Arlington Business Losing Out In I-30, SH360 Interchange Improvement Project
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ARLINGTON (CBS11) - When Cowboys Auto in Arlington opened its doors in 2012, owner Omar Omar had already invested significant sweat equity.
"The place was a mess," Omar says. "There was no electricity, no plumbing. no windows of course. "The store needed a complete overhaul."
He thought his investment of more than $100,000 would go beyond sweat. He added garages, windows, even basic necessities like plumbing to the former strip club.
"It was supposed to be for the future. We were looking about 10 years down the road," Omar says.
Now he's three years into a five-year lease with options that extended to 20 years. But he won't even get close now that the state is taking over the land at I-30 and SH-360 per eminent domain. And no matter where he goes, he can't take his improvements with him.
"The only thing I can take with me is my machines, my inventory and my employees," Omar says.
Because Omar leases the space, he may not be entitled to damages - only a relocation package, which would cover few of his costs. The landlord, PNYX, did not want to comment but does have an upcoming hearing with the state. Omar and his employees aren't optimistic.
"I really worry about the guys in the back, the techs and the tire guys, because some of these guys, it's not so easy for them to find a job," says Assistant Manager Amos Bonyo. "These guys have families, they have bills," he says.
Omar hopes he can find new space and make the finances work. But for this 22-year-old entrepreneur, it's been a difficult introduction to the business world.
"A lot of sleepless nights. A lot of complaining," he says. "Just a lot of anger. But I try to focus on the store, because at the end of the day the bills don't stop."
TXDOT says they can't comment on the ongoing negotiations in this case. They are set to begin construction on their new interchange in the spring.
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