Dylan Busby

dylan@silsbee-bee.com

The Silsbee Bee

 

SILSBEE — A new neighborhood market promising fresh cuts, hot plates and a welcoming atmosphere is preparing to open its doors on Fourth Street.

Eloy’s Neighborhood Market, owned by Robert Worthy, will combine a multicultural meat market, bakery, ice cream counter and sit-down café under one roof, a concept Worthy believes fills a major gap in Silsbee.

“There’s a gap in the market for a Mexican meat market,” Worthy said. “The nearest one is in Beaumont. I couldn’t help but think you couldn’t help but make money doing that.”

Worthy, who also owns Wooden Pallets in Silsbee, said the project represents a step outside his father’s legacy business and into something he can build on his own.

“Wooden Pallets was my dad’s legacy,” Worthy said. “This is something I’m starting for myself.”

The market occupies the former Friends hair salon building, along with nearby apartments and lots Worthy purchased to expand the footprint. What began as an idea for a Hispanic Market evolved into something broader after he reconsidered the name.

“I wanted everyone to feel comfortable walking into the market,” he said. “It’s for everybody.”

The store is named in honor of Eloy Briones Gallegos Sr., a longtime Wooden Pallets employee and close friend of Worthy who passed away in 2021 after a battle with COVID-19 complications. Briones worked at Wooden Pallets for 30 years and was known for his humor, work ethic and loyalty.

“A lot of people liked him here because he would joke around with everybody,” Worthy said.

Eloy’s will feature a full-service meat counter offering Hispanic cuts alongside ribeyes, sirloins, pork chops, oxtails, hog head cheese and goat options. Worthy described it as a true multicultural meat market designed to serve the entire community.

Beyond the butcher case, customers can browse Hispanic baked goods, stop by an ice cream counter or take a seat in the front café. The café is expected to open at 7 a.m., serving American breakfast staples along with Hispanic dishes before transitioning to lunch plates later in the day.

Decor inside the market will include ranch-inspired touches such as a Brahman steer head and longhorn mounted on the wall, blending Texas pride with Hispanic tradition.

For Worthy, Eloy’s Neighborhood Market is both an opportunity and a tribute, created to bring fresh flavor and a welcoming spirit to Silsbee.