TEMPLE, Texas(KXXV) — Temple Mall has been reopened since the beginning of last month after undergoing several fire code violations in October, but some of our neighboring businesses have recently discovered a new issue while trying to balance holiday sales.
- Casa Ole and Grappler's Lair relocate.
- Cattleman's Western Wear opens.
- Lights were off for a brief time for an unknown issue.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“We have changed locations," said a Casa Ole manager. "We are at the Old Little Mexico if you know where that is,."
Casa Ole is just one example of something that's been happening to some of the local businesses at the Temple Mall.
The restaurant declined to make further comment as to why they left. Neighbors just know the location at the mall never reopened after fire code violations shut the building down in October.
Another store, Grappler’s Lair, relocated to Downtown Belton.
In a statement, the owners tell me the decision did not come easy, but the shutdown was the last straw since profits depend on memberships, which are paid in advance.
Our decision to leave the mall did not come easy. We’ve grown to love the supportive community of small business owners trying to survive inside of it.
There were multiple reasons we had entertained leaving the mall but the final decision came when the mall was shut down because of the fire code.
There was no way for anyone to provide any kind of estimated date of re-opening and from what we were told by the fire marshall, ownership had been given multiple warnings about what was needed to be fixed before the shut down happened, and they failed to take care it.
When you have a membership based business, you’re paid in advance for your services. This is our only means of income and we were losing members every single day that we were closed.
We needed stability not only our the livelihood and our business, but the many students who call Grappler’s Lair their home away from home. As far as the news paper goes, I haven’t read it.
I know there were power issues and rumors that the whole mall was shut down recently, but many of our sweet friends who own businesses like Peggy’s, Candy and More, Under My Skin, and Fae’s Bounty have all been open this whole time. I think it’s so important to continue to support these small business that are trying to support their families
Cattleman’s Western Wear had to postpone its grand opening, but the doors are now open.
“I was trying to envision how everything was going to be, and now seeing it all, it’s really unbelievable,” Bryan Welch said, owner of Cattleman’s Western Wear.
Then, over the Thanksgiving holiday, some business owners lost power. Cattleman said a generator was needed to keep their store going.
“So far everyone has been really nice and just real thankful that we are here, I’m just tickled to death that we have had such a good response from the community,“ said Welch.
Other businesses like Nature Connection World had to operate differently by using vendor opportunities and light peeking in through the ceiling. I'm told by some business owners that they haven’t been informed what went wrong with the lights; they are just thankful for them to be back on.
As I worked my way out of the mall, I noticed visual damage from the tornado and tried one last time to give the manager a call.
VOICEMAIL: “You’ve reached Shannon Desanto's voicemail. I am in the office but away from my phone.”
