Maroon Life — Best of Aggieland 2024

04 | HARVEST COFFEE

Find your coffee match at one of three Harvest locations

By Anna Deardorff

05 | MESS WAFFLES

Local food haven to grab something new or nostalgic

By Sameeksha Sharma

08-09 | MIDNIGHT YELL

Word has it Midnight Yell tops all traditions

By Sydnei Miles

12 | TOM BURTON

Aggieland’s favorite professor answers Q&A series

By Kyle Heise

13 | THE WAREHOUSE

The Warehouse welcomes new Legacy Campus facility

By Nadia Abusaid

14-15 | HIGHWAY

Local band defined by their laidback attitude

27 | HEB

General Manager Tony Atkins reflects on 28 years at store By Diya

By Amy Leigh Steward 28 |

18 | LEGACY TATTOO

Tattoo artists hone skills, create welcoming environment

By Maddie Townsend

19 | THREADS BOUTIQUE

Weaving style and comfort, one thread at a time

By Sameeksha Sharma

20 | HOPDODDY BURGER

Go-to burger joint for a diverse menu of burgers, fries and drinks

By Hilani Quinones

22-23 | THRIFTED THREADS

Vintage like you’ve never seen before

By Maddie Townsend

STEAKHOUSE Aggie chef redefines fine dining with Southern flavors By Ana Renfroe

25 | C&J BARBEQUE

Community and familyfocused barbecue spot

By Mikayla Martinez

MAROON LIFE

Photo by Kyle Heise

Letter From the Editor

By Anna Deardorff @annardeardorff

2024 Special Sections editor reflects on first magazine at The Battalion Howdy!

Welcome to Maroon Life’s “Best of Aggieland” issue. In this magazine, we have brought to life what the residents of Bryan-College Station have deemed as the very best — from bands to restaurants to clothing stores. Part of what drew me to Texas A&M was the people, so it makes perfect sense that such wonderful people have created unique and inspiring places and experiences for us to enjoy.

This edition not only celebrates the vibrant community that surrounds us, but also marks a significant milestone for Maroon Life — the 25th issue! I’d like to take a moment to appreciate all the Special Section Editors that have come before me, especially Ruben Hernandez and Ishika Samant for showing me the ropes of this job.

Over the past few months, writers, photographers, designers and editors at The Battalion have been collaborating to bring you this magazine. I’d like to begin by thanking every writer who contributed an article to this magazine.You are truly at the heart of this issue, and your dedication to bringing real people and real stories to the page is what the “Best of Aggieland” is all about.

And a special thank you also

goes to the photographers who captured the essence of Aggieland through your lens. Reading about a person or place can only be imagined to a certain extent, so the photos and moments you all captured for this magazine are crucial to its enjoyment.

I am overwhelmingly appreciative of the (somewhat small but mighty) Maroon Life team. To Hudson Elkjer and Maddie Townsend, thank you for taking a chance on working for Maroon Life this semester. I admire the diligence you both have for designing and writing amazing pages and articles. It has been a privilege to work and learn from you both.

I would also like to give a shoutout to my boss, Spencer O’Daniel, for his mentorship. You have been instrumental in guiding me through the process of creating my first magazine by providing great advice and answering my many questions. I know I only have one more magazine left to make, but I am excited and grateful to continue to learn from you.

Lastly, thank you to the team of editors who have helped with the production of this magazine: Zoe May, Caleb Elizondo, Sydnei Miles, Amy Leigh Steward, Chris Swann, Kyle Heise, Pranay Dhoopar and Ana Sofia Sloane. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together, and I look forward to seeing the impact this magazine has on our readers and community. I’m honored to work

alongside

uals!

I encourage readers to step out of your comfort zone after looking through this issue. If you happen to learn about a breakfast spot, A&M tradition or clothing shop you haven’t yet experienced, I invite you to let this be the push you need to try it out. I promise you, there are so many things in this wonderful town that are somewhat of a hidden gem. Thank you for supporiting student journalism!

such talented individ-

Anna Deardorff is a communication senior and Special Sections editor for The Battalion.

BEST LOCAL COFFEE: HARVEST COFFEE

Creating Community One Cup at a Time

Three unique cafe locations provide different experiences for customers

By Anna Deardorff @annardeardorff

Three different coffee shops for three completely different experiences. That’s what awaits Harvest Coffee Bar customers.

With red brick walls and an ornate, old-fashioned ceiling, customers are transported back in time inside Harvest’s original location in Historic Downtown Bryan. Grab your cream and sugar from the top of a light green piano, or claim a study spot underneath a leg lamp — yes, like the one from ‘A Christmas Story.’ Feeling a bit more modern? Head to Harvest’s Century Square location to view artwork created by the owner and featured on the Aggieland Art Trail. While pastries and coffee are served at all three coffee shops, the South Caprock location offers a Cajun-style brunch with its combined restaurant Uptown Brunch.

After working in hospitality for several years, Trey Martin, co-owner and founder of Harvest, opened up the shop’s first location in Downtown Bryan in 2014 with his wife, Ashley. Trey said their most

recent South Caprock location was built with young families in mind.

“My wife and I always say we design places that we want to hang out at,” Trey said. “What we’ve done in our south location, it has more room. Being parents now, we want to create places where mothers and fathers can bring their little children because there’s not always places that you can.”

The couple began designing Harvest before they got married, and welcomed their second child amidst opening their third Harvest location within the past year. Trey said it’s been a hectic few years for his family — in a good way.

“Integrating with the brunch restaurant, it’s been awesome, because you can come there and get a high quality Cajun brunch, but you don’t have to skimp on the level of coffee,” Trey said. “And a lot of times, that happens.”

Harvest uses beans from Amaya Coffee, a roaster out of Houston, providing customers with a fresh, nearby source of coffee beans to caffeinate their cup. Cane sugar, vanilla beans and Dutch cocoa are necessary ingredients to create homemade sauces for specialty drinks like the Harvest, Mocha or Candlelight lattes.

“An interesting thing about being a business owner is [that] it’s just like [be-

ing] an artist,” Trey said. “You put your product out there in the atmosphere and allow people to try it, right?”

Trey’s addiction to serving people is part of what led him to work in the food industry, especially after years of traveling the country and working at different restaurants that offered him new culinary experiences, he said.

“I love being in hospitality, I love serving people,” Trey said. “And that’s every level, whether I’m making a latte for somebody or cleaning the dishes at the restaurant to make sure the next person can have a plate to eat off of. I love hospitality. And when people come and say, ‘Hey, we really enjoyed it.’ That’s why you do it. It’s just so worth it, you know?”

While customers are being taken care of by baristas and Trey, Ashley ensures each of the three shops has a distinct vibe through her craftsmanship and creations. Trey said she built the coffee bar, a cold brew drip tower, painted huge art pieces for Century Square’s location and is finishing the final touches on a wooden world map, where different coffee regions will be highlighted.

“She is extremely talented,” Trey said. “And she’s kind of weird, she is on opposite ends of the spectrum, so she did all the paintings.”

Having been in the coffee business for over 10 years now, Trey said he’s noticed lots of new coffee shops opening, which has been good for the town’s growth. In addition, people care more about the quality of what they’re drinking, he said.

“It … used to feel like, as long as you put something out there, people are gonna buy it and move on,” Trey said. “But there’s a lot more people that really are caring about the craft of coffee. So it’s really exciting to see.”

For Trey and Ashley, there’s always more to come in the future, as the two soft-launched their catering business, A Team Catering, which includes their mobile espresso bar and food truck, offering tacos, hamburgers and sandwiches.

“We’ve already done quite a few events at this point,” Trey said. “We talked to a bunch of people that have the events, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, all we have is like coffee service, like drip, you know?’ Like, no, we’re talking, like, full lattes.”

Trey said he’s thankful for customers who continue to try products that he and Ashley have put their heart and soul into designing.

“It is hard to describe how appreciative we are for it,” Trey said. “We’re just so thankful that people would kind of catch our vision and agree with it.”

