Texas Border Business
Laredo,TX— Entrepreneurial spirit is high and people are flocking to large cities nationwide in search of business opportunities. According to WalletHub’s 2022 report, Laredo, Texas, is climbing the ranks and gaining attention. Recognized as the third best large city to start a business in, Laredo has accessible financing, a strong business environment and relatively low business costs.
“This is something that everyone should be open to and can be open to, even if they’ve never owned a business before,” explained Claudia Lardizabal, FranNet Consultant for the Laredo area, in a KGNS-TV interview. “We always encourage our clients to go and talk to these local organizations that are there to assist you in planning and taking a look at everything that’s going on.”
The franchise market is ripe in Laredo and throughout Texas as many franchises are experiencing notable growth within the state and targeting Texas markets for future expansion projects.
For many people, Lardizabal explained, there has been a shift from job security to income security in recent years. This manifests itself in entrepreneurship and people pursuing small businesses in franchise form or otherwise.
“It’s amazing and congratulations to Laredo for taking that third spot!” she said. “I expect some great growth out of Laredo.”
Layne’s Chicken Fingers, the “Soon To Be Famous™” chicken brand founded in College Station, has built a strong following with small-town charm, iconic chicken fingers and sauces, and friendly service. After building a Layne’s family in College Station, the brand is providing flexible build-out opportunities for potential franchisees interested in leveraging the Laredo business market.
“Laredo, we’d love to be in,” Garret Reed, Layne’s Chicken Fingers CEO, said in a KGNS-TV interview. “There’s a lot of chatter about it. It’s the place to grow in.”
“We are Texas-born and Texas-bred, and we have an enormous and loyal following here,” said Samir Wattar, Layne’s Chief Operating Officer. “Every location we’ve opened has seen fantastic success, and there is still so much white space for us to cover.”
The brand has signed development deals for more than 40 units; though not exclusively in Texas, the vast majority — 35 — are set to open in the brand’s home state. As franchising inquiries continue to grow, Wattar explained that both the brand and its potential partners will benefit from a flexible brick-and-mortar footprint that will allow franchise owners to establish their businesses in a variety of locations.
MOOYAH Burgers, Fries and Shakes, the fast-casual brand built on the foundation of making guests the best burger around, is committed to providing high quality burgers, hand-cut fries, and real ice cream shakes. With nearly 100 locations across the country, MOOYAH continues to look toward franchise growth with qualified restaurant operators, bringing the best tasting burgers to even more guests. Texas is the brand’s home state, so closing out each market – including Laredo – is a priority.
“We believe Laredo will be a receptive market to the MOOYAH brand as there are not current options in the area that offer the customization and quality proposition that we do. We are looking forward to partnering with the right local operator to help bring MOOYAH to the community of Laredo, offering a top notch meal at an affordable price. We already have many restaurants in Texas and Laredo will be a great next stop,” said Mike Sebazco,
EVP of Operations & Development.
The largest franchised moving company in North America, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK, has nearly 400 units in operation and has performed more than nine million moves since its inception in 1985. The brand continues to center Moving People Forward® and giving back to the communities in which it is located. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® looks forward to opening additional locations in the state of Texas.
“The diversity of this state is a perfect fit and our full-service franchises have the experience in larger cities as well as smaller communities,” explained Cheryl Ackley, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s Franchise Development Specialist. “We have found customers want to work with a company that is reputable and has stood the test of time. With more than 35 years of proven moving experience, we have diversified our services to include local and long-distance moving options, warehouse and portable storage, packing and unpacking services, junk removal, and the sale of packing supplies to provide the best customer experience out there. We are truly customer centric with a 96% customer referral rating.”
