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Big Lots by the Mall in Tyler, TX

January 27th, 2010

4400 South Broadway Avenue
Tyler, TX 75703-1303
(903) 581-7477‎

I love Big Lots. I am a huge fan of the concept of selling overstocked and discontinued items at an awesome price. They keep a regular supply of most items you would find in a small convenience store such as trash bags and socks, but a large part of their inventory is constantly changing. They always have soaps and shampoos, but maybe one day you’ll find a really nice brand for cheap and not the next week. 

Big Lots in Tyler Texas

Big Lots near Robert E. Lee High School

 Regardless of the inventory changes, one thing stays constant. The prices at Big Lots are always cheaper than comparable stores. It also maintains the fun feel of treasure hunting almost like shopping at thrift stores.

This Big Lots is located on South Broadway across the street from the Mall and right next door to Robert E. Lee High School. It shares a parking lot with Michael’s, the arts and crafts store, and T.G.I.Friday’s, along with a dozen other smaller single location stores. This location is a great convenience for when you want to go to several stores on the same trip into town. I go to this one when I am looking for gifts, because if I can’t find something good at Big Lots I can head over to Michael’s or the half-price used book store in the same lot. The problem with this store’s location is the traffic. I can only assume that the intersection of South Broadway and Loop 323 is the busiest intersection in Tyler. This happens to be where Big Lots is located. Almost any time of the day, it is hard to navigate through this area. If you are traveling via the loop, you have to be prepared to choose the turning lane a few stoplights before you get to the intersection. Once in the parking lot, you still can’t relax until you have stopped, because this lot seems to be a collecting spot for all of the impatient people in Tyler.

A fun addition to your trips to Big Lots in the Spring and Summer is that right outside of Big Lots going towards Loop 323 there are usually a couple of guys selling produce. They’ll often be selling watermelons and oranges and then whatever else happens to be in season. 

Robert E. Lee Highschool Tyler TX

Robert E. Lee Highschool

 Even if you aren’t in the mood for fruit, these guys will usually give you a huge East Texas smile and greeting just for acknowledging them.

While, the other Big Lots store in Tyler has a full furniture show room, this store location does not. This branch sells furniture to be assembled at home. They have book shelves, entertainment centers, glider rocking chairs, small dressers and other things along this line. Most of these are very attractive and afford-ably but are made of the non-durable press board. Though, for something like a small bookshelf, this store offers almost exactly what you need and will beat the price of most other stores with similar products.

I’ve also been impressed with their small electronics section near the front. They have standard computer accessories like mice and USB cables. This section has regular and rechargeable batteries. My favorite item that I’ve found here, though, is a set of burnable CDs. 

Big Lots in Tyler

Big Lots in Tyler

 A couple of times that I’ve gone, they’ve had incredible deals on blank CDs. The problem is you have to be willing to check and understand that with this kind of store there is not much guarantee that they will have the item you wanted.

One last feature about this location I should fill you in on is their bedding section. If you are in the market for new sheets for your bed, then check out Big Lots first. The section can be a little messy because most of the sheet sets are the only one like them in the store. It should be divided into bed size, but look around in the whole section. You can sometimes find really high thread count sheets sets for less than half the cost of other retail stores. The bottom line is that you should give Big Lots a few shots. Visit the store a few different times and at least see if it is a good fit for your personality and shopping needs. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Vietnamese Pho Restaurant

January 23rd, 2010

Vietnamese Pho Restaurant

3837 US Hwy 64
Tyler, TX 75704
(903) 526-1599

Having recently moved to Tyler Texas, I am always on the lookout for new places to eat. I am particularly fond of ethnic food, so when I heard about a new Vietnamese restaurant in town, I couldn’t wait to try it out. My wife and I met her two brothers and their wives for dinner there last night, and we all agreed that it was a great experience. Pho Vietnamese Restaurant

Pho Restaurant is located just outside W Loop 323 on US Hwy 64, across from the big super Wal-Mart. It’s right next to El Quatro Mexican restaurant, which I haven’t tried out yet. Parking is plentiful, and the lot is well lit at night. It is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 8pm. There is a sister location on N. High street in Longview as well.

