Business
August 27, 2020
The State Fair of Texas Is Opening a Drive-thru
You can’t keep Big Tex down.
By
Dan Solomon
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Business
Reporting and commentary on Texas businesses and the trends and innovation happening in our state
Business
August 5, 2020
How Robots Are Helping One Texas Company Thrive During the Pandemic
Six months ago, Nuro was still making a name for itself. Now, thousands of Houstonians rely on the autonomous delivery service to help them avoid getting the coronavirus.
Business
July 29, 2020
How Tesla Was Lured to Austin
Travis County offered the electric car giant a package of tax incentives worth about $1,200 a year for each of the five thousand jobs it promises to create at its new factory.
Business
July 25, 2020
Texas’s Oldest Lesbian Bar Faces Its Latest Challenge: Surviving the Pandemic
A mainstay of Dallas queer nightlife, Sue Ellen's is thought to be one of about ten lesbian bars left in the U.S.
Business
July 22, 2020
No Store Did More: How H-E-B Became a Model of Emergency Preparedness
It's not just the pandemic. Texas's beloved grocery chain has been developing its disaster response for more than a decade.
By
Dan Solomon
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and
Paula Forbes
Made in Texas
July 22, 2020
Holly Thaggard: San Antonio Will Always Be Home to Supergoop
Despite the popular sunscreen brand's success and New York expansion, its founder says Texas is home.
Business
July 13, 2020
Is Your Business Violating Coronavirus Protocols? This Facebook Group Will Expose You
"Shame is a powerful tool," says Kelly Ingram, the founder of Houston's COVID—Call Outs Group.
Business
June 24, 2020
Why Urban Sprawl Could Actually Be a Boon in the New Economy
After the pandemic, will Texas's wide open cityscapes lure big business?
By
Jason Heid
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Energy
June 18, 2020
The “Mother Fracker” Reckons With the Mother of All Oil Busts
Pioneer CEO Scott Sheffield has been through more ups and downs than just about anyone in the business. This bust, he says, will change everything—forever.
Energy
June 18, 2020
Can a Renewables Boom Put Texans Back to Work?
After the oil bust, wind and solar energy might be the Permian Basin’s best hope.
The National Podcast of Texas
June 4, 2020
Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly Yearns for the Days When We Argued About Reclining Seats
On the National Podcast of Texas, the leader of the beleaguered, but beloved, Dallas carrier on what it will take to survive the pandemic.
News
May 25, 2020
“If People Want to Take a Chance, It’s Their Prerogative”: Inside One Bar on the First Day of Reopening
Over Memorial Day weekend, locals and tourists flocked to the Poop Deck in Galveston as Governor Greg Abbott allowed Texas bars to open at limited capacity.
The National Podcast of Texas
May 6, 2020
Mattress Mack Believes Houston Can Pull Together and Persevere. Again.
The high-profile philanthropist and furniture retailer says the time is right for Texas to carefully reopen for business.
Business
April 24, 2020
Should Neiman Marcus Exist?
The inside story of the Dallas-born luxury retailer’s struggle to remain relevant—and solvent.
By
Jason Heid
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Business
April 9, 2020
Mark Cuban’s Advice for Texas Small Business Owners
The tech entrepreneur and Dallas Mavericks owner took reader questions about how to navigate the coronavirus crisis.
Business
March 29, 2020
What We Know About the Surge in Jobless Claims in Texas
You didn’t have to be a fortune teller or an economist to know that unemployment claims were going to spike.
Business
March 27, 2020
How Texas’s Independent Bookstores Are Faring — and How You Can Support Them
Across the state, beloved local bookstores are staying nimble and hoping their customers follow that lead.
Business
March 27, 2020
After Widespread Rodeo Cancellations, an Online Community Has Emerged to Help Texas Students Sell Their Livestock
Facebook groups and online auction sites are helping junior exhibitors who didn’t get to show and sell at the Houston Rodeo and other events this year.
The National Podcast of Texas
March 27, 2020
Chris Shepherd’s Dream Is That There Will Actually Be Restaurants Left for Workers to Return To
On a special edition of The National Podcast of Texas, the Houston chef/restaurateur lays out how his Southern Smoke Emergency Relief Fund is assisting hospitality industry workers.
Business
March 26, 2020
“Everything Got Ripped Out From Under Us”—How Texas’s Restaurant and Bar Workers Are Coping
A bartender, chef, and owner tell us their stories.
Business
March 26, 2020
Inside the Story of How H-E-B Planned for the Pandemic
The grocer started communicating with its Chinese counterparts in January and was running tabletop simulations a few weeks later. (But nothing prepared it for the rush on toilet paper.)
By
Dan Solomon
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and
Paula Forbes
Business
March 16, 2020
Inside One of the Service Industry’s Riskiest Jobs During the Coronavirus Crisis
In Houston’s adult nightclubs, with cash transactions and close contact, exotic dancers say they’re forced to choose between health and a paycheck.
Business
March 13, 2020
Fiesta San Antonio Postponed Amid Coronavirus Concerns
The annual festival, which brings millions of dollars to the city’s economy, has been postponed to early November.
By
Cat Cardenas
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Business
March 11, 2020
Houston Rodeo Calls It Quits Over Coronavirus Concerns
A single case of COVID-19 was all it took to bring Houston's favorite celebration to its knees.
Business
March 10, 2020
Wellness, Beauty Masks, and Beyoncé: Inside Houston’s First Coworking Space for Women
The newly opened Sesh Coworking arrives as the number of female entrepreneurs in the city is on the rise.
