Soon, you won’t have to drive far to pick up a Turkey Tom or a No. 7: Jimmy John’s is opening a franchise in Decatur.
The Decatur Economic Develoment Corp (DEDC) announced earlier in November that the popular sandwich chain known for its fast delivery will come to Decatur soon.
The new restaurant will be located at 1208 S. Farm Road 51, Suite A, next to Little Caesars, according to DEDC Executive Director Kevin Holzbog. It’s where the GameStop was located before it closed.
Jimmy John’s operates about 2,600 franchises nationwide, with the nearest locations currently in Denton, Azle, Northlake and near Keller. An opening date has not yet been announced.
Smile because it happened, Sweetie Pie’s
Shortly after the news broke that a new sandwich titan was arriving in Wise County, the circle of restaurant life moved us all.
Sweetie Pie’s Ribeyes is now closed after 19 years of serving as a cornerstone of the Decatur Square.
At the start of last week, regulars were shocked to find signage announcing the closure. Customers during the Sunday dinner rush the previous night didn’t even know that those buttered rolls and chicken fried steaks were the last supper.
It’s a bittersweet goodbye, but apparently, a necessary one.
The restaurant’s owners said that they made the decision to close the Decatur location permanently after years of it struggling to support itself financially.
“We held on to [Sweetie Pie’s in Decatur] because we loved it so much. We enjoyed being in Decatur and we’ve always been very hopeful that it would prosper here,” co-owner Joel Vinyard said last week. “At some point, you have to make a decision.”
The message left on the door when Sweetie Pie’s closed last week.
Apparently, their other restaurants were propping up the Decatur steakhouse from the beginning.
“It’s a very hard decision, it always is,” Vinyard added. “The truth of it is, the Sweetie Pie’s in Decatur really hasn’t ever been financially successful. And if it wasn’t for it being part of the Babe’s restaurants, this restaurant would’ve closed 15-16 years ago. And it wasn’t because of the kitchen or the staff. It just hadn’t had the attraction in order to sustain itself all that time.”
Sweetie Pie’s is part of the Vinyard family’s well-known North Texas restaurant group, which also includes Babe’s Chicken Dinner House and Bubba’s Cooks Country. The Sweetie Pie’s location in North Richland Hills, which opened in 2021, remains in business. Sweetie Pie’s Ribeyes was a new concept for the Vinyard family, when Paul “Bubba” Vinyard and Mary Beth “Babe” Vinyard opened up shop in Decatur in 2006. While the volume in Decatur may have been lacking, the location was popular among Wise County residents. Sweetie Pie’s dominated several categories in our Reader’s Choice Awards over its 19-year run.
Wise Electric moving HQ to Bridgeport
Wise Electric Cooperative is moving its headquarters into the former home of BKV Barnett in Bridgeport.
The project, registered last month with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), includes approximately $400,000 in renovations to the 58,317-square-foot building. Work is expected to be completed by Feb. 1, 2026.
Wise Electric got its start in 1938 through the Rural Electrification Administration, which lent funds to cooperatives like Wise Electric to build lines and establish electricity in rural areas. The cooperative’s service area now includes 17,000 members across seven counties: Wise, Clay, Cooke, Denton, Jack, Parker and Montague.
Wise Electric’s current office is at 1900 N. Trinity St. in Decatur.
Other notable projects listed in the TDLR registry include new activity at Decatur Office Village, which is adding specialists in rheumatology and cardiac care within the new 11-building complex at Trinity and Thompson streets.
Tippen Steel Services has registered a $400,000 project to build a 10,800-square-foot storage building for steel beams in Boyd, at 141 Farm Road 730.
Perhaps the most eye-popping project doesn’t involve a business at all. Crossroads Church in Decatur is expected to begin work soon on an $8.6 million project for renovations and additions to its existing facility. The project includes lobby updates, administrative space and children’s areas. Work on the 15,848-square-foot church was slated to begin this week, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 18, 2026.
A fitting award for the sales lady with a heart of gold
Sandy Crump poses with her award with Charlotte Fitzgerald and Misty Berry of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce.
Wise County Messenger legend Sandy Crump received the Golden Heart Award from the Decatur Chamber of Commerce Tuesday in appreciation of her joyful brand of service, compassion and dedication to the community.
We’re lucky to have her.
The chamber also recognized several businesses and organizations for reaching major milestones, its citizen of the year, Stan Shults, and students of the month from Decatur ISD and Victory Christian Academy.
Chamber Recognitions
Paying it forward
Helping out organizations that help out our community is par for the course for the McMasters golf tournament. And this year’s tourney raised a whopping $54,000 for the Wise County Committee on Aging and its Meals on Wheels program.
The $54,000 donation will be used to help the nonprofit provide meals, rides, wellness checks to seniors across the Wise County community.
The annual tournament was held in September at Decatur Golf Club.
Members of the McMaster team presented a $54,000 check to Wise County Committee on Aging staff and board members at the Wise County Messenger last week.
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