The atmosphere and décor leave something to be desired, but that is fairly common for small mom-and-pop Asian restaurants. The dining area was very clean – I didn’t see any food or trash on the floor or on any of the unoccupied tables. The restrooms were also quite clean. The fluorescent lights and drop-in ceiling detract a little from the overall dining experience, but what Pho lacks in atmosphere, it makes up in service and taste. (If you are looking for Asian dining with great atmosphere, try Julian’s in the Times Square Shopping Center on South Broadway).

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The menu at Pho Restaurant is clearly laid out and very reasonably priced. I think all of their entrees are under 10 dollars, and most of them are 7 dollars or less. A casual glance around the room can help you decide what dish to order – they have large pictures of many of their menu items posted on the walls. I ended up choosing my meal by looking at the pictures on the wall. I chose number 22 – stir fried vermicelli with beef, chicken, and shrimp.

One of the things that impressed me was the quality of the service. When the hostess noticed my sister-in-law feeding baby food to her one year old daughter, she brought a little child-sized plate for her to use. When our meals arrived, she recommended which sauces and seasonings to use with each of our dishes. The hoisin and sriracha sauces she suggested for my meal complimented it perfectly. They gave it a wonderful sweet and savory flavor with just enough of a spicy kick to make your lips tingle.

Now on to the good stuff! My stir-fried vermicelli with chicken, beef, and shrimp was absolutely delicious. My wife loved menu item 8b – shrimp and egg roll with vermicelli. The shrimp was grilled to perfection, and it came with some kind of vinegar/fish sauce that she mixed with the hoisin sauce to create a delightful and savory meal.

Pho Vietnamese Restaurant Tyler TX

Pho Vietnamese Restaurant

For an appetizer we ordered the shrimp spring rolls. If you have never tried Vietnamese spring rolls, you simply must try them at Pho. They are incredibly cool and crisp and refreshingly unique owing to the fresh mint leaves they use to make them. The portions at Pho restaurant are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and the food is authentically Vietnamese.

All six of us who ate there last night said that we would order the same meal again next time, and all six of us ordered different things! I personally loved menu item 22, but I feel confident recommending items 8b and 10b as well. If you are looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine at a fair price, you no longer need to drive to Dallas to get it. Go check out Vietnamese Pho Restaurant. You won’t be disappointed.

Chick Fil A

January 21st, 2010

Chick-Fil-A
3830 Troup Highway
Tyler 75703
903 561-2324

Other locations: Broadway Square Mall, UT Tyler and South Broadway

It has to be said by someone – Chick-Fil-A is the best place to eat fast food in Tyler.

Here are four reasons:
Rapid efficient service
Customer care
Delicious child-friendly food and drinks
Good value

On a recent trip to Tyler with 3 children and a baby we went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. I was not a reluctant customer having tasted their peanut oil-fried chicken on several occasions before. It is good! My children were ecstatic – they love the food too and enjoy the indoor play area.

It was busy but all the registers were open and my order was taken rapidly and with a smile. As the kids had already left to play I had 2 trays of food to carry but immediately someone came to my side and helped me to the table with the food. She brought me a highchair and plastic table mat and some iced water. I was impressed! Later she came back with mints for the children and offered to refill our beverages.

The place was spotless, the pride they take in their establishment is plain to see.

We started eating – Mmm-Mmm! How nice NOT to have salty fries for the kids but waffle potatoes (real potatoes that is!) and proper chicken breast that hasn’t been reconstituted from some mystery meat. I enjoyed the honey mustard dressing on my Southern salad – it was really good. Without the plastic packaging, that sort of salad could be served at an upscale restaurant for double the price. It even had honey roasted sunflower seeds and croutons on top. The kid’s meals were superb too. They could choose milk or apple juice as an alternative to soda and had the option of a fruit cup instead of waffle fries. And the chicken nuggets were so delicious – we had to go back and order another little box of them.