BEST BREAKFAST: MESS WAFFLES

From Food Truck to Breakfast Haven

Mess builds on comfort food to deliver customizable classics

By Sameeksha Sharma @sharma248

Food is a universal love language. Some days, that can mean enjoying the comfort foods we crave, and other times, it can be a call to adventure through novel flavors.

Over the last 10 years, Mess Waffles has become a breakfast food haven in Aggieland. The eatery leverages the diverse roles that foods play in our lives to serve Bryan-College Station food that is both nostalgic and fresh.

Owner of Mess Waffles and woodworking hobbyist Sal Maredia said College Station wasn’t a very food truck-friendly town 10 years ago. He transitioned into his permanent restaurant establishment in Century Square by taking a daring leap of faith over five years ago.

“After my two-year food truck contract with [Texas] A&M ended without any assurance of a renewal … I realized that it was the moment — do or die,” Maredia said. “I always knew that the food had merit, but no one goes into business completely sure. I was able to take that leap of faith because I had a great group of family and friends supporting me.”

Maredia said he saw early on there was a demand for the breakfast classics: chicken and waffles, french toast and breakfast sandwiches. To him, the goal was incomplete until he was able to pro-

vide comfort food to everyone.

“I’ve always been a fan of eggs and hot fried chicken, but … just because that is my comfort food doesn’t mean that other people will be able to eat or enjoy the same thing — [that] was an important lesson,” Maredia said. “It taught me to create a menu that was more aware of people’s dietary restrictions and find fun ways of working around it.”

Mess carries a menu friendly to people with a variety of palates and preferences with vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and dairy free options. In fact, Mess’ website features an allergy menu full of customized meals.

Assistant manager Aubrey Hazlett said she has been at Mess for three years because the atmosphere feels energetic and natural to her. She had started off as a runner serving customers food, then became a shift lead and now works as an assistant manager, driving staff training and performance.

“I love that Mess fills up with new people on the weekends with the rush picking up around 10 a.m.,” Hazlett said. “On busy days, we serve about 200 people. We also have a bunch of regulars that come by every week ordering the exact same item each time. There’s also several A&M cops that come by to grab a classic breakfast or lunch during their break from us. I enjoy that we get to be a part of everyone’s day in a different way.”

Mechanical engineering senior Alexandra Honermeier said she eats at Mess because it has great food and is close to campus. She was accompanied by senior mechanical engineer and first-time customer Charles Simone.

“I really like the food here. I’ve been here a few times before and suggested it because it’s a casual spot to grab food between classes,” Honermeier said.

“I ordered the Mess Breakfast … and I think this is a great way to put off work for a little bit and have some comfort food on a rainy day,” Simone said.

Hazlett said she is in charge of training the new staff and making sure customers are able to customize their meal to their needs.

“I was trained by Sal and I train everyone the same way,” Hazlett said. “It is important that all staff members understand that … we are about being accessible to all kinds of customers. Whether that is students, families, couples, cops or other locals, and that everyone can find something on the menu that is for them.”

Education sophomore Lila Freud said she is new to the Mess team but enjoys being part of her customer’s food journeys.

“My favorite moment with a customer was helping a 5-year-old girl choose what she wanted for breakfast,” Freud said. “She was pouting because she really wanted waffles but had a gluten allergy. Being able to tell her that she could order gluten-free waffles from the Mess menu was just a simple and happy moment that made my day and hers.”

Maredia said he is committed to using local produce and staying fresh with intriguing new monthly flavors that use in-season fruits and vegetables for dishes.

“The chicken waffle has had the same recipe for the last 10 years, but there is no reason that we can’t have new flavors for our customers with the chang-

ing seasons,” Maredia said. “I like to be aware of what’s fresh and in season so we can incorporate that in our flavors of the month. It makes both business sense because it costs less to buy produce that is in season while also giving customers new flavors to explore.”

“We know our people.We love the BryanCollege Station community”

— SAL MAREDIA, OWNER OF MESS WAFFLES

Even within the Mess team, there are varied food preferences. Maredia said his favorite is the hot chicken egg sandwich, which is exclusively served on weekdays, while Halett said she prefers the chicken sandwich. Freud said her menu favorite was Anita’s Toast, which is a quick fixing for her sweet tooth.

“We know our people. We love the Bryan-College Station community,” Maredia said. “Our goal is to stay local, innovative and not cut corners when it comes to making our customers feel satisfied by the selection and service. If there’s something else that we can work on, please let me know.”

Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

Chicken & Waffles with Maple Aioli

Chocolate Turtle Waffle

“As a chemical engineering student, we have the Jack E. Brown Engineering building. I can see that outside my window. There’s very few places that offer that proximity. It’s been my happy place.”

- Mo Adesanmi

BEST TRADITION: MIDNIGHT YELL

Yell Leaders celebrate history and eccentricity of Aggie tradition

By Sydnei Miles @Sydnei_M04

“Hump it, Ags!”

For the newbies unbeknownst to the phrase, you may think it’s some kind of weird, unwanted sexual innuendo. It’s not, I promise — let me explain.

When the clock strikes midnight the night before football game days, Aggie students, parents and guests come together at Kyle Field for the most infamous and unique tradition at Texas A&M: Midnight Yell.

Although Yell Practice originated in 1913, the first Midnight Yell was held in 1931 before the t.u game. Head Yell Leader and construction science senior Trevor Yelton said this famous tradition attracts many supporters and is meant to ignite the Aggie spirit.

“The crazy part is 10,000+ people show up at midnight, and that just shows the spirit and passion people have for this school,” Yelton said. “Essentially what it is, is a pep rally for the day of the game … What we do is yells. We don’t have

cheers or anything at A&M; we have yells. And fortunately enough for us, everybody understands them. So as much as they might look weird to the outsider, people know how to do them and people know what they’re doing.”

Senior Yell Leader and philosophy se-

said. “He went to the current Yell Leaders at that time and they basically were like, ‘Look, we can’t officially approve this, but also, if you’re gonna do it, go ahead.’ … So he got everybody together, and then on the steps of the YMCA building, the first official Midnight Yell

“ The crazy part is 10,000+ people show up at midnight, and that just shows the spirit and passion people have for this school ” — Trevor Yelton

nior Thomas Greve said this tradition has been remarkable since its origin. In the 1930s, a freshman in the Corps named Peanut Owens organized the first Midnight Yell, Greve said.

“It was the night before a game, and he wanted to get everybody together at the YMCA building to practice the yells as soon as it struck midnight,” Greve

practice was held.”

Getting ready for Midnight Yell isn’t as quick and swift as some may think, junior Yell Leader and finance senior Jake Carter said, with preparation starting as early as the summer.

“The summer is when we write all of our speeches,” Carter said. “So all of our fables, the stories that we [use to] make

fun of the other teams … I spent a lot of time this summer just sitting down and just writing through all different speeches … People think we’re always practicing our yells, but really we don’t. We practice them a lot in the summer, but as a Yell Leader, you do them so much that it just becomes kind of second nature.”

The rush of adrenaline is not only felt by the participants, but the Yell Leaders as well, Yelton said.

“We get in our overalls and we practice in our rooms,” Yelton said. “All people are in one room, all together. Then we’ll walk over to the arches on the Quad of the Corps of Cadets, and then from there, we walk with our families and some other cadets and we walk from The Quad all the way to Kyle Field. It feels like a long walk, you’re going all the way to Kyle Field, and you’re getting all nervous and stuff, and it’s just building up and building up and building up and then you walk down the tunnel. The tradition is the head Yell Leader turns around and high fives everybody as they sprint out. That just opens the experience. Like it’s just — it’s electric.”

A first experience of Midnight Yell can feel foreign, Carter said, as his first time was an unfamiliar one but drew him

Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

A Spirit Can Ne’er Be Told

in like no other.

“I’m a first-generation Aggie,” Carter said. “I had no idea about the Yell Leaders, Texas A&M, Midnight Yell practice — I didn’t know about any of that.

