21 East Texas Businesses That Closed in 2023

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Throughout 2023 the East Texas business landscape changed quite a bit. Take a drive around Loop 281 in Longview, Texas, or a drive down S. Broadway or Loop 323 in Tyler, Texas, you'll notice that the once big marquee signs touting huge national brand names are no longer prominently displayed.

It's not just some larger retailers that closed in 2023, but many locally owned businesses decided to throw in the towel and lock the front doors one final time along with some once popular restaurants.

Many East Texans grew up with these brands in their life and shopped them often, but due to changing customer shopping habits, the economy, and the retail landscape in general, businesses lost many of their loyal customers.

Losing these businesses is a big deal to East Texas.

These retailers and restaurants had a huge impact on our local economy through the sales tax they collected and the payroll they had too. With the business closing comes job losses to our friends and neighbors.

Possible reasons for these East Texas businesses permanently closing in 2023:

• bankruptcy
• rising cost of food
• rising labor costs
• lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
• retirement
• personal reasons

Whatever the case may be, there will be East Texans who will miss shopping and dining at these locations that they once called their favorite. In time though, those customers will find a new place to call their favorite because change is the only constant, and new shopping opportunities and dining opportunities are opening up quite often throughout East Texas.