How a Main Street Grant Relocated a Hemphill Kayak Outfitter

Toledo Bend Kayak Rental recently traded a dead-end dirt road in Milam, Texas, for a renovated 1903 storefront on the nearby downtown square in Hemphill, and the move changed the business almost overnight.

One Friday this summer, owners Andi and Ivan Sanders watched more customers walk through the new store than they had during the entire three years the business operated from its old location.

The market was always there. Toledo Bend Lake stretches along the Sabine River between Texas and Louisiana, with roughly 1,200 miles of shoreline drawing anglers, boaters and paddlers from both states. But the business’s former location in Milam had little passing traffic and just 900 square feet of retail space.

Hemphill’s downtown square put Toledo Bend Kayak Rental directly in the flow of visitors traveling through the region, while the new location gives the business approximately 2,900 square feet of space.

From Tackle Shop to Kayak Outfitter, With Support Along the Way

Communities Unlimited (CU), which provides technical assistance and loans to small businesses across East Texas through its ongoing partnership with the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, has worked with Sanders since before she made the leap from tackle to kayaks.

In April 2024, CU’s Lending Team, led by Senior Economic Development Loan Officer Chris Ranniger, closed a loan that covered renovation costs, inventory and marketing as Sanders wound down her longtime tackle business, Talon Fishing Unlimited, and converted an inherited woodworking shop in Milam into Toledo Bend Kayak Rental’s first storefront.

At the same time, CU Management Consultant Trent Thomason, part of the Entrepreneurship Team, worked alongside Sanders on loan readiness, marketing strategies, financial projections, goal setting and time management, while also providing feedback on general business decisions such as selecting an accounting system.

That technical assistance is also supported by a USDA Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG), another resource supporting Communities Unlimited’s entrepreneurship work with small businesses in Texas, including Sabine County.

Finding the Main Street Grant Opportunity

In March 2026, Thomason brought Sanders an Edward Jones Main Street Initiative grant opportunity that could support the business’s next step.

Sanders decided to pursue it and took the lead on the application. Thomason worked alongside her throughout the process, talking through the narrative, reviewing goals and budget numbers, and offering feedback as drafts took shape.

The final application reflected Sanders’ plans and vision for the business, with Thomason serving as a sounding board and second set of eyes throughout the process.

Toledo Bend Kayak Rental was one of three CU clients in East Texas selected for the six-month grant and coaching program, offered through New Leaf Climate Partners and the Small Business Empowerment Center (SBEC). The three businesses received a combined $90,000 to reinvest in their communities.

For Sanders, the funding supported the move to Hemphill by covering inventory, signage, marketing and store fixtures.

“Main Street gave us the opportunity to create the unique vibe and inventory we need to attract customers, and the funding to build a valuable and engaging community resource for both our local residents and tourists visiting Toledo Bend,” Sanders said.

A Storefront That Fits the Downtown Square

The opportunity came after a group leading downtown revitalization efforts in Hemphill approached Sanders about becoming the square’s kayak outfitter.

Because the building dates to around 1903, Sanders wanted the interior to match its character. She mixed vintage and new furnishings, installed vertical kayak stands and grid wall panels for accessories and bait, and began working with a local artist on a lake-themed mural as part of the grant’s community service component.

The landlord renovated the building’s shell, while Sanders and her team installed everything inside.

More Space Changes the Business Economics

More space also gave Sanders room to rethink the economics of the business.

At the Milam location, there was little space for anything beyond kayaks, which offered limited margins after shipping costs. In Hemphill, Sanders added paddles, apparel and other higher-margin merchandise while increasing her kayak orders enough to qualify for free shipping from her largest vendor.

The difference has shown up quickly.

During one event on the square, a local wine tasting brought a crowd that nearly emptied Sanders’ kayak inventory, leaving just two boats. A new apparel line moved almost as quickly, with most of one hat shipment selling before Sanders could enter it into the point-of-sale system.

“It has been wonderful,” Sanders said. “We are getting so much positive feedback, and people are already calling us a destination outfitter. That was our goal after the first year in Hemphill, but we have already done it.”

Becoming a Fixture in the Local Recreation Economy

The growth is also beginning to change the way the business operates. Sanders said Toledo Bend Kayak Rental is now looking for a part-time employee to work weekends, particularly as cooler weather allows her to offer more kayak tours while someone else manages the store.

For a business that once struggled to attract passing traffic, needing another person to keep up with the storefront marks another step in its growth.

Toledo Bend Kayak Rental’s move is positioning the business as a fixture in the local recreation economy and another reason for visitors to make downtown Hemphill part of their trip to the lake.