Seajin Kim and his wife, Stella Park, say they are bringing something new to Longview with their new Korea fusion restaurant, Evergreen Food Factory. The couple also own Evergreen Coffee and Dessert and Evergreen Tattoo at Gilmer Road and Evergreen Street in Longview.
Kim said he’s close to finishing renovations at the new restaurant at 1402 W. Marshall Ave. Evergreen Food Factory should be open in two to three weeks, he said.
Evergreen Food Factory will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with indoor and patio dining and to-go orders. Ready to go meals also will be offered in a refrigerated display that will include Korean side dishes and pre-made drinks, like the ones served at Evergreen Coffee.
Kim said the menu will include dessert, pastries and breakfast items, Korean-based dishes, some authentic, some “fusions” that are a mix of Mexican and Texas style foods, as well as Texas barbecue with a Korean flavor.
A traditional Korean beef dish, called bulgogi, also will be on the menu, with chicken and pork variations, all served over Korean rice. Tacos, quesadillas and French bread pizza also will be served.
He’ll also have a special menu item on Saturday and Sunday mornings — hangover soup.
Hours are yet to be determined, and the restaurant is hiring.
Credit union opens in ET
Credit Union of Texas, which is headquartered in the Metroplex, has expanded into Gilmer with plans to open some 10 to 15 more branches in East Texas.
The Credit Union, which has 15 branches in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, is renovating an historical building in downtown Gilmer, at 107 E. Marshall St., for its commercial solutions center. A personal banking center is under construction at 755 U.S. 271 in Gilmer.
“Construction began this month and is slated for completion later this year,” Credit Union of Texas reported. “Presently, both commercial and personal banking services are provided out of a temporary building on-site where the new personal banking center will be built. Members may access service at the temporary building from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.”
The storefront in downtown Gilmer also provides access to the credit union’s “interactive teller machine.”
“As we expand into East Texas, our goals are simple. We want to provide access to industry-leading products and services and invest in the communities we serve,” said Eric Pointer, president and CEO of CUTX, in a prepared statement. “Banking with a purpose means looking beyond profits and measuring our success on the difference we make in the lives of those around us.”
Coffee shop opens
Uncle Joe’s Coffee & Co. had a “soft opening” this past week at 711 Estes Parkway, Suite 100 in Longview.
The coffee shop opened initially with drive-thru service only from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Our plan is to fully open within a month,” said George Ketches, who owns the business with his wife, Mercedes.
New station owner
Chalk Hill Communications purchased “Sports Talk East Texas,” KYZX 1240 AM and 95.7 FM in Tyler from Paul Glieser of ATW Media.
With the sale complete, KYZX changed its format to a simulcast of Classic Hits, KDOK 1240 AM, which is licensed to Kilgore. KDOK has several FM translators around the area. It can be heard on 105.3 FM in Kilgore, 101.9 FM in Longview, 106.1 FM in Henderson, 94.9 in Chalk Hill – Lake Cherokee and now 95.7 FM and 1490 AM in Tyler.
Chalk Hill’s owner, Chuck Conrad, describes the station as, “A mix of hits from the English Invasion of the 1960s through the mid to late 1980s. For many people, it is the music they grew up with….”
Chalk Hill Communications is locally owned and operated. It also owns KZQX FM, popularly known as “QX-FM.” The oldies station can be heard on 100.3 FM in Longview and 97.9 FM in Tyler.