I was also impressed with the toys that come with the kid’s meals. On this visit, they had Bernstein bear books – yes, real books! The time before, it was science kits complete with ideas for home experiments. No plastic chuck-away Disney trash here, you actually want to keep the freebie.

Whilst we were eating a bell rang and everyone applauded. At Chick-Fil-A the 100th customer of the day eats free. What a fun company policy. I hope one day it’s me.

On our way out I stopped to buy a take-out milkshake. They looked so good and we felt we just had to try one. It was a bit sweet for me but the children loved it.

Chick-Fil-A is a great business. I hope they will soon open one near where we live in Lindale so we can enjoy it more often!

Walmarts in Tyler

January 12th, 2010

While I’m not sure Tyler warrants them, we now have three Wal-Mart Supercenters in town. The idea of one stop discount shopping is a fine idea. I’m a firm believer in free enterprise capitalism. So if I’m critical of the store it’s not about politics. It is about the quality of the product and care given by the employees to address customer needs as well as maintain the store.

The South Broadway and the Troup locations are pretty nice stores. Although they are not the Wal-Mart’s I usually shop, I find that they are orderly and the employees are generally fairly knowledgeable. I have heard the retail giant often poked fun at for its greeters. Not unlike walking into church there is usually someone there to welcome and if necessary point the customer in the direction of what he or she is looking for. This is not something I require in a department store but it is nice. The employees at these locals are mostly neat in appearance, and reflect positively on their perspective stores.

This is not my impression of the highway 64 location. Upon entering the store the customer is “greeted” by an employee who stands and listlessly stares in the direction those entering the building. The store’s appearance is another problem. It is generally disorganized, and what is more, the employees usually know very little about the products they sell. On more than one occasion, I’ve had workers tell me they were unable to find what I was looking for and simply leave me to search the aisle on my own. And then there are the customers themselves… I guess I’ve just never experienced the joy that loitering in a department store can bring.

As a rule, I like Wal-Mart’s low prices and their community involvement. The company is a good company, but some of the local outlets need some serious quality control. In comparison with other companies like Target who’s stores are always neat and the employees are always attractive, Wal-Mart has its work cut out for it. For those who have a choice of Supercenters I would shy away from the 64 location. Better yet, try shopping on line at www.walmart.com.

More Than Just A Shirt But Not Much

January 8th, 2010

For as long as I can remember I’ve seen Tylerites of all ages wearing around the popular Racquet and Jog T-shirts. I have often marveled at their popularity, even seeing them as far away as Dallas. In spite of this effective advertising campaign, I had never actually entered Tyler Racquet and Jog. Well, that all changed today, and I have to admit to being even more impressed by the store’s ad strategy than I was prior to my visit.

The store is nice enough in appearance and very well stocked. They carry a lot of swim wear and running shoes, cleats and ball caps. Actually, they have fairly good selection of footwear in general. Customers can also find various brands of tennis balls, soccer balls, and softballs. And then there are those famous T-shirts, available in every imaginable style and color. And for the customer looking for these fashionable Tees, remember there’s only one store in Tyler where they can be found.

Overall however, I found the store to be essentially just a clothing store. If that sounds critical it’s because I expected more. I was looking for more equipment and better prices. What I found instead seemed more like a sporty, more expensive GAP, complete with high school students working summer jobs. Having said that, R & J is not a bad store, it’s just a bit too trendy for my taste and didn’t really live up to the hype. They carry very nice merchandise, but if you shop there, be prepared to pay a bit more for it. On a scale of one to five I’d give it a three. But don’t simply take my word for it. Stop in for a visit and judge for yourself. Racquet and Jog is located at 4007 South Broadway in Tyler.