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Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

A Refreshing Break From The Summer Heat

January 8th, 2010

With the summer heat rising already, keeping cool is becoming more and more difficult. So if you’re sitting in traffic either on South Broadway, or on troop highway, and you see the sign for Braum’s Ice Cream, consider making a quick stop. The variety of ice cream is second to none. On a hot Tyler Texas afternoon a cool scoop of peppermint ice cream is the most refreshing thing this East Texan can think of, unless of course you throw in a cherry lime-aid. By the way, the Braum’s cherry lime-aid is just about the best drink in town that doesn’t require an ID to buy. It’s a great blend of both tart and sweet.

Although their signature items are dairy products, Braum’s also offers conventional lunch time foods like burgers and fries.

So whether you’re on your way home from work or a day at the lake, escape the traffic for a few minutes and make your commute a little less tedious. Swing into Braum’s for a cone and a cold drink. It might even become part your summertime routine.

A Pizza A Beer And A Ball Game

January 8th, 2010

Double Daves Pizza
Located on South Broadway, Double Dave’s Pizzeria serves some of the best pizza in town. From 11:00 to 1:00 the restaurant offers a buffet. However, Dave’s isn’t like the other cheap pizza buffets in town. The higher quality is evident in every bite. The signature item on the menu is the pepperoni roll. Available by the half dozen, dozen, or on the buffet, this item is worth the trip by itself.

The atmosphere at Dave’s is sort of a guy’s Chucky Cheese. With numerous large screen TVs, all tuned to a different sports channel, and a short list of favorite beers to choose from, D.D.’s is a great place to watch the game. They also deliver.

So next time your going out for pizza in Tyler Texas, whether a lunch buffet, or just picking up a pie, choose a better pizza, and don’t forget the pepperoni rolls.

Stereo and Video Center on South Broadway

January 8th, 2010

In business since 1976, this company knows how to meet the video and audio needs of Tyler Texas. They specialize in home theatre sales and installation as well as car audio and GPS. When you walk in to the store you are greeted first by very large state of the art televisions and then by a smiling face who has time for you. They have an average of ten to nineteen qualified and experienced staff. Every time I have gone into the store I have been treated like an honored guest by those not already helping the other customers pick out audio or video equipment for their homes or vehicles.

My first experience was with their car audio department. I was in need of a CD player for my car that was capable of connecting with MP3 players. I decided to try Best Buy before anywhere else. I walked into Best Buy and found the car audio section. I expected standard Best Buy customer service. Instead I was ignored for about ten minutes while an employee laughed with a couple friends. Then I was curtly told that I need to drive around to the back where they are installed. The installation employee was working on a car. He saw me waiting and continued working without speaking to me. About five or ten minutes later he came out and rudely told me that I now needed to drive back around to the front to pick out a CD player. So I got in my car and drove across the street to Stereo & Video Center to see if they could offer better service.

I was pleasantly surprised. They were instantly friendly and helpful. I quickly realized that they only sold equipment that they would stand behind – quality. I was concerned about the price, and so the employee found one that was not on display that brought the price down significantly. They immediately went to work on my car. They even had attractive furniture set up in front of the plasma TVs so I could wait comfortably for them to finish with my car. My experience with Stereo and Video Center was so impressive that I only recommend them for such things to my friends and family. I tell people about their amazing customer service when exchanging customer service horror stories. I also returned to them as my first choice when I needed new speakers in my car.

The experience was once again above and beyond the business standard. On this second visit I felt even more taken care of. As I waited for my car to be worked on the other employees engaged in friendly conversation with me. There was a problem with the installation where they realized that I needed larger speakers than they had thought. The cost would have been an extra twenty dollars per speaker. Without me even asking, the employee said he just adjusted the price since he had quoted me the lower price before they started working. It was hard to believe, but this is how customer service should be. Tyler companies could benefit from having their employees visit and observe Stereo and Video Center in action. I have never been disappointed with this company, and you will not be either.

5711 S Broadway Ave.
Tyler, TX  75703-4350

(903) 561-7455

Southside Bank in Tyler Texas

January 6th, 2010

There are a lot of banks to choose from. So why choose Southside Bank in Tyler TX?

Southside is a local bank that might just trick you. It is a small town, folksy business, but it also offers many of the benefits associated with the large national chains. Need an ATM? Southside Bank has a full range of ATM’s all around the city: 19 of them at last count. Do you need online banking? Southside does that, too, and does it well. This is no mom & pop establishment. Southside isn’t afraid to change with the times.

