip. The top of my trunk was in pretty bad condition so I bought a faux leather material, but was sure it was a little longer than the width and length of the top and sides of the trunk. The roll of tack strip is used to create a finished edge for your material and help to create a straight line in blind-tacking. You will need to position

your fabric over the top and wrap the fabric under the tack strip. Secure it by nailing a couple of tacks through your fabric and tack strip combo to keep it tensioned. Once you have it in place, you are able to border the sides of your trunk with the decorative tacks. In order to add another decorative touch to your new trunk/coffe table, you can purchase some wallpaper. I found a small roll at the Habitat for Humanity Restore and glued the wallpaper to the inside of the trunk. The wallpaper hid some of the interior flaws and added some color. I purchased a bronze tinted piece of glass for the top of the trunk and use it as my coffee table. A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

No. 77

China cabinet to coffee bar Skill: Easy (1-2 hours) BEFORE

First rule of DIY:

Before you go to throw something out or give it to a new home - see if you can update it to benefit your style or give it a different use. My project started out as an old china cabinet that was passed down, and livened with color to create a new coffee bar for the breakfast nook. AFTER

Materials: FolkArt Chalk Paint- 2 colors (color of choice) for a distressed look Roller brush and sponge Cabinet and drawer hardware Sand paper, steel wool or a dish scrubber One thing that is really hot right now in the DIY craze is FolkArt Chalk Paint. It requires no priming, no sealers, and the more that you layer paints colors and sand it, the more antiqued and distressed it looks! I purchased a darker color and a lighter color to create a distressed look. First, remove all existing hardware and any cabinet doors with glass. I decided to remove the top cabinet doors with glass completely to create exposed shelving for pictures, books, etc. It gives a more â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;casualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; style to the furniture. Roller-brush the lighter color on the entire cabinet, applying a heavier base coat than top coat. Work quickly- as chalkpaint dries faster than regular paint. Once your base is dried, pour a small amount of the darker color on a plastic plate. You will want to start off very lightly using your sponge with the darker color and dab most of the paint onto scrap paper or a rag before applying it to the furniture. It will need to be almost dry. Once your sponge is mostly dry you will want to lightly dry brush the color to highlight the raised areas or sides, corners, etc. of the furniture. After all the paint is dried, use sandpaper, steel wool or a dish scrubber to enhance the distressed look. I purchased fun cabinet door and drawer hardware that completed the look for my new coffee bar.

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Platter to Skill: Easy (5 min) Customized sign A beautiful platter is usually taken out while entertaining on holidays and kept in a cabinet for the rest of the year. I have found a way to use it as a customized piece while entertaining your guest during any party, or even using it as a daily part of your dĂŠcor. This is one of the easiest projects that has gotten the most compliments at my parties. Whether you find your platter at a consignment shop, passed down from your grandmother or deep in the back of your kitchen cabinets, you can easily make it

into a useful, unique entertaining piece for you and your guests. Tape off the sides to expose the bottom flat piece of the platter. Paint two coats of the chalkboard- black finish paint to the flat piece of the platter. After it dries, use chalk to customize your platter, and stand it up on an easel to be read.

Materials: Platter Foam Brush Chalkboard paint- black finish Optional: Easel

You can also purchase plate chargers (typically $1.99) and using the chalkboard paint, apply a coat on the flat part of the chargers. This is a great way to personalize your dinner parties!

Dining chair to Skill: Medium (4 Hours) dog chair Materials: Chair (sized to fit your pooch) Saw Paint (color of choice) Foam cushion Fabric Plywood staple gun

