Kilgore Progress: 2021 marked by arrival of several new businesses

Dairy Queen officially opened March 31 at 10 a.m. The DQ is located at 600 N. Henderson Blvd. in Kilgore. A family and friends event was held Monday ahead of the grand opening, and on the following Wednesday, a line of cars and people were outside the building.

The DQ debuted a new look for the franchise, the first one in the state of Texas to sport the new building design and aesthetic, and one of only three franchise nationwide to showcase the design at the time.

A long-awaited, much-anticipated Chick-fil-A finally opened in Kilgore on June 9. It was so commonly well-known Kilgoreites wanted a hometown franchise of the popular chicken restaurant, “When are we getting a Chick-fil-A?” became a half-joking refrain around town and at City Hall.

No longer forced to drive to Longview and back for a helping of waffle fries, lemonade and fried chicken, Kilgore folks showed their appreciation for the restaurant’s presence by keeping a long and steady line of cars around the building in the days following its grand opening.

The City of Kilgore also promoted available lots in the Remington North subdivision for single family homes, duplexes and triplexes. The subdivision, located near some Kilgore ISD campuses, is being promoted as a quiet neighborhood ideal for raising families or finding a nice area to retire. In a survey completed as part of the Kilgore 2030 initiative, which looks ahead 10 years into the city’s future, a desire for diversified and affordable housing options, both downtown and throughout the city as a whole, was one of the most commonly-received responses.