BELTON, Texas (KWTX) – Crews are busy putting the finishing touches on transforming the MKT Train Depot in Belton into a new commercial space.
For business owners, new developments offer second chances for some and new opportunities for others.
Jay Williams and wife Christy are preparing to open a railroad-themed restaurant, the Railway Express Diner.
“Getting into this building is in line with what we said: let’s take you into the past,” Williams said.
The couple owns the WAT THE TRUCK food truck, which will be their first full-service restaurant.
“We are used to ordering pickup from food trucks,” explains Williams. “Now we need to set the seat.”
The new restaurant has converted a ticket booth into a kitchen and left the original floor of the Depot built in 1899.
In front of the depot, Andrew Johnson scrambles to turn the boxcar into the Worm Cookie Company.
“To have the opportunity to be in this amazing space with all the other businesses in this way is absolutely incredible,” he said.
Johnson hit the brakes and closed the original Temple Cookie Shop in August.
“The cost of our goods skyrocketed. All we had to do was have enough staff in the store. It was tough,” he said.
He said the new location will allow him to focus on a more limited menu and operate with fewer staff.
“This will allow us to be more lenient with our pricing structure and offer a more enjoyable experience at an affordable price,” said Johnson.
The work to hit the final bells and whistles is going full steam ahead for both Johnson and Williams.
“It’s exciting to be able to offer a slightly different host as we take the next step in our service offering, and that’s what we really wanted,” Williams said.
The Railway Express Diner opens on Fridays. Johnson said Warm Cookie Company should open in February. The MKT Train Depot will also feature a bookstore bar, coffee shop, and Puerto Rican restaurant.
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