As the retail hub of South Texas, McAllen is thriving. The city draws a customer base of more than 10 million within a two-mile radius, and is represented by 40 of America's top 100 retailers.

Pumping much of the life into this retail hub is La Plaza Mall, which annually attracts more than 18 million visitors. Its anchoring stores such as Dillard's and Macy's, and sought-after retailers, including BCBG-Max Azria and Coach, average sales of more than $650 per square foot, and are among the most profitable stores in their chains.

Other shopping centers in the area include Trenton Crossing, Las Tiendas Plaza and La Plaza Mall’s 600‚000-square-foot sister shopping center Palms Crossing, which hosts such big-name retailers as Barnes & Noble and Babies ’R’ Us, as well as a mass of specialty retailers and restaurants. Its appeal stems from its open-air design: lots of palm trees, water fountains, and seating areas with music and lighting.

McAllen Convention Center

Palms Crossing's proximity to the McAllen Convention Center helps too. The 18.5-acre complex, featuring a 60,000-square-foot column-free exhibit hall, more than 25,000 square feet of meeting space in four ballrooms, and up to 16 breakout rooms, offers bicultural themes and tropical accents that represent the cultural and natural diversity of McAllen.

Speaking of diversity: This bicultural city – located just eight miles from the U.S.-Mexico border – also has access to three international bridges that flood with visitors and eager shoppers daily, many of whom are spending at a rate twice the national average. McAllen is located just four miles south of Reynosa and two hours from Monterrey – one of the wealthiest cities in Mexico.

McAllen's Made for Manufacturing

Ranked third in Texas in per-capita sales, this progressive city bustling with business opportunities is also home to some of the largest manufacturing and wholesale companies in the nation.

Valley Coca Cola Bottling Co., Value Frozen Foods and Emerson Network Power are just a few who have set up shop in McAllen. In nearby Pharr is Tri-City Steel, which provides a full scope of steel construction by fabricating and erecting structural steel buildings, pre-engineered metal buildings, stairs, handrails and more.

Founded in 1968, Texas Citrus Exchange, located six miles from McAllen in Mission, is the exclusive manufacturer of Texas Rio Red Grapefruit juice, which is sold to premium manufacturers around the world.

Dura Bag Manufacturing Company, in Brownsville, is the leading provider of point-of-purchase bags and sacks for department store, grocery store and mass merchant retailers throughout the United States via direct, distributor, and broker sales.

Many businesses that have manufacturing companies in Mexico also like to take advantage of McAllen's keen business atmosphere for their companies' offices.