Under the assault of national chains, big box retailers, and Internet discounters, local bookshops in many parts of the country are closing their doors and saying goodbye to devoted customers. In Denison and Sherman, three local bookstores, Epiphanies, Ex Libris, and The Book Rack have bucked the trend and kept their doors open, and Texoma bibliophiles are glad for it.
During the day Wendy “Bo” Mueller, 46, is a sales assistant in the advertising department of CableOne Advertising in Sherman. At night and on weekends she becomes Texoma’s newest soap star—mixing up batches of exotic, all-natural, aromatic soaps in her rural Denison soap kitchen.
Some people may think having a shoeshine is simply about improving or restoring the appearance of their shoes, but don’t you believe it. If Willie Riles, who has been bringing up the shine at Kelly Square in Sherman for 18 years, has ministered to their needs, they know that it is about something more, including a smile and an entertaining conversation.
Three heads, the torsos nowhere nearby, lie lined up on a bed in a small silver traveling trailer in a North Texas parking lot. Noggins from a child, an adult, and a senior citizen stare glassy eyed and grinning at anyone who walks in. This might be unsettling to some folks. For Tim Cowles it is another day at work.
It’s about meat, or MEAT in the vernacular of the hungry summer grill master. Brisket smoking long and slow, pork chops, really thick pork chops, and of course, steaks—ribeyes, T-bones, the regal porterhouse—all with a char and a sizzle and juice that runs pink and warm when your knife slides through the beef. Got the picture?
For Texoma striper anglers the “be all to end all” in custom boats is a Falcon. Jeff Gooden and Joe Simmons own the Falcon Boat Company that builds striper bass boats in Sherman, and the two present an interesting contrast of age and expertise. Each man brings something special to the business.
The term “boat house” probably conjures images in your mind’s eye of rickety weathered steps down to the water’s edge, corrugated sheet metal, spider webs, yellow bug lights, dust, rust and tangled fishing gear. There may even be that last lonely can of beer in the fridge; still snuggly bound by its plastic six pack girdle.
Gina Vicars’ consignment shop has been marking down high priced-items for 18 years. All garments are brand name and are newer rather than older. If it’s out of style, it’s out of here.
Charlie Haldeman is the KXII news director, and he is the co-anchor of First News at Six and Ten alongside Maureen Kane. He joined the First News team in January of 2006 and lives in Sherman with his wife Amanda and their daughter, Hattie Elaine.
Texoma television has changed, and more change is on the way. Deciphering the channel landscape is daunting. It is like trying to follow one of the latest convoluted thrillers, provided of course, that you can figure out what channel it is on.