Texas Best Barbeque Sauce has hit the shelves of the H-E-B store at Wooded Acres Drive and Bosque Boulevard.

The Texas family that started marketing the sauce in 1977 sold it to a conglomerate that tinkered with the recipe with disastrous results. Annual sales fell from $10 million to $500,000.

Alen Smith, 67, couldn’t stand to see that happen to his family’s product, so in 2007 he bought back the rights.

He found a man in West Monroe, La., who could make the sauce just as it was intended to be. Now Smith and his son, 38-year-old Reed Smith, are trying to take the product nationwide.

Being from Texas, they started with H-E-B. The San Antonio-based chain has placed the sauce in 74 of its 310 stores.

H-E-B spokeswoman Tamra Jones said it is available in 17.5-ounce bottles for $3.99.

Allergan upgrades

Allergan, a California-based maker of eye-care products, continues to upgrade its Waco facility at 8301 Mars Drive.

A building permit has been issued for the company to spend an estimated $3.9 million remodeling the interior of the facility and adding a manufacturing assembly line.

No word yet on whether this will create more jobs. Allergan reportedly will make an announcement Tuesday.

The company now employs 486.

New auto franchise

Houston-based Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. wants to open two locations in Waco within the next two years.

Christian Brothers Automotive Corp. offers its franchisees a compensation package that includes a salary of more than $70,000, a share of store profits and family health insurance.

Each new Waco facility will cover 4,900 square feet and feature nine service bays and a waiting area for clients.

Published reports say that the company has 54 locations and plans to open 15 to 17 new stores this year.

The company Web site is www.cbac.com.

Homestead adjusts

The Homestead, an upscale subdivision for active older adults, has slashed its lease rates because it was finding few takers in this economy, spokesman Spike Pattillo said Friday.

“A lot of our target customers have lost their nest eggs or can’t sell their homes, so we’ve only been able to lease out one or two of our 21 units,” said Pattillo, adding that The Homestead is advertised for people 55 and older but really is most suitable for those 60 to 75.

All of the units at 6720 American Plaza, near Providence Park, feature lawn and maid service, as well as security features such as panic buttons and accommodations for those with disabilities.

At first, the owners were asking $3,150 a month for its smaller units, $3,550 for its larger ones. But Pattillo said those prices have been reduced to $1,950 and $2,300, respectively.

Those prices cover everything but phone and cable service.

$8.2 million for airport

Waco Regional Airport is getting $8.2 million in federal funds for runway safety improvements, U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards said last week.

This project follows the $4.9 million in stimulus funds Edwards announced in March that will rehabilitate and resurface runways at the airport, bringing total federal funds to $13.1 million.

mcopeland@wacotrib.com

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