I want to start a new life in Texas, help me! (Dallas: rental, loan)

[GTT1234]

I (with wife and two children) am planning on moving to Texas to start a medium/small town type ice cream shop. This is our dream so we want to choose the right place to be. I need some help narrowing down the options.

I plan to stay away from West Texas mainly because of the soil quality (I want to plant a large garden), wind, and a little bit colder winters. Schools are not a concern except for when it comes to taxes. We plan to homeschool and cringe at having to pay for public education, which my children won’t ever receive.

I would like to live somewhere in northern Texas, but away from the large cities (Dallas, Fort Worth). The concern is I need a job in general aviation (my current trade) for about a year before we can get the ice cream business going.

My main concerns are:

Weather

People who will buy lots of ice cream.


Water supply/quality

Air Quality

Soil quality

Crime, must be safe for my 3yr old daughter

Water recreation Area, possible lake near-by

A solid Bible believing Church


Any input would be helpful. I have already been looking at Graham, Vernon, Wichita Falls, Stephenville, Decatur, Runaway Bay, Gainesville, Sherman, Denison, Paris, and Abilene. There are good and bad about all so far. I need to hear what y’all think.

[KantLockeMeIn]

McKinney has a nice downtown that has a soda shop, so an ice cream place would fit nicely. It's part of the DFW Metro Area, but you can live 20 minutes north (Melissa/Anna) or 20 minutes east (Farmersville) and be in a quiet rural area. There are defense contractors in McKinney, Richardson, and Rockwall. And Lake Lavon is right near by.

Tyler and Longview are nice, a little more greenery and moisture, but I'm not sure about jobs.

[GTT1234]

Well, I'm not really looking for completely rural. And the competition needs to be nil. I guess i'm not so concerned about getting an aviation job in the mean time. Perhaps I could find a job somewhere making at least $36,000/yr. We would need that much to get us by and to have something to tell the bank when we take out a large loan to start our ice cream business.

Keep the suggestions commin. I hope to be a productive contributer to the Texas social and economic culture when I arrive. I just need a little help gettin there first.

[car957]

You may want to consider Azle which is NE of Fort Worth. It's close to General Dynamics in Fort Worth (since you indicated you are in an aviation career) and is nice, up and coming community.

[destin04]

You need to look at East Texas. If you are homeschooling and on the rather conservative christian side then the Lindale area might be for you. There are several large ministries such as YWAM (Youth with a Mission) and Mercy Ships. The weather is ery hot during the summer and there is not a ice cream shop if you don't count Dairy Queen and Sonic.....Tyler is 11 miles away. I don't know what kind of job in general aviation is...but Tyler has a nice little airport.

[caendaniels]

Wichita Falls seems right for your needs. It has an Air Force base, a water park and people who like ice cream.

[Poltracker]

You might also try Marshall.
1) Smaller city
2) Commute to airport in Shreveport for work or work at airport in Longview
3) Lake O the Pines and Caddo Lake nearby
4) Definitely a church going community
5) My family had a 1 acre garden that was very productive and supported our immediate family plus cousins.
6) Can get a rental or purchase fairly inexpensively w/ room for garden and nice play area for kids.

Some of the other suggestions here have been goo too just depends on exactly what you want.

[NOTAM]

please open up a Cold Stone Creamery franchise in Killeen. Ft Hood population sure could use one. the closest one we have is Georgetown! almost in Austin. untapped market!!!!
think about all the military families with kids here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! guaranteed large profit margin!
oh and as far as GA jobs (General Aviation), there is the Robert Gray Army Airfield/Killeen Ft Hood Regional Airport, and of course defense contractor jobs on post at Ft Hood.
you can live in Belton and be near lakes.
Lampasas and Gatesville are also great safe country communities, very church oriented, commuting distance to Ft Hood/Killeen area.
come check it out!

[JamesAbilene]

I am usually an Abilene booster, but the ice cream business seems saturated here. We have a new Cold Stone Creamery, but one ice cream store and one frozen treat store have gone out of business in the last few months.

[Mike78613]

Leander, TX does not have one. Maybe you can be the 1st?