WEST, Texas -- Slovacek's celebrated the grand opening of its newest convenience store in West, Texas, on Sunday, Dec. 8, with an open house and special guests.
To celebrate the launch, the store welcomed guests with live performances, prize giveaways, free food samplings and a special appearance by "Santa Paws," who was be on hand to take photos with pets.
"We are just delighted to finally be in West," said Laura Doskocil, chief financial officer of Slovacek's. "The town has been so gracious and welcoming to us. West has such a strong Czech culture that we are so happy to share and be a part of."
The store hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. As part of the grand opening festivities, customers had the opportunity to have their pets' photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus for free throughout the day. Donations for local animal shelters were accepted but not required. Patrons also tried complimentary samples of menu items, such as handcrafted sandwiches, gourmet meats and cheeses and signature baked goods like kolaches, all while listening to the sounds of Ennis Czech Boys and Marvin Cepak and his band. Other activities included raffle drawings for gift cards and souvenirs, and a spinning prize wheel offering free beverages or snacks.
More than just your regular gas station pit stop, the new store houses a full-service meat market with a vast selection of high-quality meats, bakery that carries a range of made-from-scratch pastries and breads daily, and food café with a complete menu of specialty sandwiches and paninis. The store also features a dog park, an indoor and outdoor seating area and a drive-thru.
Among the store's features include:
- The Kissing Pig Café: The store boasts a full-service, made-to-order deli shop featuring fresh sandwiches, paninis and wraps made on the spot by a gourmet chef. Guests can enjoy their meal in the store's seating area, inside or out.
- Meat Market: A full-scale meat counter houses fresh-cut beef, chicken, pork, cured sausage and other premium meats. Customers are also welcome to buy fresh produce, groceries and prepackaged signature meats.
- Dog Park: Situated behind the store, the dog park is an expansive pet arena designed for dogs to run freely and play. Canines of all sizes can run off-leash in a fenced area and play on the state-of-the-art jungle gym.
- Fresh Baked Goods: The bakery is home to a delightful array of fresh pastries, desserts and breads--from Czech-style kolaches to muffins and cookies--all handmade in-store by the on-site pastry chefs.
- Laura Belle's Frozen Yogurt: This station has a plethora of frozen yogurt flavor options with a toppings bar featuring over 14 different treats, like seasonal, hand-cut fruit as well as healthy granola and nuts.
- Drive-Thru: Convenient for traveling motorists, most of the store's menu from the Kissing Pig Café and bakery are available for purchase via the drive-thru.
- Gift Shop: Customers will find a large selection of novelty items and store gear available for purchase, from company-made fruit preserves to sweaters and shirts.
Based in Snook, Texas, Slovacek's serves up fresh sausage and premium-quality meat products. Established in 1957, Slovacek's has delighted Texans with its signature sausage and specialty meats sold in restaurants and grocery stores throughout the state. The first retail convenience store opened in Snook, Texas, adjacent to its headquarters. Slovacek's is proud to open its second store location in West, Texas.
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