Islanders will be pleased to hear that the new Gordon Food Services superstore, located at 2402 45th Street, is offering products for both restaurants and residents. 

 “We welcome everyone to come check us out,” Galveston store manager Matt Makowski said. “In addition to bulk items for restaurant owners, we are offering many items for the individual consumer.” 

 The new Gordon Food Service (GFS) store will carry thousands of the most popular GFS products at wholesale prices and a good selection of resale packages for individuals like rotisserie chickens, gourmet popcorn, fresh produce, and more. The store is open to the public seven days a week and does not require a membership fee. 

 Primarily designed to provide restaurant-quality food products to restaurant owners and food service professionals, Gordon Restaurant Market also caters to individuals with an assortment of packaged and fresh goods, including fresh meat and produce, restaurant-quality grocery supplies, and grab-and-go meal solutions. 

 Pre-made carryout meals include an assortment of ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat items like rotisserie and fried chicken, ribs, deli sandwiches, hand-made pico de gallo and guacamole, cut fruit, and freshly squeezed juices.

 Local shoppers can expect to find a large seasonal produce department with an assortment of the best market-direct items available. Folks looking for a quick dinner or the perfect tailgate, picnic, or cookout foods will find them easily available at the store. 

 Wholesale customers are welcome to shop the coolers housing cases of produce, meats, and dairy items. Fresh meats are available by the piece, pound, or case. 

 Their Tortilleria produces fresh tortillas daily and on-premises, designed for consumption by restaurants and residents alike. If you’re looking for a fresh snack, visit their gourmet popcorn shop and choose from 15 varieties of fresh-popped popcorn. 

 Gordon Go!, is a free wholesale loyalty program available to businesses and nonprofit customers to earn points that can be spent like cash or redeemed for $1,000 checks. Convenient online ordering for same-day, in-store pick-up is available for all customers and same-day, express-van delivery is available for business customers. 

 Gordon Food Service operates more than 180 stores in the United States - six opened in the Houston area last year. Makowski, who moved to League City to run the Galveston store, said the other stores were very well received and he was excited to be heading up the Galveston store. 

 He believes in hiring locals and says most of his staff live on the island. “I think there is a special appeal for customers when we employ their friends and neighbors. It’s also important, from my standpoint, to have staff that won’t have to deal with off-island construction and traffic,” Makowski said. 

 “I think Galveston shoppers will be happily surprised at the products available on our shelves and at our grab-and-go stations. I look forward to getting to know Galveston customers, whether they are restaurant owners or managers or the mom of four that lives down the street.” 

 Gordon Food Service also operates two distribution centers in Texas: one in Houston and another in Coppell. 

 “It was in our plan after opening the stores in Houston last year that we would also open a store that would be convenient to the Galveston community. For the Galveston store, it was a ground-up build,” GFS Director of Marketing Mark Dempsey said.

 “We expect our customers will primarily be restaurant owners and other food service professionals, but we also welcome the public. Individuals love having access to unique restaurant-exclusive items and quick meal solutions, items for a family party, or even a day at the beach,” Dempsey added. 

 “We are excited to open our doors to the Galveston community and provide the restaurant-quality food products our stores are known for. We look forward to having the Galveston community visit our new store and find items that they may be unable to find elsewhere.”

 Individuals can sign up on GFSstore.com/Galveston to receive e-mails about weekly specials and sales. The Galveston location is open from 7am to 8pm, Monday through Saturday, and on Sunday, from 9am to 6pm. For more information, call the Galveston store at 409.220.1330. 

 Gulf Coast Home Watch National accreditation has been awarded to a new, local home watch company. Owned by partners in business and in life, April Morris and Rodney Kieke, Gulf Coast Home Watch (GCHW) offers unique services geared toward taking care of your home when you can’t be here and taking care of you and your guests when you are here. 

 “We are committed to providing exceptional care for our clients’ homes, treating each property as if it was our own,” Morris said. “Our clients are always well-informed about the status of their valued properties, and we understand the importance of consistent and timely services.” 

