Brewpub hopes to find magic
Roger Sheppard, local businessman and magician, prepares to share new flavors with Texarkana. Ten months in the making, his Redbone Magic brewpub is the culmination of of an idea. Sure, it will be a place where you can get a tall, cold, frosty pint, Sheppard said, but he envisions much more.
“We have good restaurants in Texarkana, this is true. We have a budding craft brew scene. But I see a place that not only will be frequented by Texarkana diners, but as an attraction for visitors from out-of-town,” he said. “I see this as the kind of place that folks from Shreveport, Dallas and Little Rock will want to visit.”
Redbone Magic opens today at 3 p.m. and is located at 1304 Texas Blvd., across from the cemetery on the west side of the street.
It will feature a range of craft beers and simple, prepared-onscene food, like pizza from a wood-fired oven. The central product will be the beer of course, and since Redbone Magic is a brewpub, which Sheppard describes as a “retail outfit” for craft brew, will feature growlers out the door as well as distribution to restaurants and bars.
“Texas allows us to sell craft beer off-premise,” said Sheppard.
In addition to the beer and the food, Sheppard sees Redbone Magic as a community gathering place, with widely placed tables to encourage patrons to visit with each other. He is the owner, but is hiring people like Jayme Elliott, his general manager. Elliot is a military brat and daughter of the current commander of the Defense Logistics Agency facility located at Red River. Even though his tour is ending and he is leaving soon, she has decided to settle in Texarkana to join Sheppard in this venture.
“I’ve been in the hospitality trade for 14 years,” she said. “I’ve been a bartender, an up-front manager and a graduate of the culinary arts program at Texarkana College. I met Roger Sheppard at a community event and he gave me this opportunity. I love Roger’s passion and vision for Redbone and see this as a dream job. I’ve bough a house and am settling in for the long haul. This is an opportunity I couldn’t say no to.”
Sheppard says parties and performances are part of the plan.
“I’m a magician by trade, a performer, and I’m good at it,” Sheppard said. “I’m hiring people like Jayme to run the place and I’m going to be running the show. We will have parties themed around holidays and other occasions, this will be the place where you come for the show.”
“I see this as the kind of place that folks from Shreveport, Dallas, and Little Rock will want to visit.”—Roger Sheppard