Determine the height you want the chair to be so that it is comfortable for your dog. Some chairs have decorative elements on the legs that will make it easier to make a straight cut. Making sure that it is level, check the chair to see if you need to sand down any rough spots prior to painting. Prime and paint the chair to get the best texture and color. Pick out a fabric for the cushion (length and width are determined by the dimensions of the chair). I have found it easier to make a cardboard template of the seat prior to making the cushion. Using your template, BS CENEMAG. COM

trim the foam cushion to the cardboard. Cut the plywood to the template, and saw cut the plywood to the inner tracing of your template. You want your plywood a tad bit smaller so that it does not stick out over the foam cushion. If you know how to sew you can make a cover with a zipper that will allow you to throw it in the washing machine. If you want it constructed like a chair, you can take your fabric, cushion and plywood (in that order) and lay it topside down. Tension the fabric around the cushion to the underside of the chair. Using your staple gun, staple the tensioned fabric to the plywood. Make your

way around the chair, paying close attention to the corners. A couple of optional items that I have included in my chair are the pillow and nameplate. If you have any extra fabric, you can purchase some pillow stuffing and sew the corners to give the dog comfort and class. I bought a 1â&#x20AC;? x 6â&#x20AC;? piece of thin wood at the arts and crafts store, painted it and added dimensional stickers of the dogs name. I used (two) small nails to secure it on the bottom of the chair to give it a personalized look. A U GU ST 2 0 1 5

No. 79

MAKE SUMMER FUNBy Narrated Bill Paxton

“MAN-VS-NATURE EQUIVALENT OF MOBY DICK” San Diego Union-Tribune

“SPECTACULAR, AWE-INSPIRING FUN” The Boston Globe

tjc.edu/CESSE

903.939.1300

4614 DC Drive, Suite 1A, Tyler www.fixturethistyler.com No. 80 BSC ENE

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LEASING BROKERAGE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT SALES CASEY HYMER

MATTHEW MARSHALL RETAIL

OFFICE

BECKY MCCORD

INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSE

CLINT COVINGTON LAND FARM & RANCH

JEREMY CARUTHERS RESIDENTIAL

DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES

INVESTMENTS

CHRIS WIESINGER

INVESTMENTS

LAND FARM & RANCH

MIKE HYMER

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

TRENT GILLEY

DFW RETAIL INVESTMENTS

DRAKE-INVESTMENTS.COM

TYLER

FORT WORTH

903.581.3737

TEXAS ROSE FESTIVAL WINE AND CHEESE, JULY 16

GOODMAN-LEGRAND HOUSE, TYLER

ALLISON THOMPSON, JENNIFER DEEN, AMY EGANA

SUSAN YOUNG, LISA JONES

MARY CYNTHIA CHURCH, PENI BARFIELD

AMY WALTON, ANN LAWRENCE

LUANNE HOBBS, BITSY WYNNE

KRIS MCGEARY, GAYLE STEINER, MICHELLE NEGEM

VIRGINIA BEALL, SHARON WYNNE, CATHY BERTRAM

JODI MARTIN, LIZ SNIDER, AMY RIESTENBERG

TEXAS ROSE FESTIVAL LADIES IN WAITING LUNCHEON, JULY 17

KRISTEN SEEBER, GINGER FAIR, ANDREA RILEY

WILLOW BROOK COUNTRY CLUB, TYLER

MELANIE SMITH, DEBBIE JACKSON, DIANA SMITH

ANNALEE WALTON, MADELINE WYNNE, HATTIE SMITH REBECCA PRIDEAUX, JENNIE PRIDEAUX

MELANIE SEIDEL, MADISEN SEIDEL

KELSEY MANTZ, CINDY MANTZ

CHERYL HENRY, MORGAN LADD, MEREDITH LADD

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CLAIRE JOHNSON, ANNA GRAY BUCKLEY, CAROLINE THOMPSON, FORBES OWEN, ABIGAIL RUSSELL B SC EN EM A G.COM

2013/2014

Selling Homes, Decor & Dreams!

TRINA GRIFFTH

903.736.3754 BROKER ASSOCIATE Summers Real Estate Group

Thanks to the Readers of BSCENE for voting me BEST REALTOR OF

2013 & 2014!