 Kieke says Gulf Coast Home Watch “provides peace of mind for our clients by ensuring the homeowner is aware of property issues and following each client’s instructions regarding a resolution and cure for them.” 

 Gulf Coast Home Watch offers scheduled visits for a complete home inspection including internal and external plumbing, pool, landscape, storm damage, AC/heat, pest control, making sure the home is locked, free of vandalism and disrepair, and visual roof inspections. Additional concierge services like key holder and emergency services are also available.

 Kieke’s career was in oil field construction and heavy equipment operation. For 25 years, he worked in operations in the facilities management and business services industry. For the last five years, Rodney served as a City Administrator, City Secretary, City Building Official, and Executive Director of Economic Development for Quitman, Texas. Rodney also owned and operated several businesses. Having owned several second homes, he knows all too well the anxious feeling of that investment being unattended. “Hearing that your home is in the path of a storm or waking up trying to remember if you left the water running or the air condition on 68 degrees in the middle of summer is enough to drive you crazy,” he said. 

 Morris has been a realtor for more than 30 years, focusing on short-term rental management. She owned a corporate housing company in Houston for 14 years, specializing in the inspection, maintenance, management, and operations of 125+ homes. She feels the home watch business is perfect for her to continue to partner with homeowners and help them with their investments and peace of mind. 

 Gulf Coast Home Watch serves Galveston Island and specializes in Pirates Beach, Pirates Cove, Lafitte’s Cove, Jamaica Beach, Kahala Beach, Sea Isle, Beachtown, and Midtown Galveston. For more information, please call 409.750.3178 or email rodney@gulfcoasthomewatcher.com. Learn more from their website, at www.gulfcoasthomewatcher.com.

Evia Main is Open for Business Galvestonians have three new businesses to shop in on the west end as the Beauty Bar Galveston, Kimmy’s Boutique, and the Empouria are now open in Evia Village, 12 Evia Main. The Beauty Bar Galveston is a one-stop beauty shop, owned and operated by Michelle Byrd. While blowouts, braids, beachy curls, and updos are the mainstay of this salon, facials, manicures, pedicures, and tanning are also available. Hair styling, makeup, and nail services for group events like weddings and other special celebrations can be reserved in advance.

Reservations are preferred for customers, but walk-ins will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

 For more information, please call 409.877.1540. 

 

 Kimmy’s Boutique showcases contemporary clothing brands and bold, yet classic, pieces. Customers can expect the same bright colors and upscale merchandise from entrepreneur Kimmy Almon’s original shop on Postoffice Street in downtown Galveston. For more information, please visit @shopkimmys on Facebook and Instagram.

 Empouria combines the small-town feel of a general store and the social aspect that makes island life so unique. Empouria offers a wide variety of household essentials, sundries, foods, and beverages. 

 Owner Hayley Hardcastle received her WSET Level 1 Sommelier Certification and looks forward to hosting instructional tasting events. The store carries over 100 labels of wines and offers premium goods from local vendors and imported finds that are not widely available in other places. For more information, please visit www.empouria.com. 

 If you are wondering when the new upscale restaurant 1817 Steaks & Seafare will open, owners John and Jessica McAleer confirmed that they’d be taking reservations before the summer season comes to Galveston. 

 This fine-dining, waterfront restaurant will be the McAleer’s fourth restaurant and the second in Evia. The menu at the new restaurant will include prime steaks and seafood, charcuterie, seafood towers, salads, po’ boys, high-end specials like Wagyu meatballs, craft cocktails, and a sophisticated wine list. 

 The restaurant will be open for dinner seven days a week from 5pm to 10pm initially and with extended hours in the future. The 2,000-square-foot restaurant will include a room that may be used for private parties and a hand-painted, tropical landscape mural that incorporates a rendition of Jean Lafitte’s famous pirate ship “The Pride.” Look for updates in future GM business updates on the exact opening date.