When I first saw Midnight Yell practice, I was just like, ‘What is this? What are we doing at midnight?’ I didn’t understand it, but I was like, ‘This is incredibly cool.’ … Even more so now as a Yell Leader, there’s just no words to describe Midnight Yell.”

Greve said his favorite aspect of Midnight Yell is witnessing the fellowship of Aggies.

“Just the fact that [the] community is gathered,” Greve said. “Like it’s a Friday night in a college town. There are a lot of things that could be going on … but the fact that families, friends [and] peers

are taking the time out of their night, it’s the end of the week, they’re exhausted, it’s the weekend, they want to party, and yet they’re coming to support their team and to support us and to support the 12th Man, that’s just incredible to me.”

Now, for the answer you’ve been waiting for: the true meaning of “Hump it, Ags.”

Essentially, this phrase signals the crowd to put their hands on their knees and lean forward to get their bodies in position to project for the yells, Yelton said.

“When the Yell Leaders were first created, it was just to get the crowd interacting in whatever way possible to do that,” Yelton said. “So the guys that were Yell Leaders were like, ‘Okay you guys bend over, that’s the Aggie engineer way to

best project your voice.’”

A&M is so special that one can hardly explain it, Carter said.

“From the outside looking in, A&M as a whole is hard to understand,” Carter said. “People call Texas A&M unique, but it’s just the spirit of Aggieland and the culture here that makes A&M so special. You can judge us, you can say what you want, but until you come and truly experience it, and you go with a friend to Midnight Yell practice and you see what we’re about, then you’ll understand.”

The Yell Leaders laugh as they answer questions on the Freels Family Field on Monday, March 18, 2024.

Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

BEST PROFESSOR: TOM BURTON

Burton talks his career, education and the future of journalism at A&M

By Kyle Heise @kyleheisephoto

Tom Burton has been teaching students journalistic and media skills since coming to Texas A&M in 2019. After decades of experience as a photojournalist and editor, Burton turned to teaching. We sat down with him to talk about his career, his current role as an educator and the future of journalism at A&M.

Maroon Life: You’ve been voted Best Professor previously. Tell me more how it feels to get this kind of distinction more than once.

Burton: I’m really flattered. I was surprised the first time, and even more so now, but I’m really happy about it because it comes from student votes. That’s why I’m here. I’m a teacher and I spend all my time working with you guys, and I appreciate that.

Maroon Life: Your career has changed quite a bit, from being a staff photographer and photo editor at the Orlando Sentinel for over 30 years to teaching at A&M. What brought you here?

Burton: It was a long road. I left The Sentinel about 10 years ago to become managing editor at a small newspaper covering a large retirement community … I then went freelance.

But in addition to that, when you’re freelance, you need multiple income streams. I had been on the advisory council for the journalism school at the University of Florida and knew the incoming director of the journalism program and approached him about adjunct teaching. I did that for a couple years and liked it, but I had to pull back on it when I became the editor for the National Press Photographers Association and I was putting in a magazine, a website — it was too busy.

There was an opening that came up at the University of Florida for a lecturer position, and I was interviewed. I came really close … I thought that I had a chance to become a professor, and I needed something just a little bit more, so I applied for a fellowship at Ohio University in their School of Visual Communication. It’s set up for mid-ca-

reer professionals. What they get out of it is having somebody with experience on campus to teach a class, to be around with students, and what I got was classes and my master’s degree. That set me up, and when I came out of there, I applied for several universities, interviewed for a few and the A&M offer was the one that worked out.

Maroon Life: As you’ve moved into the teaching realm as an associate professor of the practice, why do you think it’s important to teach journalism?

Burton: I think it’s important because we’re in a transition era for a lot of things, not just journalism but in media in general.Your generation is going to build the new thing, and you need skills to do that. The basic skills and the mindsets and the ethics of journalism exist. Journalism hasn’t died. The business model is a mess because it was supported by advertising, and advertising has moved away, and we haven’t found a good business model yet, but it will come. I don’t know exactly what it’s going to be.

So, when I got out of school, there was a paved road with gatekeepers.You had to have an editor hire you to publish you. Now, the road is crumbled and there are

no gatekeepers to speak of or very few of them, and you all have got machetes and are digging new paths in the jungle, and it’s exciting. And what I can do to help that is what I hope to do. Anything that I bring up from my career is still transferable in terms of some experience or, at the very least, informative that we are in a fairly recent thing … For you to stand out, you need to tell stories, and that doesn’t change. And there’s history of all sorts of new technologies coming in … But that doesn’t mean that our need to tell stories, and especially factual stories, goes away.

Maroon Life: There’s been lots of press surrounding A&M’s journalism department and The Battalion newspaper in the past couple years. What is the future you envision for journalism at this school?

Burton: We are in a transition time for sure. Hopeful, but cautious, because it was a mess. I’ve said that publicly, and I don’t think that’s a controversial opinion. I think everybody agrees that it was a mess. We could have been in a much better place today, but we’re not in a bad place. There are concrete plans, some yet to be announced, for the program to grow. We have actual journalism majors for the first

time in more than 20 years. I think the advantage we have actually is in trying to build it now because we don’t have a legacy program that protects itself. There are some fantastic journalism programs in this country, but it’s also really hard to get them to change what they do.

Maroon Life: What is your favorite photo you’ve ever taken?

Burton: It’s really hard to say because my first published photo was when I was 17. In high school … senior year, I started working for a weekly newspaper. I used to say my favorite assignment is the next one. They all have different meanings. I’m going through old work and it’s interesting to, in essence, be the editor today of the younger me and to see them from an editor’s eyes. Sometimes it’s like, “Eh, I’m not sure why you did that,” and there’s other times it’s like, “You overlooked this. This was better than what you thought.” I have a family, you know, so photos of family are always important because you have that emotional attachment to it.

Tom Burton is an associate professor of the practice in the Department of Communication & Journalism with a specialty in journalism and media practices.

Kyle Heise — THE BATTALION

THE WAREHOUSE AT C.C. CREATIONS:

BEST GAMEDAY GEAR

Everything is bigger in Texas, apparel production included

By Nadia Abusaid @NadiaAtTheBatt

Holding the Guinness World Record for the largest collegiate retail store at 28,750 square feet, The Warehouse at C.C. Creations has the largest selection of Aggie merchandise available anywhere. With new designs unveiled daily and a variety of different clothing lines including sport, faith, hunting, fishing and family lines, The Warehouse has clothing for every Aggie.

Starting as a tent and table store in different parking lots in College Station, The Warehouse gained popularity within the community and opened its brick-andmortar store on Holleman Drive in 2009. Since then, The Warehouse has grown in popularity with the additions of their partner store Maroon U, which opened in 2012, and a brand new production facility in the Bryan Industrial Complex that opened in January.

Retail Art Director Matthew Garrett oversees the creation, production, licensing and marketing initiatives of products at the new Legacy Campus facility.

“We’re now the number one largest screen printer in Texas just with [The Warehouse], number three in the nation, so having that capability with so many automatic presses and new embroidery machines … the sky’s the limit,” Garret said.

Vice President of Retail Mark Munguia oversees both The Warehouse and Maroon U, where he manages sales, operations, marketing, licensing, buying and art production.

“We’re either first to market or we’re doing something that nobody else is doing because we’re able to produce certain

Sales associate Ally Garza folds clothes on the sales floor on Wednesday March 20, 2024.

designs and things in a matter of hours,” Munguia said.

Printing new designs every day, Munguia said The Warehouse creates trendy shirts, including Barbie, Taylor Swift or football game day shirts. Sometimes designs hit The Warehouse in a matter of hours, Garrett said.

“From being on the press, I’d probably say 2-3 hours and it’s being sold in the store, at most,” Garrett said. “But that’s all about being on top of the ball.”

The Warehouse prepares shirts, printers, drivers and artists when printing a T-shirt for the release on the same or next day of an event, Garrett said.

“You can’t have a big championship game come up or a big LSU game come up without doing a lot of front-end work,” Garrett said. “There’s a lot that has to cascade down to prepare for a hot market situation.”

