From fresh meats to biohacking, local businesses shine in Conroe-Montgomery

Managers say that Mariel's Meat Market continues to bring in customers with its fresh cuts and friendly service. The company has two sites in Montgomery. Its main goal is to help customers try new flavors while keeping the feel of a neighborhood butcher shop. Owners and managers said that what makes the market unique is seeing happy customers leave.

The story of Wild Honey Box starts with a single hive and a significant change in one's life. His wife, Wendy Reed, says that founder Kenny Reed started keeping bees after a health scare in 1994. What began as a change in lifestyle became a local honey business centered on caring for bees and growing food naturally.

Wendy Reed said, "He said he was born to take care of bees."

Julie Long, the owner of Space City Gourmet Popcorn Montgomery, says the store opened in November 2024, just before Thanksgiving. Many people came to the Houston space-themed shop over the holidays, but Long said her goal is to make gourmet popcorn a daily treat. The store has more than 30 flavors at any given time, with seasonal flavors coming out at different times of the year.

Pickleball Hideout has become a place where many people in Montgomery go to have fun indoors. The building opened on December 8, 2023, and was started by Karl and Stacy Woyton, who live in the area, and some friends they met through pickleball. Stacy Woyton, a former engineer, designed the space, which shows how passionate the founders were about the sport's rapid growth.

The goal of Rick Ornelas's Revive Biohacking is to improve people's health. After looking into new ways to improve health, Ornelas chose to start a business that would offer science- and technology-based ways to help people get healthier naturally.

Ornelas said, "I got the idea for Revive Biohacking while reading Lifespan by David Sinclair." "It talked about different ways to improve your health and lengthen your life so you can enjoy a better quality of life as you get older."

Together, the businesses showcase the wide range of entrepreneurs in Conroe-Montgomery by combining food, exercise, wellness, and fun while staying true to their local roots.