Southside Bank has fifteen separate Tyler Texas bank locations, and several more in Lindale and Whitehouse. While they have large locations like the main office on South Beckham or their South Broadway branch, most Southside branches are located inside of Tyler’s most popular shopping centers. Southside jumped on the “bank inside the grocery store” trend early, and it has paid off for them. They are known as the “most convenient bank in east Texas.” There is hardly a Brookshires or Albertsons within 50 miles that doesn’t boast a Southside Bank office. This was a wonderful benefit for my family. We found ourselves going to Brookshires for various items multiple times every week. And whenever we were there, we could hop in to Southside to deposit a check or pull out some cash. No separate stops were necessary![ad#large-blog-block]

My wife and I had multiple accounts with Southside Bank for years in Tyler, and we were always satisfied. It was not easy to get an account set up since we were coming in from out of state. That is the obvious downside of doing business with a local bank. National chains like US Bank and Bank of America have branches all over the nation, so starting out of state accounts or transferring money is never a problem. But once we did get our accounts set up with them, we were very satisfied. Did they make the typical small town mistakes? Yes, occasionally. They have their share of clerical errors, but whether they have more than a typical national bank is debatable. Any teller can hit a wrong key by mistake. But whenever those things came up, the tellers or bankers always worked quickly and apologetically to remedy the situation.

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And that might be the best reason of all to choose Southside Bank: quality customer service. The men and women of Southside are always courteous and professional. They seemed to enjoy their work, and that is probably why they consistently did a good job.

If you are looking for a new bank to handle your checking accounts, business expenses, home loans, etc, Southside Bank of Tyler Texas can handle it. They may be small, but they are able.

Movies in Tyler Texas

December 20th, 2009

For showtimes at all the movie theaters in Tyler we recommend using an online service like Flixter, Fandango, or RottenTomatoes

Because Tyler, TX is a mid-sized city that is overshadowed by titans like Dallas and Fort Worth, people often say there is nothing to do in the city. There are no pro sports teams, and major concerts with big name artists are rare. Maybe this is true to a degree but virtually ever resident of Tyler Texas love movies and restaurants. There are hundreds of restaurants in the city, but there are three movie theaters: The Hollywood Rose, Carmike 14, and Times Square Cinema. Below is a brief description of each of these.

Movie Theaters in Tyler

Hollywood Rose Cinema

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $7.75

This west Tyler theater was built in the 1990’s, and remains a popular choice for many young people in the city. However, “The Tyler Rose” is generally considered the worst theater in Tyler. The staff members appear to hate their jobs, and the floor is perpetually sticky. The movie viewing, too, is subpar. Expect problems with the projector and sound, and maybe even the temperature. But the biggest problem with The Tyler Rose is the chaotic atmosphere. The theater is ground zero for high school loiterers who have nothing better to do than attract attention to themselves. Fights are routine, and there are often policemen roaming the premises. For other high schoolers, this might be an attractive atmosphere. But not for parents who want to send their kid to a movie, and not for adults who just want to watch a film in peace.[ad#large-blog-block]

Carmike 14 in Tyler

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $8.25

Carmike 14 is Tyler’s largest and most modern theater. It is located close to a hoard of shopping outlets on South Broadway such as Kohls, Target, Walmart Super Center, and Gander Mountain. Carmike 14 is a fine theater, offering digital projection and 3-D movies (when they are available.) The staff are generally cheerful and competent. The stadium seating, too, is great. I have few qualms with Carmike 14, other than the slightly higher prices and the problem of crowds. But at least the crowds are there because it’s a good theater, unlike The Tyler Rose.

Times Square Cinema

Cost for a regular admission ticket: $7.50

Long before The Tyler Rose or Carmike 14 were ever built, movies in Tyler Texas were being shown 7 days a week at a little theater in Times Square on South Broadway. The theater has just six screens, and a small staff. It has an entirely different feel than most modern theaters. It’s a much more down to earth atmosphere because it is a family owned and operated business. When you go there, you can expect digital projection, 3-D viewing, and a clean atmosphere. The screens are smaller than the ones at the other theaters, but the experience is better overall. The best part? The high school kids prefer to hang out at the bigger places. Times Square patrons are their to watch movies, not to attract (or repulse) potential mates.

Video Rentals in Tyler

If you prefer to rent movies in Tyler Texas, there are still two Blockbuster video stores, one on 5th and Beckham, and one on Troupe in the Green Acres Shopping Center. Hollywood Video is still renting to customers on South Broadway. Ten years ago, this city was crawling with video stores! But the advent of Netflix and RedBox movie kiosks have made those places irrelevant. If you want to rent a movie in Tyler, it’s easier and cheaper to drop into WalMart or MacDonalds. Update: Netflix and Redbox have destroyed all rental movie stores. Sorry but you will have to mail order your video rentals, do pay per view, or use the redbox and blockbuster video vending machines around town.