Port Isabel EDC

11/30/2025

Shop for Art on or anytime of the year in Port Isabel, Texas!

Artists Sunday! Shop Art in Port Isabel! Laguna Madre Art Gallery ~ Laguna Madre Art League ~ High Tide Tattoo PI ~ Jojoba ~ The Lighthouse Boutique Hotel ~ Tropical Home Furnishings ~ ADVENTURE in ART!

11/29/2025

Shop Port Isabel on Small Business Saturday! Art, crafts, books, recreational gear, tattoos, spas, accessories, furnishings, food, excursions, tours, souvenirs, clothing, gifts and collectibles! PORT HAS ALL THAT!

11/28/2025

The holidays are here! in Port Isabel, Texas. Art, crafts, books, recreational gear, tattoos, spas, accessories, furnishings, food, excursions, tours, souvenirs, clothing, gifts and collectibles! PORT HAS ALL THAT!

03/14/2025

Port Isabel's 2024 sales tax: UP 19.95%. This percentage increase is followed by Hidalgo at 10.27%. Rio Grande Guardian

The RGG has created two league tables. One shows the Top Ten RGV cities for overall sales tax revenues. The other shows the Top Ten RGV cities for sales tax revenues by percentage increase.

02/24/2025

Port Isabel #1 in Top 10 Cities in Rio Grande Valley in Percentage Growth with a 10.85%%! See complete story! Rio Grande Guardian

The Texas Comptroller's Office has published the sales tax revenue totals for December 2024.

01/15/2025

About the Series – Organized by the SBA Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office

Introducing the “Let's Talk Business Series,” a 12-part program connecting entrepreneurs with federal, state, and local small business resources. Whether you're a budding entrepreneur or want to grow your business, this series presents essential business topics, provides a forum for networking, and promotes success in today’s dynamic business environment. Participants may attend one, two, six, or all sessions.

-Session 1
Small Business Start-Up Basics
While starting a business is an exciting venture, it can be overwhelming and daunting to navigate without proper planning, understanding, and ex*****on.
• Myths and Realities of Entrepreneurship
• Critical Success Factors/Management
• Components of Business Ownership
• Making it Legal
• Funding and Cash Management
📅 Friday, January 17, 2025 I ⏰ 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM (CT)
SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office
Register - 📝

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recognizes that supporting entrepreneurship is a team effort!

11/25/2024

! Support small businesses in Port Isabel this holiday season! There are treasures behind every storefront from original artwork and handcrafted jewelry to collectibles and souvenirs that are carefully curated by shopkeepers. Thank you for supporting our small businesses all year around!

09/01/2024

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Printed in the Port Isabel Press, Jan. 1, 1954: Lighthouse Visitors Are From 15 States

"Fifteen states were represented by visitors to the Lighthouse during the past week according to Jesse Ickes, State Park keeper in Port Isabel.

Mr. Ickes has been keeping track of different states represented and they include Louisiana, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado, South Dakota, New York, Montana and Texas.

During this entire month, Mr. Ickes will keep track of the different states and a full report will be given at the end of the month."

In July 2024, 2,000 zip codes were collected at the Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site. We had visitors from 32 states and 13 countries!

08/22/2024

SBA Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office
Seeks Nominations for National Small Business Week 2025
HARLINGEN, TEXAS – Do you or someone you know have what it takes to become America’s “Small Business Person of the Year” for 2025? If so, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) wants to hear from you.

“The SBA’s Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office is ready to accept nominations for the 2025 National and District Small Business Week Awards, including the annual Small Business Person of the Year Award,” Angela Burton, district director, said. “I encourage interested stakeholders to nominate exceptional small businesses and inspired small businesses to self-nominate.”

Visit Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office Awards | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov) to download forms, criteria, and guidelines for submitting national or local nominations. “To help nominators prepare a successful package, the Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office will present two webinars explaining the nomination guidelines,” Burton stated. Those webinars are scheduled for September 12, 2024, at 4:00 PM and September 24, 2024, at 11:00 AM. More Info.

The SBA Awards presented in celebration of National and District Small Business Week include the following awards:
• Small Business Person of the Year (National and District)
• Small Business Exporter (National and District)
• 8(a) Graduate of the Year (National and District)
• Family-Owned Business of the Year (District)
• Home-Based Business of the Year (District)
• Minority Owned Small Business of the Year (District)
• Rural Owned Small Business of the Year (District)
• Veteran Owned Small Business of the Year (District)
• Women-Owned Small Business of the Year (District)
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year (District)
National Small Business Week recognizes the outstanding achievements of America’s small businesses for their contributions to their local communities and our nation’s economy. “Small Business Week is one of my favorite weeks as we elevate the importance of small business ownership, commemorate model entrepreneurs, and celebrate small business resilience,” Burton added.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office must receive all nominations by electronic submission ONLY to the District’s BOX account no later than 3:00 p.m. (CT) on December 5, 2024.

For questions or additional information, please contact Veronica Ortega at [email protected].

The Lower Rio Grande Valley District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration serves the southernmost counties in Texas, including Aransas, Brooks, Cameron, Duval, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Nueces, San Patricio, Starr, Willacy, and Zapata.

U.S. Small Business Administration

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08/19/2024

Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site staff collected just over 2,000 zip codes during the month of July at the Lighthouse. YTD traffic numbers at the site are trending up 5% thanks to a very strong March 2024. August as of this post is trending up over August 2023. For more information about data collection and demographics, message the Port Isabel EDC.

08/02/2024

Port Isabel EDC offers grant to qualifying Port Isabel Shrimpers.
Port Isabel-SouthPadre Press

Port Isabel qualifying Shrimpers Receive EDC Grant
By ARABELLA SERRATA
Staff Writer

The Port Isabel Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has given a grant to shrimp boat owners that dock in Port Isabel.

There will be six grants, each in the amount of $10,000.00. As of the time of writing, three of the six grants have been paid. Round one of the grant will conclude once all six of the grants have been paid.

The grant was decided during the July 3 Port Isabel City Council meeting, and it comes at a critical time for the sh*****ng community. Valerie Bates, Marketing Director of Port Isabel, gave some insight into the situation. She said that one of the issues the industry is battling is the lack of visas that would allow many of the workforce to support the season. The cost of fuel and the price a pound of shrimp goes for are also slipping in opposite directions.

Photo: Gaige Davila
See complete story in this week's Port Isabel-SouthPadre Press

07/31/2024

More news on the Economic Development front ~ Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District slated for $2M expansion. See story. KRGV

The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District is getting an upgrade.