New Shops Debut During Christmas Celebration 

 Ben Wheeler, TX – Less than a year ago the main street of downtown Ben Wheeler had little hustle and bustle, quiet traffic, and few signs of retail life.

What a difference a year makes.

Today, Ben Wheeler’s downtown isn’t just alive with the sights and sounds of the season – it’s also ringing with the sounds of revitalization, community pride and future economic opportunity.

Because of the efforts of Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation,

a 501 (C) 3 organization founded to revitalize and renovate the downtown by passionate residents Rese and Brooks Gremmels – Ben Wheeler is now home to an eclectic group of artisan shops and businesses including: restaurant and live music venue, Moore’s Store, The County Line Magazine, Flying Fish Gallery, Harrison & Son Knifesmith and Sojourn Gallery by Mary Hortman.

And during the 2009 Ben Wheeler Christmas Celebration held on Dec. 7, the town’s newest shops – Antiques & Texas Heritage owned by KLTV’s Joan Hallmark and Carolyn West and, WhimZee, a women’s and children’s boutique by Laura West made their grand opening debut as neighbors near and far strolled the streets and welcomed the season.

The Christmas Celebration themed: “An Old Fashioned Christmas” took place downtown from 6-8 p.m.

Aside from welcoming the newest shopkeepers, guests delighted in the lit-up streets and listened to the joyful caroling voices of well-known, acapella vocal jazz group Clearly Vocal as they sang Christmas classics, dawning period attire.

Singer, Linda Heatley performed inside Moore’s Store while children visited with Santa.

For more information about the newest shops in Ben Wheeler visit www.benwheelertx.com or call 903.833.1070.

In a community with a thousand or so nearby residents, Ben Wheeler Development Company, LLC (BWDC) and Ben Wheeler Arts & Historic District Foundation (BWA & HDF) is planning music venues, multiple entertainment porches, new restaurants, new shops and various businesses. A fully restored downtown park complete with gazebos is also planned to be part of Ben Wheeler’s renewal. 



Ben Wheeler, named for the first man to carry mail into Van Zandt County, thrived during the late 1800s and early 1900s as families arrived in horse-drawn wagons, rode horses, or walked to visit, get mail, buy supplies, and sell or trade goods at one of the several general stores. The community included churches, barbers, blacksmiths, tailors, saddle and shoe shop, several gins and mills, a bank, the Berry Resort Hotel, boarding houses, a movie theater, lumber yard, a garage with gas pumps eventually, cafes, a school, and even a college at one time called the Alamo Institute. Ben Wheeler shrank after World War II as many people left for large cities to find work. 


For more information about BWDC or BWA & HDF, please contact marketing director Veronica Terres at 903.262.4786 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .