I have been a fan of Andy’s frozen custard for some time now. Ever since Andy’s came into town I have been going there and was most impressed with their fresh fruits they have available for blending into their custard. I enjoy blending in blueberries, blackberries, and sometimes a candybar mix or just a chocolate malt. I do however have a problem with their strawberries. Andy’s still uses the sweet syrup strawberries out of a box. I like those in small doses usually on a strawberry shortcake but it is a little overpowering in their icecream. I end up having to scoop a lot of them out like I do when I get them on my pancakes at IHOP. I really do not have anything else to complain about in regards to Andy’s frozen custard. Their icecream product is superb and their ingredients are great as well.
Marble Slab Creamery is another favorite of mine but it took a little longer to catch on with me. I think the reason I wasn’t immediately driven to go in and try Marble Slab’s icecream simply had to do with the convenient drive through of Andy’s. Also the idea of a Marble Slab seemed like a gimmick and I didn’t want to fall for it. I eventually went with my wife and what I discovered was that the Marble Slab flavor “sweet cream” is far superior to Andy’s Frozen Custard even though I love Andy’s also. Another interesting thing about Marble Slab is that they have a competitor called Cold Stone that isn’t in the Tyler area and I am glad. Cold Stone’s quality of product is far less than what you will get at Marble Slab and they are more expensive.
When choosing the sweet cream I will almost always get sweet cream and have strawberries and marshmellows mixed in. The strawberries at Marble Slab are fresh unfrozen strawberries and not the mushed frozen syrupy kind in a box you will get from Andy’s. I think you will discover that my combination of marshmellows and strawberries in the sweet cream flavor is about as good as you will be able to come up with on your own. I have tried experimenting with different ingredients and flavors but I haven’t found anything that beats this flavor combination.
As you can see I like my icecream and although Andy’s is very good I think Marble Slab is the best. Marble Slab is located next to Jason’s Deli across from Barnes and Nobles on broadway. When ordering an icecream be sure to ask for a card and they will stamp it for you. Once your card is filled up with stamps you will get a free icecream.
For more interesting Tyler business news articles written by locals like you just visit Tyler TX Directory blog section at http://www.tylertxdirectory.com
As a traditional male, I hate shopping. While they do have the advantage of offering a huge variety, department stores can be a source of frustration. Service is often bad, the stores become disorganized quickly, and I often find it necessary to sift through a lot of low quality merchandise before finding what I want. Of all the major department store chains however, I do have my favorite.
Target is not only a great department store, but as huge corporations go, it’s a good Tyler neighbor. Between the distribution center, located just south of Lindale, and the area stores, the company employs thousands of East Texans. It is also very involved in community affairs and local charities. The store itself is always neat and clean which for me can make or break the department store experience. I find there is almost nothing worse than wandering the aisles of a dirty disorganized store looking for the one thing I came to buy. Target usually does a great job keeping the store attractive and easy to navigate.
Another of the store’s strengths is its staff. The employees of Target’s biggest competitor in Tyler are often disheveled and unhelpful. Those of Target are always attractive, neat and knowledgeable.
I will concede that the store’s prices can be slightly higher, but I remind the reader that you tend to get what you pay for. And with the Christmas season just around the corner, I trust there will be a lot of sales to bring in even the thriftiest customers. The quality of products like clothing is definitely higher than the competition’s, and I should mention the selection is better, particularly for business casual attire.
So if you’re looking for a better shopping experience and better quality goods overall, I suggest giving Target a try. While it’s admittedly not a local business a good portion of the dollars spent there do stay home in Tyler Texas. Target is located at 7003 on South Broadway, next to Wal-Mart. For more on Tyler area department stores, see the Tyler blog section of this site and look for the title “Wal-Marts in Tyler.”
As the Halloween holiday approaches the Tyler area begins to turn the large abandoned buildings into Halloween costume shopping centers. Not many people shop around for the best prices or the best selection. Two new competing Halloween stores have opened in town right across the road from each other. I shopped at each comparing the two in both selection and prices.