Business
March 5, 2020
How Texas Restaurants Are Dealing With Coronavirus Panic
In Austin, a scaled-down SXSW could hit eateries hard; in Houston, Asian restaurants have seen a huge decline.
Music
March 3, 2020
What It Would Mean to Cancel SXSW
Suspending the festival amid coronavirus fears would be The Big One for Austin’s economy.
By
Dan Solomon
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Business
February 14, 2020
The Recline of Western Civilization
An imbroglio aboard an American Airlines flight has divided our nation. Let us instead unite in accepting the inherent awfulness of flying coach.
By
Dan Solomon
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Business
February 11, 2020
A Group of Texas News Veterans Aim to Revolutionize How Women Are Covered in Media
Emily Ramshaw and Andrea Valdez discuss their vision for the 19th*, a nonprofit venture where politics, policy, and gender will converge.
By
Katy Vine
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Boomtown
January 28, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 8: Wild West Texas
The uneasy alliance between ranchers and the oil industry goes all the way back to the early wildcatting days in West Texas. But today, that relationship is more fraught than ever.
Business
January 22, 2020
Can a Dallas Ride-Hailing Company Catch Uber?
Alto is betting that if a safer, more expensive ride-hailing service can turn a profit in Dallas, it can do it just about anywhere.
By
Dan Solomon
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Boomtown
January 14, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 6: A Thin Line
During booms, the Permian Basin sees a rise in prostitution charges. But misperceptions and stereotypes about sex work have led to policies that may actually harm the women involved.
Boomtown
January 7, 2020
Boomtown, Episode 5: Boobtown
We explore a different kind of boom in the Permian Basin. Meet the women working at a lingerie coffee shop, a “breastaurant,” and two area strip clubs.
Boomtown
December 31, 2019
Boomtown, Episode 4: Life and Death on the Rig
Working in the oil patch is incredibly dangerous. But March 10, 2015, brought unimaginable tragedy for one Andrews family.
Politics & Policy
December 30, 2019
The Best Texas Monthly Longform of 2019
Settle in for a by-no-means comprehensive list of some of the most popular stories in our pages this year.
Boomtown
December 24, 2019
Boomtown, Episode 3: Dust to Dust
A devastating bust transforms the Permian from the promised land into a wasteland.
Boomtown
December 17, 2019
Boomtown, Episode 2: The Rise of the Permian
The Santa Rita oil well, named after the patron saint of impossible dreams, launched the first Permian Basin boom and has been fueling the dreams of West Texas wildcatters ever since.
Music
December 12, 2019
Nashville Now Owns a Major Piece of Texas Music History
The owners of the Grand Ole Opry snapped up ACL Live At The Moody Theater earlier this week.
Boomtown
December 10, 2019
Listen to the First Episode of Boomtown: “Highway to Hell”
In the first episode of our new podcast series, host Christian Wallace takes us back to his hometown in the Permian Basin, which is nearly unrecognizable to him today. We meet a few of the people whose lives have been upended by the biggest oil boom in U.S. history.
Business
December 3, 2019
How One Texas Entrepreneur Aims to Transform the World With Artificial Intelligence
A conversation with Ben Lamm of Hypergiant, on solving climate change, the surveillance state, and our automated future.
By
Jason Heid
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Energy
December 3, 2019
Boomtown
A 10-part podcast series from Texas Monthly and Imperative Entertainment.
Energy
December 3, 2019
Announcing ‘Boomtown,’ a New Podcast on the Greatest Oil Boom in History
Our new 11-part series takes you inside the rugged Permian Basin of West Texas, where roughnecks and billionaire wildcatters are fueling a boom so big it’s reshaping our climate, our economy, and our geopolitics.
Politics & Policy
November 26, 2019
In a First, the New Homeland Security Chief Met With South Texans About Cross-Border Trade
Chad Wolf was in the Rio Grande Valley last week for a border wall photo-op, but over a meal of cordon bleu he heard from businesspeople about economic woes.
Film & TV
November 14, 2019
The Suncoast Motion Picture Company’s Last Stand Is Happening in Southeast Texas
Beaumont is home to one of just a handful of stores in a chain once beloved by movie nerds.
Film & TV
September 20, 2019
How a Former Karaoke Video Outpost in Plano Became a Hollywood Mainstay
Well Go USA has become one of the leading distributors of Asian action films in the U.S.
Business
September 12, 2019
T. Boone Pickens Was a Helluva Storyteller—and That’s Why We Couldn’t Resist Him
In his plainspoken, hilariously vivid vernacular, the Texas oilman constantly spun tales about good times and bad.
Business
September 11, 2019
Remembering T. Boone Pickens, the “Aw-Shucks” Billionaire
The Dallas oilman and corporate raider's long, complicated history as an aw-shucks billionaire.
Business
August 30, 2019
Break’s Over: Texas Is Only the Fourth-Hardest-Working State in America
A new study finds the Lone Star State lagging behind in backbreaking labor.
Business
August 10, 2019
Meat Church BBQ Supply Is a One-Stop Shop for Barbecue Newbies
Matt Pittman parlayed a reality TV appearance into a thriving Waxahachie business.
Business
August 1, 2019
The K-Rigg Pressure Smoker Cooks a Ten-Pound Brisket in Two Hours
Kyle Riggen of Leander, allergic to wood smoke and boredom, is trying to invent a faster way to barbecue.