The seasons greet an expansion of locally owned chain shops and restaurants

Leap into winter with the first Big Frog shop in New Mexico, two new Panda Expresses and fewer doughnuts.

National chain Big Frog this month opened its first New Mexico location in Albuquerque at 6001 San Mateo NE.

The store, owned by a wife and husband duo, provides custom printing on T-shirts, hats and other fabric-based products like towels.

“Ultimately, we have all had that experience of buying something online only to be really unhappy when the package arrives,” said co-owner Tamara Turkai.

At Big Frog, the customers get what they want, Turkai said, because they are involved in every part of the process, physically touching and seeing the fabrics and colors they choose.

For Turkai, opening Big Frog was an escape from corporate tedium. She used to work in information technology.

“This is so freeing,” said Turkai.

But that doesn't mean the work is easy.

Husband Alex Turkai said, “We are putting in 11-12 hour days, seven days a week, no vacation.”

Alex joked that they were putting all of their eggs in one basket. The funding used to start the business came out of his retirement.

The couple moved to Albuquerque three years ago from Michigan.

Alex said they moved to be in better weather. They missed the balmy climates where they grew up. Alex is from North Africa and Tamara is from California.

He visited New Mexico 20 years ago and decided then that he was going to come back.

Big Frog is not the only chain finding momentum in Albuquerque. Panda Express will have two new locations by the end of the month.

Panda Express is a worldwide American Chinese food chain that has been serving customers since 1983.

The new locations will be restaurant 14 and 15 in Albuquerque.

The 261 98th SW is newly open and a 10126 Coors NW restaurant will be opening before the end of the year.

“This is a special moment for our team as we continue our expansion throughout Albuquerque and continue to grow alongside this community,” said Roberto Ornelas, Panda Express area coach of operations.

The two new stores will provide 100 jobs to the Albuquerque community, according to a press release.

It was not all good tidying this December. Local doughnut shop Two Boys Doughnuts shuttered its operations.

Two Boys once had five locations and a doughnut truck but last year downsized, closing two of the locations.

This year, the mini-empire is gone.

“It was a good run of 5 years, 4 months and 26 days,” said the official Two Boys Doughnuts Facebook page.

The closure of all remaining stores effective immediately was posted on Dec. 11.