City baits store proprietors as latest RFP deadline nears

With multiple rounds of proposals in play, the City of Gladewater’s inching toward a new path forward for its lake store property.
The clock’s ticking on the latest Request for Proposals, due to City Hall by Aug. 29. As entrepreneurs flesh out their ideas, Gladewater City Manager Charlie Smith has shown the property three times in recent weeks.
“I know there’s going to be several different approaches,” he says.
The store’s been a hot topic between city council members and their constituents for months while city personnel have been beating the bushes through multiple advertising outlets, seeking out fresh ideas and solid proposals to get a new, healthy tenant in place.
“What we want to see is somebody that can go in there long-term and provide fishing essentials,” he said. Beyond that, one entrepreneur has suggested incorporating hunting supplies as well, and food service has been a common feature, whether concessions, a café or some other form of pop-up diner.
Whatever shape the latest batch of proposals takes, Smith’s looking forward to the Aug. 29 deadline to get them in-hand, opened and under consideration.
“The committee will meet after that and then we’ll present it to the council in September,” he said.
Previously, one hope had been to have something up-and-running before summer began. Past experiences, though, saw things moving too fast for a steady solution. The city used the time to spread the word even further.
Right now, Smith said, there’s no specific timetable – it’s a waiting game for the right fit.
If the latest RFP yields a solid plan, “We’ll let them go ahead and start going in to prepare the store, do whatever renovations they want to do,” he said. If the new vendor gets things set and ready before the New Year, the opening will be up to them. From the city’s perspective, “We’re kind of looking to January 1, the first part of early Spring, for them to be in full gear at that point.”