Come Out And See For Yourself

And Owner of Savvy Sisters 700 N. Eagles Bluff BLVD., Bullard TX 903.825.1123Â Eaglesbluffcc.com

Owner

Cameron Davis

Office:

903.894.3898 Cell:

903.570.2293 Email

cameron.cdavis@yahoo.com BS CENEMAG. COM

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No. 83

Cont'd from Pg. 73

Exploration Insurance Group “From the moment we decided to start this business we tried to plan for everything that we would need immediately and in the near future, and we feel like we did a great job,” Colin said. “However, we did run into a few small challenges. Probably the biggest challenge was breaking the initial barrier of being a new company and trying to earn a potential client’s business.” Despite the initial challenge of earning new customers’ trust, Colin and Jonathan took the insurance world by storm and proved that they have what it takes to be successful. “Our proudest accomplishment would be growing to the level we have in two years of business,” Colin explained. “There can be some big ups and downs when it comes to growth, but we far exceeded our expectations the first two years of being in business.” What really sets Exploration apart from other insurance groups is not just their drive and determination but the quality of their customer service as well. Colin mentioned that they want customers to know that they are always available, anytime, day or night.

Colin Pope, co-owner of Exploration Insurance Group and his partner, Jonathan Lesniewski were good friends working in similar industries when they decided to branch out on their own and open up an insurance group that focuses primarily on the oil and gas industry.

“We also think that our knowledge of specifically the Oil & Gas industry gives us an advantage,” Colin said. “We have been on multiple sites seeing the different services so that we can better understand exactly what is being done. We’ve traveled across the country to see first hand what is being done so that we can make sure we do our jobs effectively. We have also been very successful at obtaining contracts Photo Courtesy Of: EIG with insurance companies that other Tyler or East Texas agencies do not have or ones that are very selective and that gives us a pretty Both friends always knew that they would big advantage.” eventually want to own their own business but never realized how soon it would In the future, Exploration Insurance Group hopes to continue to become a reality. At the age of 31 in May of grow and serve the people of East Texas, but ultimately they would 2013, Colin and Jonathan opened the doors like to become the most respected local agency in the Tyler area. If to Exploration Insurance Group and have their steady climb is any indication of how far they’ll go, Exploration been doing well ever since. Insurance Group will easily reach new heights very soon.

Fixture This Jion has certainly proved those who doubted her wrong. The business has only continued to flourish since its opening in 2002. Even though Jion didn’t originally plan on owning her own business, it runs in the family. “It wasn’t something I ever thought would happen but my dad is selfemployed and my husband is self-employed so it just kind of went from there,” Jion said. As Fixture This continues to grow, Jion said that she would have friends of customers come in and say that they’ve heard great things about the store, which gives her a sense of pride. “You really want to have a store where people love to go to shop and have customers say that you’re great to work with. I think to be a place that people like to go to is important,” Jion said. At the age of 21, Jion Dietz encountered quite a challenge after opening the doors to her first business: Getting new customers to take her seriously. Although Jion might have been young, she wasn’t lacking in knowledge. Her dad was an electrical contractor and she grew up helping him install lights and working

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Jion mentioned that even though Fixture This is kind of small, they with him as he performed electrical services have lots of hardware for cabinets and doors, as well as, lighting and fixtures. But in her opinion, what really sets them apart from other for customers. lighting and hardware companies is their customer service. “Customers didn’t think that I knew what I was talking about because I was young, but Since the store first opened, it has evolved tremendously. The number I had a background in electrical and lighting of employees has grown and the warehouse full of inventory has already and had grown up around it,” expanded. Jion said that she hopes the store will continue to prosper and that the main goal for the future of Fixture This is continue to Jion said. serve the people of East Texas. Cont'd on Pg. 87 B SC EN EM A G.COM

Lance Trammell Owner

903.245.3984

Proud Supporters Of The

Moving, Delivery, Landscaping, Pressure Washing!

Larry Lott Interiors Bergfeld Center Tyler, TX

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No. 85

GET READY! VOTING BEGINS AUGUST 2015 Each year we ask our readers to vote for their favorite east texas businesses, and the time is almost here! BSCENEMAG.COM

Cont'd from Pg. 84

C Davis Heating & Air Conditioning Cameron Davis was 17 years old when he started working for a heating and air conditioning company. Seven years later, at the age of 24, he was running his own.

pace that way, I think it’ll be beneficial to my customers and me. Because, they’re the reason you went into the business in the first place.”