Retail graphic artist Kyle Smith researches product history, references and trends, checks product quality at their Legacy Campus facility and works with marketing and licensing to design clothing at The Warehouse.

“Big games like the LSU game where we beat them after what, like seven overtimes? And we had the shirt the next day,” Smith said. “Most other companies can’t do that because we’re making the art. We’ve got it ready. We’re literally just watching the screen, waiting for the game

to end, and we’re sending the postscript so that they can be printed and run out.”

Garrett said he and Smith work together at the production facility to ensure apparel fits the design and quality standards of The Warehouse.

“That’s the main reason that us as artists are out at the production plant, and not necessarily [having] our offices here at the retail store,” Garrett said. “When we’re designing, [if] we have questionable prints or ink colors, we have to be at the production facility to troubleshoot those in the front end.”

At 210,000 square feet, The Legacy Campus production facility tripled the size of its previous production facility, according to The Warehouse’s website.

“I think the shirts that have been coming out of the new facility are far, in a way, better than [ones that] have ever been from the old facility,” Smith said. “The atmosphere is maintained a lot better, so there’s less fluctuation in the environment that we’re having to deal with. Just more processing that has been refined and narrowed down, newer machines, just everything that we can do to make sure that everything is coming out better than it was before.”

Aside from the massive collection of products that draw customers in, The Warehouse also prides itself on community outreach and partnership with organizations such as TexAgs, Aggie Moms, The

Corps of Cadets, Texas A&M Athletics and, most recently, The Association of Former Students, Munguia said.

“We’re highly connected, obviously, with the university, so anytime there’s major events, we typically see that traffic,” Munguia said. “Game days … are a big part of it. We usually have anywhere between 15-20,000 people come through a game day weekend for The Warehouse and Maroon U.”

In addition to football game days, Munguia said The Warehouse also sees high traffic for other sporting events, ring days, graduations, Aggieland Saturdays and family weekends.

Poultry science junior Ashlyn Lawrence is a returning customer of The Warehouse and recently visited to look at the official Ring Day shirt sold in collaboration with The Association of Former Students.

“Every shirt I wear is basically from here,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said she and her family always shop at The Warehouse when they visit.

“They have something that everybody would want,” Lawrence said. “My dad went [to A&M] and I go here, so obviously my parents and siblings, they want an A&M shirt, and they have so many different ones that it’s like there’s one that interests everybody.”

Chris Swann — THE BATTALION

BEST BAND HIGHWAY 6 BAND THE

often in College Station, where they’ve been based since forming Highway 6 a year and a half ago.

By Amy Leigh Steward @amyleighsteward

I

t starts with a guitar riff. Justin Faldyn plays lead, pulling rock and blues out of the strings.

After a beat, comes the beat of the drums, snare and bass, and tom and cymbal, helmed by Brennan Collier and his matching drumstick tattoo.

In comes Aaron Cruse Arbaugh with acoustic vocals. And The Highway 6 Band starts their show.

These musicians perform in venues across Texas, but they’re spotted most

“I met Brennan in class,” Faldyn said. “We met in economics class, and he knew a bass player, so we just started jamming and it kind of happened. Eventually we found Aaron.”

Faldyn hails from La Grange, home of ZZ Top, country and blues. His hometown, however, is just a happy coincidence — Faldyn only started playing guitar about five years ago.

“My cousin actually got me into playing guitar,” Faldyn said. “He got one for his birthday, and I had an old acoustic at the house. That’s the only reason I picked it up. It was hanging on the wall since I was little, but I only started because of my cousin.”

Collier grew up more punk and metal than country rock, but together he, Faldyn and their former bass player melded half a dozen genres into a band. There

was just one issue: a name. “We had our very first show,” Collier said. “It was me, Justin and Reed, and we were on our way to Guitar Center to get some strings for Justin and me some drumsticks or something like that. We

We’re just all on the same wavelength

— AARON CRUSE ARBAUGH, VOCALS “ “

didn’t have a name but we had a show in three hours. So we’re just driving down Highway 6, throwing out names.”

The newly-christened Highway 6 Band met Cruse Arbaugh after watching a video of him performing on social media, inviting him to fill the band’s gap

for vocals.

“I’ve been involved with music for the majority of my life,” Cruse Arbaugh said. “I never really sang or really wrote songs. I would write instrumentals and stuff growing up, but I never really tried to put a pen to paper. I got to college and realized that if I wasn’t going to be involved in an organization or anything like that, then music would be a really good way to meet people. So I started doing that. I realized I actually had a little bit of a knack for writing and stuck with it.”

With a lineup now complete, the band had only five days to prepare for a show with their new singer. But that was no issue; the group had an instant connection.

“I’ve played in several bands,” Cruse Arbaugh said. “The one thing I realized when I hopped in with these guys is there’s not a whole lot of people that I’ve met or that we’ve jammed with — anybody we’ve tried to play with — that can just immediately jump into something. We’re just all on the same wavelength.”

All this wouldn’t mean much without the man behind the scenes: band manager Andrew “Andy” Burk. While Faldyn strums the strings, Burk pulls them. He contacts venues, books gigs and keeps the group in line. Cruse Arbaugh joked that Highway 6 hangs out more than they actually practice, so it’s up to Burk to move things along.

“I have to keep them in check a little bit, because obviously if I don’t get them to practice, it’s not going to happen,” Burk said. “Then it’s going to sound like crap, and then it’s going to make me look bad, so I have to do something sometimes. But they’re usuall pretty good about being ready.”

Fluid in their songs, genres and sound, this Best Band is defined by their laid-back style

Burk even helps pen the occasional song lyric during 2 a.m. writing sessions with Cruse Arbaugh. That’s how most of their songs come to be, with Cruse Arbaugh and Burk bringing words into practice, and Faldyn and Collier taking it from there. But that’s not always the case; their upcoming single “Man on the Run,” which debuts April 20, was less written into existence and more willed into it. It started, again, with a guitar ri .

“Justin grew up playing blues music,” Cruse Arbaugh said. “He’s uent in blues. I wish I could play half the blues music he can. We’re playing at our old bass player’s house, practicing, getting ready for a show. His roommate is upstairs and he’s nailing in a picture in the wall. It’s dah dah dah dah. Justin’s sitting there [tapping his feet] and he’s like, ‘Oh, OK’ and he starts playing a blues ri to the guy hanging a picture on a wall.

“It was kind of a faster tempo, and Brennan started picking it up, and I was like, ‘Wait, hold on, this is actually a good idea,’” Cruse Arbaugh continued. “We just kept going and going, and just the blues ri that he played and the solos that he does and the energy he put into writing that rst part of the song — it’s a song I’ll be jumping up on a bass drum for almost every single Saturday that I can.”

audience; a show rarely passes without Arbaugh joining the crowd, jumping onto drums and o of stages.

“I understand the anarchy of a mosh pit,” Cruse Arbaugh said. “I want to jump in. I want to get into it, not just being stuck on stage or not having interaction. I think that crowd work is so important.”

As for the future, Highway 6 knows one thing: music will be the center of it one way or another.

THE LINEUP

“If a music career doesn’t work out and we’re gonna be stuck in like some o ce job, we’d much rather develop and create our own sound company,” Cruse Arbaugh said. “We’ve talked about opening up a recording studio.”

Aaron Cruise Arbaugh - Vocals

Brennan Collier - Drums

Justin Faldyn - Lead Guitar

Andrew Burk - Manager

THE INSPIRATION

Lynard Skynyrd

Treaty Oek Revival

Wyatt Weaver Band

Parker Ryan Southhall

Noah Kahn

Whiskey Myers

As promised, “Man on the Run” has been closing Highway 6’s shows since its inception. But the rest of their set list — much like their sound — is very uid and “shapeshifts,” as Cruse Arbaugh put it.

