Texas Toasted Sandwich Shop in Tioga has been open since June 2024 and has been giving back to the community ever since.
Trish and Paul Martin are the owners of Texas Toasted, and Trish shared the story of how the business came to be.
“My daughter actually went to Tioga and graduated in 2019,” Trish said. “It was her first year there, and she fell in love with the town and school and everything else.”
After high school, their daughter opened Matilda Rose Boutique, which is next door to where Texas Toasted now stands. Over the years, Trish said she frequently heard from locals that there weren’t enough dining options in town.
With more than 25 years of catering experience, Martin had long been involved in the food industry, and her husband owns the Republic of Texas Sports Bar and Grill in West Texas. When a location became available in Tioga, their daughter encouraged them to take the leap.
“My daughter was like, ‘Mom, you should open up a sandwich shop. Everybody's always wanting sandwiches,’” Trish said.
Martin said the idea made sense. After meeting with the building’s owner and laying out their plans, they decided to go for it.
“So it really just came about for a need for Tioga,” Trish said. “People were wanting something different, and with our background, we were able to do it.”
After almost a year of operation, Texas Toasted offers a variety of menu options, including hot and cold sandwiches, subs, several cookie options, soups, chips and beverages.
Texas Toasted adjusts its menu seasonally, introducing different items for warmer and colder months. The shop also provides catering services for any occasion, accommodating both menu favorites and custom orders.
“We can do anything,” Trish said. “There's nothing that we can't cater with owning two businesses.”
One unique feature of the shop is that many of the menu items are named after something meaningful to Trish and Paul. One sandwich they offer is the Gruene Club, which comes with a touching backstory.
“When coming up with the menu for their business, the owners thought it was only fitting to include what started it all,” Hallie Cooper, Texas Toasted assistant manager, wrote in a Facebook post. “It started with two people just looking to have a good time and a good dance while in the city of Gruene, Texas, where one of the oldest dance halls in the state of Texas belongs. That one night blossomed into a beautiful relationship between the owners Paul and Trisha. While going on dates and spending time between the two, this relationship turned into love. Later on down the road is when the two met at the same dance hall that started it all—also where Paul got on one knee and proposed to Trisha.”
Beyond the menu, though, Texas Toasted is driven by the community.
“We strive to really embed and immerse ourselves in the community,” Trish said. “We're here for the community just as much as they are there for us. It goes both ways.”
The shop regularly supports local schools, including Tioga’s football, volleyball and basketball teams, as well as the FFA auction, senior citizen program and band bingo. Their generosity extends beyond Tioga, with donations to events in Collinsville, such as an athletic fundraiser auction.
Texas Toasted also gives back by often offering 15% discounts to firefighters, police officers and teachers. The gesture isn’t limited to Tioga—they welcome and appreciate first responders and educators from surrounding areas, including Collinsville and Pilot Point.
“The vision is just really to continue to provide for the town and pivot for what the town wants and what the town's looking for,” Trish said. “And what everybody's looking for. And really just to grow with the community as the community grows.”
Texas Toasted is located at 207 Gene Autry Drive in Tioga. You can find more information and contact them on their Facebook page, Texas Toasted Sandwich Shop or call them at 972- 482-4799.