“I was at another company for almost eight years and it was not where I wanted to be. Not because of the company, but because of the position I was in. I always felt that I could do more,” Cameron said.

Cameron said he’s most proud of the clients that he’s obtained throughout the whole process. Many of them have been through referrals. Now, C Davis works with a lot of rental company properties and some large schools like UT and A&M. Because Cameron is an actively working owner, he said that he can see now how much C Davis has evolved since they opened based on how much work there is and how little time he has for personal activities.

C Davis offers all different kinds of services across the spectrum. From duct cleaning and improving indoor air quality, to new construction for commercial and residential properties, C Davis does it all. “I would consider myself a working owner,” Cameron said. “It's hard to find the time to get into the office and sit down when there are so many things to do out in the field.” Since its opening two and a half years ago, C Davis has already grown tremendously. Cameron said that although the business has evolved quickly, he prefers for the growth to be slow and continuous. “I differ from a lot of people who just hit the ground running and want to take off,” Cameron said. “What I’d like to do is grow with my business and make sure that I’m taking care of each customer as if they were my only. As long as it grows at a steady

Photos Courtesy Of: C Davis Heating & Air Conditioning

BS CENEMAG. COM

Cameron puts a lot of faith in local businesses in the East Texas community and because he owns a local business himself, he knows how important it is to trust the company you’re hiring. “The main thing is trust,” Cameron said. “Especially with my business and going into your house to get a job done. A lot of times, when we’re working, other people are working too and it’s not easy for them to get home. You want to deal with people you can trust and I think that dealing with people locally, you have a lot better opportunity to get to know your businesses.”

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No. 87

14TH ANNUAL MAH JONGG FOR MEMORY, JULY 9

WILLOW BROOK COUNTRY CLUB, TYLER

Willow Brook Country Club hosted the 14th Annual Mah Jongg For Memory, in Tyler, on July 9. This year, over 450 women participated in the luncheon and games day activities. Proceeds raised from the day’s event go to benefit the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County. DAWN CLARK, SALLY MYRICK, MARGARET DEHAVEN, FREIDA PHILLIPS

CHARLOTTE LEINART, JUDY MCCRORY

JUDY FLEWHARTY, KAROL MORRIS, CAROLYN HARDY, KARYN HACKER, JAN CALONGNE

PATSY COLE, PAM HOLLEY, LOUISE EMMONS, MARGE LEE

KATHY DURNIL, POLLY PICKLE, PENNY STEPHENS

LISA MITCHELL, MARILYN SHIPMAN, DONNA HUTCHESON, JUDY SEIFERT

PEGGY SUDDUTH, EDEDIE BERGERON, SARAH CAIN, KATHY COX, LEE ANN PITTARD

KAY NEWBERRY, D’ANNA WICK, CHERYL EUBANKS, ROBYN FILES, MARGARET COTTEN

ROBIN LANINGHAM, HEATHER JONES

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PHYLLIS CRAIG, MELBA BOYD

DELLA GATTI, ALETHA COX

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YOU’RE DRIVING HOME OUR REPUTATION... AND HAVE BEEN FOR OVER 60 YEARS 5005 OLD JACKSONVILLE HWY 903.581.0020 WWW.DAVIS-GREEN.COM

OUTTAKES with Dr. Scott M Lieberman, MD, FACC

Venus and Jupiter are in conjunction, and reflecting on St. Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lake, Notre Dame, Indiana.

Fireworks and lightning, Fourth of July, on Lake Tyler.

An aerial view of a wind farm in Eastern Iowa. College Football coaching legend Dr. Lou Holtz, speaks at commencement at the University of Notre Dame.

CADILLAC makes the car, WAGNER makes the difference

www.wagnercadillac.com 4100 S. Broadway Tyler â&#x20AC;˘ 903.561.1212

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No. 91

10Ways BACK-TO-SCHOOL Article by: Madison Murray

ach year, as it rolls around, August brings with it waves of anticipation for the impending school year. No longer are kids allowed to sleep in until noon and have their days spent playing with friends. Gone are the blank spaces in schedules, where spontaneity rules and the most fun option wins. Kids are dragging their feet at the thought of returning to school. We can all say that we have successfully experienced every stage of reluctance to have our summer freedom ending. But you know what? The school year is never as bad as we predict it to be. Kids are back in the company of their closest friends everyday. Some get back into the swing of things by taking part in sports. Who doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t love being cheered on by the entire school? Or maybe, the new year could mean a new opportunity to express yourself through school clubs. Nonetheless, the return should be something to look forward to. For that reason, here is a compiled list of 10 fun back-to-school traditions that might help you find inspiration for the coming school year.