“It kind of depends on who we’re playing for,” Collier said. “If we know, ‘Hey, it’s going to be a bit of an older crowd,’ then we throw in some older country songs. Then for frats or sororities, we’ll add some alternative.”

In fact, Highway 6’s set lists are so uid that they wait until the last possible minute to write it down.

“Our favorite thing, and almost a game that we play at this point, is ‘What are we going to write the set list on?’” Cruse Arbaugh said. “It’s been on paper plates, a pizza box, napkins.”

Their goal is always to connect to the

The band’s laidback perspective in uences everything in their lives, like why Collier has a tattoo of one of their album covers.

“Our artist actually did this one for me, for a bottle of Tito’s I believe,” Collier said. “It was a very fair trade.”

It’s all about what moments in music they’re able to make in the meantime. Faldyn said his de ning night so far was performing with Ray Wylie Hubbard and swapping guitar solos with his son onstage. Burk’s “proud dad” moment as manager was when Highway 6 played with Whiskey Myers, a band they frequently cover.

“Whiskey Myers was probably up there, when we hooked up that show and got to just sit back there and talk to the guys,” Burk said. “They were complimenting all of them, saying how good they were for how little they’d been playing and how much we’d moved forward in that small amount of time. That meant a lot coming from big bands like that.”

For now, the group is just taking it a day at a time, having fun with the music and their fellow musicians. There’s no plans set in stone — But that’s how Highway 6 always plays it, anyway.

Chris Swann — THE BATTALION Highway 6 Band members Justin Faldyn, Aaron Cruise, and Brennan Collier perform at The Corner Bar on March 24, 2024.

recsports.tamu.edu

BEST TATTOO SHOP: LEGACY TATTOO STUDIO

Tattoo studio praised for skill, welcoming atmosphere

By Madeline Townsend @madelinetown

Whether it’s your first or 50th tattoo, walking into the tattoo parlor can be nerve-racking. Legacy Tattoo Lounge proves getting tattoos doesn’t have to be scary.

Legacy Tattoo Lounge, located on 413 Texas Avenue, offers more than just tattoos and piercings. Aggies recognize the talent and skill Legacy Tattoo provides to Bryan-College Station with their variety of artists.

Owner Petey Meserlian created Legacy Tattoo to provide Bryan-College Station with luxury tattoos and a welcoming environment. Meserlain said he learned to tattoo in Florida after working in graphic design. He opened the shop after noticing the need for a high-end tattoo studio for the community and took the opportunity to provide quality tattoos and talented artists.

Meserlian said the first step in getting a tattoo or piercing is being confident in what you want, and if customers need help, they encourage them to ask.

“Your artist has been doing tattoos for longer than you’ve probably been thinking about tattoos,” Meserlian said. “They can help you. The artists are the ones to

Leaving a Mark on Aggieland

talk to about how to go about it.”

Store manager Scott Anderson, Class of 2022, said the number one goal for the staff is making sure customers are satisfied with the art and are happy to discuss expectations and hopes from their artists.

“My job, besides keeping the place from burning down, is making sure that every person that comes in the door — whether they know exactly what they want or they don’t, or whether they want something big or they want something small or something super specialized in particular or not — is that they’re going to get with the best artist for them and they’re gonna walk out the door happier than they could have ever imagined,” Anderson said.

Business and social media manager Valen Cepack, Class of 2022, understands being nervous is natural when getting tattoos or piercings and reassures customers this is valid and to communicate with the artists.

“It’s your tattoo; it’s your artwork,” Cepak said. “You have the say in it. Don’t be nervous to [say], ‘Actually that isn’t exactly what I want,’ because it’s gonna be on your body forever — not theirs.”

The lounge offers space for customers to relax before making permanent decisions.

“It’s called Legacy Tattoo Lounge because people come in and feel welcomed,” Cepak said. “Moms bring their daughters here to have their ears pierced ‘cause they feel safe and comfortable. I think that’s why we stand out, because it’s a little bit different from the other shops.”

Cepack makes an effort to show Legacy Tattoo’s dedication to showing up for the community and establishing relationships with past and future customers.

“We have all these artists that you can walk up to and they’re gonna treat you as nice as they can, [they’ll] even, especially if it’s your first tattoo, walk you through the process,” Cepak said. “I think that’s why so many people don’t just come here for their first tattoo, but they come here for their 10th tattoo.”

Cepack said art created at Legacy Tattoo is meaningful to him and other artists, each using their talents to help others bring their stories to life.

“I think there’s something about the art of storytelling,” Cepak said. “If you think it’s something that’s gonna tell a part of your story or make you happy, get it done. Go and do it and use it to your benefit. All my tattoos I love because [they’re a] reminder when I wake up in the morning and see in the mirror, this is stuff we’ve walked through and this is

stuff we’ve gone through and I can’t wait to keep pushing and moving forward.”

Legacy Tattoo encourages customers to challenge them with their art. Piercer Amanda Vick said she thrives in giving customers the most difficult piercings.

“Anything bilateral,” Vick said. “Anything that needs to be paired up and perfect because it’s more of a challenge, and it’s so satisfying to see it when it’s done well.”

Legacy Tattoo continues to grow and learn as artists use each other to become the best at their professions, Vick said.

“We have so many artists who are all very unique in their styles, and everybody has things that they have perfected over the years,” Vick said. “With having so many artists in a shop, they bounce ideas off of each other. So all of them are growing together. Techniques, any kind of technique that anyone wants to try and venture on, there is someone here that maybe specializes in it a little bit better than others.”

In the end, everyone at Legacy Tattoo encourages those to be brave, Vick said.

“Just do it,” Vick said. “If you want it, you’re gonna be thinking about it forever.”

Tyler Thompson — THE BATTALION

BEST CLOTHING SHOP: THREADS BOUTIQUE

Weaving style and comfort into the culture of College Station

By Sameeksha Sharma @sharma248

Clothes are more than the sum of their parts. They aren’t merely colorful bolts of fabric, rather living things that are continuously evolving to reflect culture and trends. This can make being successful in the clothing business both demanding and rewarding.

Katie Linick opened Threads Boutique five years ago with the vision of making women feel beautiful while doing what she loved. Then, two years ago, she launched Suede Boutique, a sister clothing store that offers Aggieland a wide fashion selection. As a multi-business owner, Linick said she was well-versed with running businesses before she started Threads Boutique.

“My husband and I started running Peach Creek Ranch, a wedding venue in College Station, before starting Threads or Suede Boutique,” Linick said. “Weddings really teach you to run a business — everything you do feels like it should exceed perfection. I learned a lot about managing people and operating a challenging business. In fact, I started Threads Boutique with the intention of having something more lighthearted and fun to do on the side.”

Threads Boutique, located in a nook of Jones Crossing down Wellborn, is a bright and cozy store run by an all-female team: Linick, her two general managers and a team of 14 staff members. Linick said she chose her staff carefully, making sure that they fit the atmosphere of the boutique.

“The vibe is no mean girls,” Linick said. “I don’t want anyone to feel judged at Threads. I hate it when boutique staffers feel brooding or uninterested. When I’m choosing or training my team, the goal is to bring together girls that are willing to stir up new ideas and make everyone feel welcome.”

Over the last five years, Threads has made itself a part of the Aggie fashion culture by carrying an inclusive selection of styles and sizes for occasions ranging from local events such as game days and sorority recruitment events to seasonal favorites.

Sales associate team member and communication junior Amanda Nuñez said Threads is unique because she gets to work with both customers and management to create a memorable shopping experience for customers.

“I’ve been working at Threads Boutique since I got to College Station — three and a half years now,” Nuñez said. “I’ve stayed here because I love helping women feel empowered to pursue their aesthetic. Our management team here is super friendly and uses our input on ongoing fashion trends to create new clothing collections.”

Another sales associate team member and communication senior Maddeline Gimbre said the people aspect of the business is what has kept her at Threads Boutique the past two years.

“I think it’s really special that I get to connect with new customers and help out our regulars,” Gimbre said. “On busy days, like a gameday, we can have anywhere from 200 to 300 customers come in but we have a system here. One girl works the register, one goes back and forth to grab inventory and one of us is in charge of directing people. Together we are able to give customers the tools they need to make their best fashion decisions.”

