Family restaurant now open

The Chillee Bean is here to serve

The+Chilee+Bean+is+a++family-friendly+chain+serving+classic+Tex-Mex+%26+American+fare+in+a+Southwestern-style+setting.+It+had+its+grand+opening+on+Oct.+27+at+3415+Mall+Dr%2C+Texarkana%2C+TX.

Kaitlyn Gordon

The Chilee Bean is a family-friendly chain serving classic Tex-Mex & American fare in a Southwestern-style setting. It had its grand opening on Oct. 27 at 3415 Mall Dr, Texarkana, TX.

Story by Salem Karr, staff writer

After months of preparation and bouncing ideas off of walls, The Chillee Bean has officially opened.  

The Chillee Bean started as a dream and slowly became a reality.

“Seven years ago, a friend of ours had a hot dog cart set up during the fair. We helped him for three years, and then he sold his hot dog cart, and we helped the new owners,” co-owner Deanna O’Malley said. “After another few years, we decided to buy a food truck and start our own business. Everything was great, but after being asked where our restaurant was countless times, we decided that we needed a permanent spot.”

After this decision, The Chillee Bean became a reality, but it’s been a long process.

“Our dream is to set up a food truck court,” O’Malley said. “But neither city allows food trucks to be parked permanently, so we are trying to change the cities’ mind[s]. We want to set up a place for families to have fun and enjoy great food at the same time.”

While The Chillee Bean isn’t complete, there is still a lot to look forward to in the future.

“We want to have several food trucks, canopies, chairs, tables and umbrellas,” O’Malley said. “We have volleyball, badminton and various games that we want to set up for families to enjoy.”

The Chillee Bean has had a rocky start, but on Oct. 27, 2018 you can join them for their grand opening and see all the progress they have made so far.