Texas Border Business
MERCEDES, Texas – It was 10 years in the making and when it happened, the community’s high school band, cheerleaders, and dozens of elated residents were on hand to celebrate the ribbon-cutting opening of a McDonald’s in Mercedes.
“It’s a historic day,’’ said Fred Gonzalez, the president of the Mercedes Chamber of Commerce, of the Aug. 23 ceremony commemorating the official opening of the McDonald’s on Texas Avenue.
Bringing a McDonald’s to Mercedes was a 10-year project, Gonzalez said. He credited the efforts of the Mercedes Economic Development Corporation’s board and its executive director, Melissa Ramirez, for being persistent and “not giving up on bringing a McDonald’s to Mercedes.’’
The timing of the Aug. 23 opening adds further momentum to a string of similar developments in recent months. Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Starbucks and Sonic have each entered the Mercedes market over the last year. The city is poised to make a major announcement in the coming weeks of a major retailing and restaurant development project to be built just east of the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlets.
The McDonald’s opening takes its rightful place among those positive developments with the added benefit of being located in the downtown area.
“This is something that’s really good for Mercedes,’’ City Commissioner Ruben J. Saldana said. “We really needed this for downtown.’’
Warm Welcome & Support
Franchise owner Hector De La Garza was touched by the warm community welcome on a humid summer morning.
“It’s really beautiful to see everyone here,’’ De La Garza said to the crowd in front of his new restaurant. “My thanks to the band, cheerleaders, and everyone here for their support.’’
De La Garza, who lives in Brownsville, owns two McDonald’s outlets with the other restaurant being in neighboring La Feria. He spoke at the groundbreaking earlier this year of being surprised a McDonald’s had not previously located in Mercedes and being pleased to be the franchise owner who would make that possible. The community’s response since the soft opening in late July shows Mercedes was more than ready for its own McDonald’s.
“I haven’t seen the drive-through empty yet,’’ Saldana said.
It was a packed house on the morning of Aug. 23 as high school students filled the restaurant and residents greeted De La Garza with warm wishes after he made his remarks. Chamber president Gonzalez said De La Garza made a $2.5 million investment in land and construction to get his Mercedes restaurant built. That size of investment plus the tens of thousands in yearly sales tax revenues the restaurant will bring to the city every year will be felt locally, he said.
City Commissioner Saldana said the opening of the McDonald’s is another indication of the progress Mercedes is making as it pushes forward for more growth.
“Together as a team we’re going to get more of this in our fair city,’’ he said.