A Texas A&M graduate and regular customer at Threads, Addison Whitten, said she discovered the boutique in 2020 while helping her sister find a dress for graduation. Now, Whitten works as a program coordinator in the Human

Research Protection Program at A&M but continues to frequent the boutique, looking for additions to her wardrobe.

“Threads has definitely impacted my dressing style,” Whitten said. “I wear more colorful and trendy outfits now. I’ve gotten more comfortable with bolder colors and trying different fabrics because I trust the people here to tell me what suits me and what doesn’t. I plan on returning to Threads as long as I stay in College Station.”

Linick said she sources her collections from both established and new vendors. With established vendors, she is able to shop online while finding new vendors takes her traveling across the country to Dallas, Atlanta and Las Vegas among other destinations.

“We like to stay on top of new fashion trends whether that is through TikTok … or other media,” Gimbre said. “I don’t think a lot of customers know this but we buy, on average, six on each item. This builds popularity and exclusivity. We also like to promote our products on social media which helps us create buzz.”

Nuñez said Threads is currently stocked with its spring collection, embracing shorter sleeves and warmer colors while preparing for another busy season with new and regular shoppers.

“What’s crazy is that we just launched our spring collection,” Nuñez said. “I remember the back of the store being full of inventory two weeks ago and it’s already emptying out.”

Sundresses, cover-ups, and blouses on the rack at Threads Boutique.

Lana Cheatham — THE BATTALION

BEST BURGER: HOPDODDY’S BURGER BAR

Hot Buns, Cold Beer

Go-to burger joint for a diverse menu of burgers, fries and drinks

By Hilani Quinones @hilaniq

There is only one home for the best burger in College Station, and that is Hopdoddy’s Burger Bar. Hopdoddy’s remains a haven of hamburgers for all to enjoy.

Founded in 2010 by restaurateurs, Hopdoddy emerged from Austin, specializing in gourmet burgers and serving a variety of beers. It has since expanded to over 30 locations across ve states. Located in Century Square, Hopdoddy serves as the place to go for creative burgers such as the Bu alo Bill burger.

Beyond burgers, Hopdoddy’s prides itself with its menu of fresh hand-cut fries such as the Parmesan Tru e fries and unique cocktails like Purple Reign, which contains gin, lavender syrup and tonic.

General Manager Garrett McKinsey focuses on fostering the team experience rst at Hopdoddy’s.

“Everything kind of trickles down from there,” McKinsey said. “If our people are happy, the guests are happy.”

McKinsey said Hopdoddy’s team is the best they’ve had in six years, with the restaurant still growing.

“We’ve got a lot of solid people, people with experience, and it shows,” McKinsey said. “Last Wednesday night, I got stopped four or ve times by customers about how great team members are. I’m hearing it a lot more.”

Hopdoddy’s service is about being friendly to everyone, which McKinsey reinforces in meetings with his team. He said Hopdoddy’s is unique among many burger restaurants in College Station because their menu includes fresh ingredients.

“We use high-quality meat, and our fries are fresh,” McKinsey said. “We don’t like to use cheap ingredients. Our idea is to give people a crafted burger, not those smack patties you get at other places. I

think that’s what people come in for — to get a well-made burger not folded up in a white paper wrapper.”

Hopdoddy’s bartender Christian Milan regards its sta as the friendliest he’s ever worked with and has developed regulars over time.

“I’ve worked here for about a year and a half and I’ve enjoyed it,” Milan said. “We have a great kitchen. We do have a really good amount of customers that come in with an open mind, and they’ve been great experiences.”

For anyone looking for recommendations from Hopdoddy’s menu, Milan said to try the Bu alo Bill burger, which includes unique ingredients like their bu alo sauce and in-house Doddy Mayo.

“It’s really sweet to see a grandma, grandpa, mom and dad, son and daughter, and everyone come in and have a great time,” Milan said.

Hopdoddy server and bartender Kaylee Farmer sees Hopdoddy’s as her family, a place she wants to be at when she’s having a bad day.

“I love our customers, our regulars, the food is great and it’s a great environment,”

Farmer said. “I’ve met some of my best friends here. If you work in a fun environment with good people, you don’t dread it, and I think that’s an important thing to recognize.”

Farmer said Hopdoddy’s values what they serve, taking customer feedback into consideration when needed.

“We’re checking: Is [the food] presented well? Is the plate good enough? Do customers need anything else?” Farmer said. “We check for allergies such as gluten allergies, and all that.”

Hopdoddy’s continues to bring customers such as Erica Murphy back for their food. When Hopdoddy’s rst opened in College Station, Murphy would go at least twice a month — if not every week.

“I typically eat gluten free, so I can’t eat the buns from burgers, which is a pro here,” Murphy said. “Some burger places don’t have a lot of that, so I’m really thankful for that. The di erent options are what make me want to come back.”

The ambience and spots to eat at Hopdoddy’s is ideal for her family, Murphy said.

“I have three kids, so I love that they can play while we eat,” Murphy said. “If

the weather is nice we can eat outside, so that’s nice.”

Murphy said she’s lived in the Bryan-College Station area for 16 years and used to not have Hopdoddy’s as a restaurant option in the area.

“It’s very nice to have a place like this,” Murphy said. “It’s warm, welcoming and everyone’s kind. It’s just good energy.”

For Mattie Sue Arnold, Hopdoddy’s has been important in her life, being a place to go with her grandmother when she was younger and now a place to go with friends in her sorority.

“I come here a lot for events with friends, and it’s good to get a good burger,” Arnold said. “It’s not like a cheap burger. It’s a little nicer. I really like the french fries here and their burgers don’t compare to anywhere else.”

Arnold said Hopdoddy’s is close to where she lives, making it easier to nd a place to eat.

“I come here more because the one in San Antonio is farther away, so it’s kind of a place to come, and the workers are really nice.”

“If our people are happy, the guests are happy.”

- Garrett McKinsey

“The different options are what make me want to come back.”

- Erica Murphy

“I have three kids, so I love that they can play while we eat.”

- Erica Murphy

“It’s really sweet to see a grandma, grandpa, mom and dad, son and daughter, and everyone come in and have a great time.”

- Christian Milan

“I really like the french fries here and their burgers don’t compare to anywhere else.”

- Mattie Sue Arnold

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By Maddie Townsend @madelinetown

Houston-based thrift owner brings affordable picks for vintage-loving Aggies ri ed reads dresses the future of Aggieland through its past.

Located in the heart of Aggieland, ri ed reads opened its second location in August 2023 at 815 Texas Avenue. Despite less than a year of business, Aggies were con dent in choosing ri ed reads as their favorite vintage clothing shop of 2024.

BEST THRIFT STORE: Dressing the Future

Shortly a er opening its rst location in Houston, owner Laith Awad capitalized on the community Bryan-College Station o ered by opening the

second location here.

“What drew me into College Station [was] just noticing that

there’s a high demand out here with not much for students to pick from,” Awad said. “It was something I always had my eye on for years. But [ rst], it was me developing the brand in Houston and then expanding out to College Station and hopefully other cities.”

Before starting ri ed reads in Houston, Awad sold clothes to friends and family as a senior in high school.

“I was fortunate enough to understand how the supply chain of actually acquiring these clothes out of the textile recycling facilities works because my family’s into the wholesale and the textile recycling industry,” Awad said.

recycling process, Awad said.

“My dad’s been recycling textiles since [19]98,” Awad said. “He knows nothing about vintage, though, that was kind of when [I], as a younger generation, [came] into the game … My family probably recycles around 10 to 15 million pounds a year of clothing. I de nitely have always realized the impact on the environment that we make.”

Awad said he viewed each store as a canvas to create art and memories for the customers. While both locations cater to di erent communities, each prioritizes the experience of the customer.

