Texas
Batteries Plus Awards 5-Unit Franchise Deal to Expand West Texas Presence
Local Husband & Wife Team Plan to Open First Store in Odessa by End of Q1 2025
ODESSA, Texas, Oct. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Batteries Plus, the world’s leading specialty battery franchise, recently signed its latest multi-unit franchise agreement for the development of five new units throughout West Texas. This deal will expand the brand’s footprint and further establish Batteries Plus’s expertise throughout the state.
Husband and wife duo, Liz and Jay McKee, will own and operate the five stores across the region. For the last 40 years, Jay has spent his career working in the oil and gas industry in California, New Mexico, and most recently Texas after moving back to the state he was born and raised in with Liz. During his time spent in the oil and gas industry, Jay has held roles in sales along with extracting and producing – touching every aspect of the business throughout his journey. Liz has spent over three decades in direct sales, the most recent being at a chemical company where she spent the last 13 years.
“We could not be more excited to be joining the Batteries Plus family,” said Liz. “Odessa is a metropolis that just continues to grow and there is nothing like Batteries Plus in our community, so there is a tremendous opportunity to be able to fill a void for our neighbors when it comes to battery needs and phone repair. We are looking forward to opening our doors and serving the community.”
Of the five locations, the couple is anticipating the first to open in Odessa by the end of the first quarter of 2025. That store will be followed by opening in Midland, Lubbock, Abilene, and Big Spring.
“Adding hard working entrepreneurs like Liz and Jay to the Batteries Plus team is extremely exciting for us and we look forward to continuing to expand our presence across the state of Texas,” added Joe Malmuth, Chief Development Officer. “We already have a strong presence in East Texas, so being able to enter the West Texas market is a nice milestone for Batteries Plus as we continue to be a leader in the industry.”
Batteries Plus has become a global leader in supplying the battery needs of its customers for cars, boats, phones, key fobs and more. With over 800 store locations in operation and development nationwide, Batteries Plus has also carved out a unique niche in the industry with its ‘plus’ services – including cell phone repair and key fob replacement. Positioned for the battery-powered future, Batteries Plus was ranked on Franchise Times Top 400 list, coming in at #130. Plus, for the 30th year in a row, the brand ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 list, climbing 53 spots over last year’s rank and even becoming one of only 49 franchise brands to be inducted into Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 Hall of Fame. To learn more about Batteries Plus, visit batteriesplusfranchise.com.
ABOUT BATTERIES PLUS:
Batteries Plus, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Hartland, WI, is a leading omnichannel retailer of batteries, specialty light bulbs and phone repair services for the direct-to-consumer and commercial channels. The retailer also offers key programming, replacement and cutting services. Through a nationwide network of stores, the company offers a differentiated value proposition of unrivaled product selection, in-stock availability and customer service. Batteries Plus is owned by Freeman Spogli, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles and New York City. To learn more about one of Forbes®’ Best Franchises to Buy in America, visit https://www.batteriesplusfranchise.com.
MEDIA CONTACT: Seth Goodman, Fishman Public Relations, sgoodman@fishmanpr.com or 224.723.9645
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SOURCE Batteries Plus
Texas
Peanuts, beans and more: Texas Roadhouse discontinued these menu items
See wild rescue of trapped roller coaster riders
Eight people were rescued after the Iron Shark roller coaster stalled at Galveston Pleasure Pier, leaving riders stuck near the summit for hours.
While Texas Roadhouse is known for its signature steaks and rolls, the restaurant has changed its menu over the years.
Texas Roadhouse first opened in 1993 and has become known for favorites like its warm, freshly baked rolls served with honey cinnamon butter and its hand-cut steaks. While many signature items remain, some fan-favorite menu offerings have since been discontinued.
Recently, Tasting Table, which features recipes and news for food enthusiasts, looked back at some discontinued Texas Roadhouse menu items that some may remember fondly.
Here are some of the discontinued menu items at Texas Roadhouse.
Floor peanuts
While some Texas Roadhouse locations may still provide peanuts by request, the practice of throwing the shells on the floor ended with the pandemic, according to Tasting Table.
Users on Yelp also discussed whether peanut shells could be tossed on the floor.
“They still offer peanuts is sealed bags upon request. Just ask for peanuts and they’ll keep on bringing them,” one user said.
Baked beans
While the restaurant offers several side options, such as green beans, mashed potatoes, and seasoned corn, Texas Roadhouse no longer carries baked beans — which are common at steakhouses.
“Always enjoyed Texas Roadhouse but Broke my heart when they took those delicious baked beans off the menu,” a reddit user posted back in 2023, while searching for a recipe.
Original Chicken Critters
While there are Chicken Critters — chicken tenders that are golden-fried and lightly crispy — on the menu today, fans say the original recipe has changed.
Apparently, the tenders were crispier and lighter, according to Reddit users.
“My husband and I talk about the OG chicken critters all the time,” one Reddit user posted.
Sierra Chicken Pasta
The only pasta dish served at Texas Roadhouse has gone viral on TikTok, with many recreating it with their own recipes.
The Sierra Chicken Pasta was made with penne pasta, pieces of crispy bacon, and grilled chicken, all of which were tossed in an Asiago cheese sauce, according to The Takeout.
It doesn’t appear that Texas Roadhouse offers any type of pasta, according to its menu.
Oven-roasted half chicken
The discontinued item came in two styles — plain or barbecue — according to Tasting Table.
The restaurant still offers several chicken options, though, like smothered chicken (served with wide, made-from-scratch gravy) and grilled BBQ chicken.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
Texas
Central Texas soldier dies in Iraq during training incident, Department of Defense says
The overseas death of a U.S. Army soldier from Central Texas is under investigation, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday.
Sgt. Devin A. Seibel, 26, of the Waco suburb of Robinson, died Sunday in a “training‑related incident” at Erbil Airbase in Iraq, officials said.
According to the department, Seibel was an active‑duty soldier supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led coalition campaign launched in June 2014 to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria.
Seibel was assigned to the Air Ambulance Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, in Fort Carson, Colo.
The department didn’t release any additional information.
CBS News Texas will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Texas
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