At Spirit Halloween I was greeted by a scene of spooky lawn decorations setting the mood for the Halloween holiday. As I pass by aisle after aisle of costume for every person in your family I am greeted by an employee dressed up in a costume. I made the whole shopping experience more exciting, although I got pretty frustrated when an employee dressed as a serial killer would not leave my frightened kid alone. I looked through the many different choices of costumes for small children, I loved the many different fun outfits and all the different accessories to make top of the perfect costume. I walked across the store to the woman’s Halloween costumes. Every single item was either going to show everything up top or show so much leg its dangerously close to showing much more. I don’t understand why Halloween is the day of the year that woman are expected to dress as inappropriate as possible. Costumes actually had the word “slutty” on the bag; slutty nurse, slutty lunch lady, slutty cat. I don’t really understand how a cat is slutty, but seriously? Why can’t you ever find an appropriate, fun outfit for woman in Tyler Texas? I guess I will stick to getting material from Hobby Lobby and making my own!
Across Broadway is the Halloween Bootique. When I walked into the store I was not greeted by any scary yard ornaments or employees dressed for the season. Come to think of it I was not very greeted by normal dressed employees. No one asked if they could help me, I don’t think I said a single thing to an employee and I was the only costumer in the whole store. Everything was very spread out. The Halloween Bootique did not have as large of a selection as the Halloween Spirit.
The two stores’ costumes prices were about the same, and pretty much the same costumes, but Spirit Halloween was a much more fun experience. So make this Halloween holiday be the best, and make your house the spookiest in the neighborhood.
As a teacher at a Tyler area private school, I have often found it necessary to do work on the side, (which is why I write for tylertxdirectory.com). This is especially true during the summer, when school is out and my pay is less regular. One of the jobs I’ve had is working with Watson Dirt Works. As an educator, much of my career has been spent indoors pouring over textbooks and grading papers. So when summer rolls around again I almost look forward to the outdoor manual labor. I have found myself twenty feet below ground laying sewer pipe, shoveling septic mud in the rain, digging trenches in the July heat, and even on occasion, compacting earth in the cold of December. And you know what? I’ve loved nearly every minute of it. My grandfather believed that hard physical work is good for the soul. He was right. Over the last few years, Evan Watson and I have traveled all over East Texas. Installing septic systems, field lines, and doing all manner of landscaping. But when summer winds down and the days get shorter I have the luxury of returning to teaching. Evan, however just keeps plugging along as he has for over twenty years.
There are a lot of guys in the sewer and septic game in Tyler. And when a system fails or the job is too dirty or difficult, they all recommend Evan Watson. Evan has a reputation for doing things right the first time without cutting corners or looking for an easy way out. He’s an honest broker who won’t over or under sell a product. Evan will give you an honest assessment of your system’s issues and the solutions. He knows the codes and has the skills to solve a wide range of problems involving septic and drainage. To top it all off, he has contacts and connections all over East Texas.
Let’s face it, good and bad economies come and go, but toilets are forever. There’s nothing worse than not being able flush or shower, so if your system needs an overhaul don’t wait and pray it fixes itself. It won’t. Call the guy with twenty plus years experience. For a consultation call (903) 360- 2513 and tell him you read about him at tylertxdirectory.com. For more on Watson Dirt Works, visit the Tyler Blog Section of this site and look for the title “Integrity in a dirty business.”
Until recently if someone had asked me about a restaurant in Tyler called Bruno’s, I would have responded rather indifferently, “Yeah; that sounds familiar.” After trying their food recently however I’m now anything but indifferent. With as long as I’ve lived in Tyler Texas, I find that I’m sort of annoyed with myself for never having tried Bruno’s until now.
Even with all the other pizza places in Tyler, I can say with some confidence that Bruno’s is easily the best in town. While Double Dave’s makes a great pie, even they cannot measure up to Bruno’s work. And Cici’s, my least favorite pizza of all time, (this includes Totino’s by the way), hardly seems like the same food. But Bruno’s serves more than just great pizza. They have all sorts of Italian dishes, including salads and sandwiches. But their signature dish may well be their legendary lasagna.
If you go to Bruno’s however, don’t go for the atmosphere. It’s not the sort of place lovers go to meet in the middle of a spaghetti noodle. The space is limited, so a lot of customers opt for take out. Where the food is eaten matters little though; carry their food across state lines and it’s the best Italian in Arkansas. So for authentic Mediterranean cuisine try a visit to Bruno’s. Business hours are from 11:00am to 9:00pm weekdays and Saturdays, and the store is closed on Sudays. Located at 1400 South Vine in Tyler. For pick-up call (903) 595-1676.
For more information on Tyler area Italian food see the Tyler Blog section of this website and look for the titles “Local Italian relaxed atmosphere,” or “A pizza, a beer and a ball game.” Also, see “The best of the Buffets” under the Articles section.