Awad’s family highlighted the importance of recycling throughout his childhood, allowing him to appreciate the

“For me, it’s more than just selling clothes,” Awad said. “It’s building out the whole brand image and just showing what the brand is about and give people that feeling of just somewhere cool to be, somewhere nice to shop. You [can] take photos outside, hang out and stu like that.”

THRIFTED THREADS rough the Past

Not only does ri ed reads go through several rounds of curation to dress Aggies in the past, but internationally as well.

“I have a team of pickers [that] I train them [on] what we could resell,” Awad said. “ ey’ll start sourcing from there and then it’s me curating. A er that, it’ll go through three levels of curation before it actually gets to College Station. We ship all around the world. We do over 100 packages a month to Japan or over 500 packages a month to Canada so we’re de nitely a nation worldwide. Australia is also a big player for us.”

Customer experience is a priority for everyone who is a part of the ri ed reads sta , as employee and education junior Ashtyn Poth said that’s what makes them unique.

“I love seeing students especially be able to de-stress come here,” Poth said. “Lots of them will

just grab ice cream, come sit here, play some games and chill, which is really cool. And then they can shop up. Prices are very, very a ordable for college students, which I love. And that it’s sometimes really hard to nd.”

Poth said thri ing has always been a hobby of hers, and, being from Houston, she frequented Awad’s rst location.

“I loved going with my friends in high school, we would go all the time,” Poth said. “It’s just the uniqueness of it that I love and knowing that if I buy a shirt here, it’s very

unlikely that anyone will have anything similar.” ri ed reads keeps Texas A&M gear stocked to provide Aggies with unique school-wear. Poth said her favorite nd from

the shop is a T-shirt from the late 1980s, when A&M’s defense earned the title “Wrecking Crew” due to its success in Southwest Conference football.

“Back then, we used to call the defense the ‘wrecking crew’ because it was a really good defense for the past couple years,” Poth said. “ at’s my favorite shirt. A big vintage football player with a wrecking crew on it from A&M. I’ve never seen it anywhere.”

“It’s so positive here,” Poth said. “I never have a bad day at work, which I’ve never experienced before.”

ri ed reads has created an environment where people are not only welcome to shop, but also hang out in a unique shop. Aggies have seen the impact ri ed reads has had on the community, hosting events every month to further show its commitment to providing students with a fun atmosphere.

Fayobami Taiwo— THE BATTALION

BEST BARBEQUE: C&J BARBEQUE

Wood-Smoked Family Legacy

By Mikayla Martinez

@mikayla25news Building a community-oriented barbeque spot from the ground up

The heart of the Texan is in the stomach — and its barbeque. Aggieland has spoken by voting C&J Barbeque as the Best Local Barbecue for another year. The family at C&J Barbeque has become accustomed to winning awards in the Bryan-College Station area, as they are heavily involved in the local community.

C&J’s gas station-turned-barbeque restaurant draws customers to its open doors with the smells of slow-smoked meat and welcoming, old-timey wooden decor.

The store developed into three different locations across the Bryan-College Station area and won the Newmont Award for the fastest-growing business in Bryan-College Station in 2001. Their barbecue has become widespread, feeding crowds in Kyle Field and catering for celebrities like Elon Musk and Drake.

Founders Chip and Jo, or C&J, purchased the former gas station to provide for their growing family during a financial crisis. Justin Manning, their son and current owner of the restaurant, works to preserve the family-oriented values at C&J.

“My parents bought this in 1981,” Manning said. “It was a Gulf gas station that had two gas pumps to run a business out of. Back then, my dad had a little trailer pit in the front of the building and a screened-in porch, and he would cook maybe three or four briskets a day.”

The restaurant takes its barbecue seriously. With an early-morning meat smoking schedule and frequent menu additions, quality is the main focus. C&J Barbeque also provides catering services for events, hosts profit shares and offers online ordering.

“We cook about 2,500 pounds of bar-

becue daily,” Manning said. “We have cooked 300 briskets in a day. Once, we did a 1,200-person catering, and we got the entire staff through the line in 27 minutes. We even fed the entire maintenance and grounds crew of Texas A&M when they only had an hour for lunch.”

In its early days, the restaurant was one of the only gas stations and barbeque joints in the area. C&J attracted various clientele, including cowboys, construction workers and local families. Manning said his education consisted of

McDonald House, Texas A&M Athletics, Bourbon Christmas Party, Twin City Mission and Scotty’s House.

“We like to help out when we can,” Manning said. “When I hear things like, ‘You will never find a better family to work for,’ it’s the most fulfilling thing for me. I get to help train young people to become better adults.”

Manning and his sister have made improvements in recent years to keep the business thriving.

“You realize that people who can start

being taught by the “old timers” with stories and wise words as he grew up in the establishment.

“That’s part of what I love here because you never know who’s gonna come in the door and who has a story about growing up here, or what town used to be like, or fun stories of my dad when he got this place because he was born in [19]51,” Manning said. “Thinking about how much pressure there was, how scary it must have been to have a brand new family and a business you’re trying to run … and what they managed to accomplish, figuring it out as they went. It’s just super cool and inspiring.”

According to Manning, C&J Barbecue achieves success partly due to community contributions, including giving back to charitable causes like the Ronald

and run a successful business for years are very rare,” Manning said. “The ones who can pass that down to their children and their children’s children to continue to improve it and make it better and more profitable are incredibly rare. And to be able to be a part of that with our family has just been the best blessing in the world.”

Unique memorabilia, photos of family, customers, employees and the history of the barbecue joint are displayed on the walls of the original store location. Manning said he located the barbecue pit his father sold in the early stages of the business to provide for his family — a pit his father once assumed was lost. He organized a reveal for his parents on the news.

“The day before we opened our

brand-new restaurant, August 18, 2022, I got a piece of paper saying, ‘I have the original barbecue pit,’” Manning said. “I had been looking for this barbecue pit for maybe 15 years.”

Manning said he ensured his parents watched the news to witness the emotional reveal.

“I told them that I found it, and it had the original C&J welded on it,” Manning said. “It had been so long since I had seen it that I almost forgot what it looked like, but when I saw it, I knew it. Getting to surprise them at the grand opening at the brand new location made me pretty emotional.”

Taylor Gonzales, general manager of the location on 105 Southwest Pkwy, has been an employee of the close-knit establishment for 14 years. He heard about the company’s owners through a close friend.

“We are always going to take care of customers, and no matter what, we try to go above and beyond whether we make a mistake or not,” Gonzales said. “You can’t come in here and not find something that you’re going to love. There’s lots of variety.”

Customers have proven the restaurant the best in town, continuing to dine at C&J for years. Michael Thornton has been enjoying the barbeque since 1997.

“You always know what you’re going to get; it’s always good, and customer service is great,” Thornton said. “We’ve used them for catering services and have so much experience in making sure you have enough food and quality. They have a really good catering system.”

The C&J Barbeque, located within a mile of campus, attracts students as the hub for carefully-crafted Texas cuisine. Turner Clarke, Class of 2026 at A&M, has been enjoying the restaurant with his family and his friends for most of his life as a College Station local.

“I’ve been eating here for like 15 years, and I have loved it,” Clarke said. “It’s the best barbecue in town. My parents are friends with the owners, and they’re [a] great family, so it’s great to the community. They’re very involved, and there’s not really anywhere else like it in town.”

Sausage sandwich from C&J on Saturday, March 21, 2024. Adriano Espinosa — THE BATTALION

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BEST GROCERY STORE: H-E-B

‘Because Here, Everything’s Better’

Texas charm meets the unique Aggie spirit at H-E-B

By Diya Regi-Thomas @diyaregithomas

In the bustling hub of College Station, amidst the spirited prattle of Aggies and the clang of shopping carts, there’s one spot that stands out: H-E-B. The beloved grocery store has won the hearts of its devoted customers and adds a dash of Texan charm to distinguish the experience beyond just a weekly chore.

