BRYAN, Texas — The Texas Meat Market in Bryan, a locally-owned business, is digging through the debris left behind by a fire that happened around 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Bryan Fire department tells 25 News the fire started Tuesday afternoon in the barbecue area – though the cause is still under investigation.
While the meat market has been open for only two years, it has certainly made an impact on the community, and the loss goes beyond the walls of the business.
“The call came in around 3:30 yesterday afternoon, reports of heavy smoke showing at the meat market,” said Jason Nored, assistant chief of operations of the Bryan Fire Department. “We had five engines respond and two latter trucks, a couple of ambulances, and then a command vehicle.
Nored says after they received the call of the meat market catching fire, crews quickly responded.
“They arrived within two minutes of being dispatched and crews were able to get the fire under control pretty quickly,” said Nored.
Local taco truck owner, Mike Marks, says he gets the bulk of his supply from Texas Meat Market.
“As a local business, to be honest with you, is to source as much as we can locally,” said Mike Marks of Raging Bull Street Tacos. “Ms. Laura and the Mendez family are amazing. They are our meat supplier. Their business is super critical for our business to operate. Without them, you can’t have tacos.”
Marks says in the meantime, he will have to try and find another meat supplier.
“You know this is just devastating to scramble and find another supplier because Ms. Laura was always there for us,” said Marks. “It’s tough, especially last minute when you don’t have anybody.”
While Marks may not have a supplier at the moment, he’s doing what he can to help out.
“We’re at the Sound of Music in Navasota and then we’re helping out at the Aggieland Humane Society,” said Marks. “Part of the proceeds are going to Texas Meat Market to give back.”
Marks says he chooses to go to Texas Meat Market to not only support another small business but also because of the quality.
“You have definitely different vendors in town, but we choose Texas Meat Market because they have really high-quality stuff and I’m kind of picky on what we do with tacos, so it’s really hard to find that specific vendor within a matter of a few hours,” said Marks.
While the Mendez family is not ready to comment at this time, they are grateful for the outpour of support from the community as they try and pick up the pieces from the fire.
Starting Friday, the Mendez family will open their food truck outside of the Texas Meat Market and sell tacos for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until supplies last.