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School Supplies Shopping Spree This always happened to be an unofficial tradition in my household. We would rush through the crowds of excited kids and parents looking for the best deals on supplies or racing to snag the last polka-dot notebook spiral. The excitement of picking out which backpack and lunchbox I would tote around everyday for the coming year was thrilling. This shopping trip almost felt like picking out a new identity for the coming year and what could be more exhilarating than that? So, this August, make an annual shopping trip for you and your kid. Have fun stocking up on a new wardrobe and school supplies for the coming year. Oh, and a little tip – try not to do your shopping on Saturdays in August, as they are known to draw-in the busiest crowds.

Back-to-School Fashion Show Now that you have replenished your children’s closets with back-toschool clothes, it is only fitting that you have them show them off! If your kids are already fashion-forward, they will pride themselves in revealing their back to school shopping finds. Maybe you have more tomboyish children. Make a competition out of it and challenge them to see who can create the most outfits out of the clothes they bought. They might actually discover they have a knack for putting outfits together. Let your creativity take over with a catwalk (i.e. a makeshift towel or blanket) and bright lights. Announce your little ones to an audience consisting of your family and friends and watch them take the stage. However you decide to set up the show, your kids are sure to enjoy the spotlight.

3 Giant After-School Snack This year, surprise your kids with an array of snacks as soon as they walk through the door. Surviving their first day of school is reason enough for a celebration with sweets. Have their worries wash away as soon as they step inside and see what you have waiting for them! Make a tasty snack-mix or bake a big cookie with “congrats” written across the top. You might have them invite their friends over after school for a little R&R. After all, what better way is there to celebrate and talk about their day than over their favorite treats?

4 Lunchbox Love Notes Whether kids want to admit it or not, the most comfort can be derived from parents. The first day of school, especially for kindergarteners, can bring a lot of stress having been pulled away from their moms and dads. They aren’t yet familiar with their peers and are getting launched into foreign territory. And how could you deprive your children of a little support? This year as school is kicking off, help ease their first day jitters by writing a note to your little one. Whenever they open their lunchbox, they will be immediately happier to have an encouraging note on a piece of stationary or a napkin to help get them through the day.

5 Annual Time-Capsule Every year seems to go by increasingly faster than the last. I already hear the remarks we will be uttering, “Wow, this year flew by!” The seasons move fast… fall, winter, spring and we will be back into the summer before we know it! While it is not possible to slow down time, there are several ways we can recollect it. As you watch your children shoot up inches at a time and could almost swear that the shoes they have suddenly seemed to outgrow were bought just a few short months ago, you might be aware of how fast time can go by. However, it is possible to keep a piece of your child’s younger self. At the end of summer, ask your child about their most-liked movie, food, song, toy, activity etc. Compile a list of their “likes” and “favorites” and gather a few of their most recent photos into a jar or container. Each year, do the same thing and you can reminisce by watching the changes of your child over the course of the years.

6 Schultuete (School Cones) Giving a schultuete is a German tradition that has spread to the Czech Republic, Austria and is now trending over to America. Literally translating to school cones, a schultuete is hollow but stuffed with as many trinkets, sweets and back to school supplies as you can! In Germany, it seemed the motto was the bigger, the better. You would be hard-pressed to find a kid that wasn’t hugging a school cone almost as tall as themselves. Nonetheless, make sure this is created in your own fashion. You might find this to be a fun thing to surprise your child with or an amusing craft to work on together. The morning before they head off to school, you can gift your child with the schultuete. They are sure to be ecstatic about having something to open their first day back.