For locals and college students alike, H-EB’s community-focused culture has people flocking to its aisles and eager to return for more of its staple meals. The aroma of freshly baked goods and warm greetings draws in loyal customers and creates a sense of community and comfort for residents of the Bry-

an-College Station area.

After 28 years working for H-E-B, General Manager of the H-E-B branch on Texas Avenue, Tony Atkins, has seen it all, from a parking lot you could body-surf through during back to school season, to an almost completely deserted store during the Christmas season.

“I’m gonna retire this year, I was lucky to be hired at H-E-B in 1996, and it has been absolutely phenomenal,” Atkins said. “It’s the best thing that ever happened to me and my family. They just treat you so well. A lot of people don’t think about building a career at a grocery store, but it’s incredible that you feel so appreciated working at H-E-B. They charge me as a top leader to make sure that the culture of H-E-B lives within this store.”

Atkins started at H-E-B with prior experience in store management,, but he had to learn its culture first. Atkins said what sets H-E-B apart is the way it focuses on making

its customers and workers, who it calls partners, feel good.

“We can teach people how to do specific jobs and how to generate income off of sales,” Atkins said. “What you can’t do is create an environment where people feel appreciated and valued for what they do. That person pushing the carts has always been as important as the person sitting up here looking at numbers — probably more so.”

With open arms and welcoming spirits, Atkins said he wants H-E-B customers to walk into a stocked store with fresh food and have everything they need, from ready-toeat meals to sushi pizza. H-E-B looks a little bit different for College Station than many other stores statewide.

“One year during back-to-school, we sold almost 10,000 limes,” Atkins said. “Why do you think that is? One year during a hurricane, when the supply-chain was broken and nobody was able to get a hold of water,

every store was getting bad feedback. But, our store, as long as we didn’t run out of beer, everyone still loved us. In this store, everyone was happy.”

Raising four sons in College Station, constantly being surrounded by the Aggie spirit and A&M’s impact on this H-E-B kept Atkins grounded at his store, and what he thinks makes it different from anywhere else.

“The morning that we got Blue Bell back after nobody had it for a while, we were 24/7 back then, all the Aggies lined up at 3 a.m.,” Atkins said. “I had a line of students out my front door, out on the sidewalk. When the guys were loading the Blue Bell into the store, everyone was so polite, and when they were about done, they started singing the Aggie War Hymn, everyone was singing and dancing at like 5 a.m.”

Fayobami Taiwo — THE BATTALION

BEST FINE DINING: THE REPUBLIC STEAKHOUSE

Elevating Lone Star Cuisine

By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia Aggie chef redefines Southern flair, experiments with cultural flavors

Every city has a steakhouse, but there is only one Republic.

The Republic Steakhouse has remained a premier choice for fine dining by critics and customers alike. Founded by owner and executive chef Wade Barkman in 2007, The Republic offers a timeless venue for those seeking a robust dining experience. Within its first year of opening, it earned its AAA four-diamond rating and still remains the only one in College Station.

After Barkman graduated from Texas A&M in business, he began studying for two years at the Culinary Institute of America in 2000 — or the “Harvard” of culinary school — and worked in a number of New York restaurants. During the program, in 2002, he completed an externship in Napa Valley due to his love of wine. After graduation, Barkman began at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, even becoming the restaurant’s youngest general manager. His talent didn’t go unnoticed, and he was poached by business mogul Steve Wynn to help run one of his restaurants.

Approaching 30, Barkman said he looked to open a restaurant and returned to Aggieland to establish The Republic. Named in reference to the Republic of Texas, Barkman said he crafted its menu to highlight dishes influenced by the state’s melting pot of cultures. Created in mind for those who want to escape the predictability of other steakhouses, its menu features a creative take on Texas cuisine.

“You can pull up any steakhouse in the country, and I can tell you 15 things on their menu right now … it’s so predictable,” Barkman said. “There’s so many things about steakhouses that you have to have.”

While customers can expect classic steakhouse dishes and sides, many are

packed with bold Mexican, Creole, German and Asian flavors. The menu also showcases influence from New Mexico, as an homage to where Barkman grew up.

For normal steakhouse enjoyers — yes, your scallops or prime ribeye, New York strip and filet mignon steaks are classic, safe yet secure options.

However, for those looking for something new, consider trying The Republic’s poblano relleno, a highend version of a traditional Mexican dish. This pepper is stuffed with chimayo garlic shrimp and served with quinoa, cremini mushrooms, black beans and yellow squash. It’s tied together with salsa verde and zesty lime crema.

Want to try something earthy and umami? Consider the pork jägerschnitzel, a German pan-fried pork cutlet topped with bacon and roasted mushroom gravy. You can’t forget the fixings, which include smoked mashed potatoes and asparagus tips.

Other interesting dinner entrees include Barkman’s twist on Southern comfort classics, like the New Mexican fried chicken. However, Barkman said he can’t claim credit for creating the entire menu, such as one notable dish — the chicken fried filet mignon.

When asked what signature dishes he would recommend, Barkman said there is something for everyone at The Republic.

“Most of the dishes throughout the history of the restaurant have come from me, and I think they’re all worth trying,” Barkman said. “That’s a cliche, but I also know that not everybody’s into the same stuff.”

Barkman said the menu’s offerings are intended to be inclusive of other diets, such as vegetarians or pescatarians.

“There’s a lot of vegetarians that come through this area, and they need to have great experience as well,” Barkman said. “I think a restaurant’s menu needs to objectively look at all the holes that are in the market, and … you got to make sure that no

matter where [customers are] coming from, [there will be] a bunch of cool stuff that they’ll enjoy.”

However, an enjoyable dining experience starts in the kitchen. To serve unforgettable dishes, The Republic has always remained dedicated to sourcing the best possible ingredients.

“My staff can be proud of anything that we put out because … we don’t dabble in crap,” Barkman said. “There’s nothing in the building that isn’t worth using because it’s high-end ingredients across the board.”

Greatness begins with extreme attention to detail. Barkman said he spares no expense for obtaining ingredients, seeking out the best everything: salts, butters, olive oils, meats and more.

While a lot of preparation goes into its beloved dinner menu, it’s impossible to ignore The Republic’s extensive offerings of wine, whiskey and liquor. Its massive collection is a central part of the restaurant’s design, with hundreds of bottles displayed on shelves and cabinets.

In 2023, Wine Spectator presented The Republic with its Best Award of Excellence for its commitment to serving an interesting, wide selection of wines. The award is typically presented to restaurants that offer 350 or more selections, making it a prime location for serious wine lovers.

Likewise, its whiskey collection is just as impressive, with staff seeking out the best through a unique tradition named “Mash Madness” after the

college basketball tournament.

Beginning in 2017, The Republic has hosted its own 64-bottle blind taste test bracket, featuring many upsets and surprises. Barkman said he created the challenge to combat brand loyalties since the best bottle isn’t necessarily the most expensive.

“If it’s a $8 bottle whiskey or $800 bottle whiskey, who is your favorite?” Barkman said. “Whatever you say, you’re right.”

Barkman said the competition is a fun way to get guests involved in tasting, and the tradition has grown since its inception. Since then, over 80 gallons worth of whiskey have been poured, with 2,742 ounces being accounted for last season.

Being named Best of Aggieland, Barkman said it’s gratifying to be recognized by the local community for his staff’s dedication to seeking and serving quality, always.

“I think it shows that people have a great time when they get here,” Barkman said, who added how he appreciates serving hundreds of his regular customers, who may even visit two or three times a week.

For new customers interested in visiting, Barkman recommended making reservations via OpenTable as early as possible, since tables tend to fill up quickly.

Samson Baguma ’24 credits scholarship support with enabling him to attend Texas A&M University and become the first person in his family to graduate from college. After moving to the United States from Kenya, he overcame language barriers and other challenges to excel in high school and earn admission to Aggieland, eventually finding a home in the Corps of Cadets and Ross Volunteers.

Scholarships play a critical role in many stories like Samson’s. Discover how these meaningful gifts expand access to education and how you can create a customized scholarship to empower more students in our three-part Giving Academy video series.