Travel plaza soon to open in Kilgore

Want to grab a Frostie, get some gas, pick up some milk and maybe do a little banking all at the same time? That's what Gateway Travel Plaza is offering.

Owners hope the new facility will open the first week in October, according to Dr. Jerry Ted Roberts, of Roberts and Hatchett Properties.

Roberts said this plaza is offering many amenities not found anywhere else in East Texas. "We are offering a Wendy's with a full-size dining room, Shell gasoline with a mini mart featuring groceries, beer, wine and more and, of course, Bank Texas," said Roberts.

Hatchett said the 14,000 square foot facility is being laid out like one large business, where customers can flow from the convenience store to the Bank Texas and then to Wendy's without ever going outside.

"If you like the idea of doing everything from the pumps, we are offering a delivery system for Bank Texas right at the pumps where you can do all your banking without going inside while your gas pumps," said Hatchett.

Roberts said another feature offered nowhere else in East Texas is the "super high speed diesel pumps" which will pump 60 gallons a minute, which means little downtime for semi's or oil field rigs. "We have four of these pumps in the back of the facility and we also offer standard diesel pumps in the front on each end of the fuel island," said Roberts.

When customers enter they will also be greeted by granite counters, tile floors, beamed ceilings and, in Wendy's, a giant stone fireplace. "We want people to relax and enjoy their meal with plenty of room for the kids," said Hatchett.

Wendy's will be open 24 hours a day and will serve breakfast, said Roberts. "Some of these oil field workers start very early in the morning and now there is a place they can get breakfast at three or four o'clock in the morning," said Roberts.

"The Wendy's is being leased by the same owner of the Wendy's in Longview and White Oak," said Roberts. "Bank Texas, out of Quitman, will also be leasing their space and will be operated by people East Texans have been used to dealing with for years."

Hatchett said the facility is planning a grand opening the first Saturday in November.

When fully opened the facility will employee approximately 80 people. "We also have plenty of parking for big trucks with room for parking expansion if needed," said Roberts.