7 School Year’s Eve Dinner Before tucking the little ones in one last time before their early morning, have their stomaches pleasantly full and their last thoughts before school positive ones. A dinner with the family is most often the final event of the “School Year’s Eve.” However, this year start a new tradition and make the occasion a special one. If your family prefers to eat out, allow your children to pick their favorite restaurant and treat them with their preferred dessert. Another option, amuse the family with cafeteria-styled foods and décor. See if you can get your kids to help you out in the kitchen. It will be a party soon enough, and they will have something to share with their friends the following day. You never know – it might be the very thing that sparks their back-to-school excitement!

Photo Courtesy Of: Timecapsuleuk.com

Back-to-School Portraits A picture says a thousand words, and let a few of those ring loud and clear this year: back to school. From the brand new shoes to the perfectly styled hair, first day of school portraits are a rite of passage. No matter if your kids are cheesing hard for the camera or whining about having to stand still for any period of time, it remains imperative to collect these each year if just for memory’s sake. Mix it up with some props. Have your children pose beside a chalkboard with their grade out on display. Or start them out wearing an oversized t-shirt with “Class of 20___” written on the front and as the years go by, they will gradually grow into it. The possibilities are endless with ways to make your back to school pictures stand out. All it takes is a little ingenuity to get this sentimental tradition started. Start of School Aspirations It seems there is nothing that makes a parent prouder than having a motivated child. We have seen it repeatedly in movies; kids barge through the front door, waving their report cards in the air. They are met with their parents’ broad, congratulatory smiles and their report card is hung on the refrigerator for all to see. This year, sit down with your kids and have them come up with a list of goals to stick with as the school year rolls around. Their individual aspirations might be to not fight with their siblings, to do the dishes every night or make all A’s on their report card. In return, come up with potential rewards for each goal they make. A special trip to the movies or an allowance – positive rewards for completing their goals is a good lesson to instill in your children. They will develop a great work ethic that they can carry into the school year!

10 One LAST Summer BLAST It is only fair that you send the summer off with one last hurrah. Think of someplace that you and your family have enjoyed going to all summer. Or maybe go somewhere different that you have kept written on your bucket-list for the past few months. Who could say no to concluding the summer at a sandy beach? Never has there been a better pair than the sun and the sea. However, if that’s not a possibility, try spending a day lounging poolside while your kids are splashing around. Perhaps amusement parks are more your family’s thing. The adrenaline rush of spiraling around on roller coasters, spontaneously choosing your next ride based on whatever your eyes meet the soonest … Conclude your final days of free schedules at a place your whole family enjoys. No matter the location, have your summer go out with a bang.

So there you have it! This year, instead of mourning the summer’s end, try celebrating something new, like one of these back to school traditions. They might be the perfect way to end your summer on a positive note. The exciting part about these is that you can take them to whatever extremes you desire. Think more realistically or go all out! The decision is up to you and it’s all about making these traditions your own. So try one or try them all. Most importantly, make sure that you and your kids are having fun and have a happy school year! BS CENEMAG. COM

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No. 95

DEDICATED TO YOUR SATISFACTION, WE GO BEYOND THE SALE! 571 CONTENDERS WAY, TYLER TX

STUNNING OLD WORLD EUROPEAN DESIGN Built in gated Saddlebrook Estates in 2002 by Eric Barnes as his PARADE HOME. As you enter the custom double iron doors your eyes are drawn to the Mural on the ceiling and the SCHONBEK Crystal Chandeliers & Cast Stone Fireplace. The Kitchen is surrounded by the Sunroom and the Hearth room with lots of windows facing the Outdoor Kitchen and the Pool & Hot tub. With 4 Living AREAS & Study plus the Home Theater you’re going to love this home! Kitchen includes Professional Viking Range with ovens and gas cooktop plus (2) Viking Refrigerator/Freezers & Microwave and Viking Ice Maker & Warming Drawer. Cozy seating at the Island to eat or help with prep work. The kitchen boosts 2 apron farm sinks with lots of granite countertops! The Master Suite is over the top with space and design, the walk in closet is the largest I have ever seen. With 14.399 acres and a Sport court for the kids you’re going to want to see this exceptional property!

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