WILMER, Texas — Dec. 29, 2025, will mark 180 years since Texas was annexed by the United States. A century after the Lone Star State became the 28th state in the union, a city in North Texas also became official.

Carl Oscar Sherman remembers it like it was yesterday as he points to different areas of the library.

“That wasn’t there,” said Sherman, a managing partner at The Carl Sherman Group, LLC.

Although the former Texas state representative was born in Dallas, he calls this tiny community in southeastern Dallas County home.

“When I see citizens of Wilmer, I see myself. And I was that kid that was a stock boy that worked in a full-service grocery store called Max here in the city of Wilmer when they had a full-service grocery store,” said Sherman.

Where Max used to be is now replaced with a Dollar General that has “some” produce but still leaves shoppers driving approximately 15 minutes to another city to buy groceries. Sherman is hoping to change that.

“Citizens have much to be excited about because this city has never gotten to this point in its commitment to bring a grocery store to the area, and we have seven, now eight partners that we are working with as a team to bring this about,” said Sherman.

It has been nearly three decades since a full-service grocery store was up and running in Wilmer. Despite lacking that essential service, other industries have been flocking to the area since it became an incorporated city 80 years ago.

“Our city does not have to go out and ask a company to come. Those companies are coming to us,” said Wilmer Mayor Sheila Petta.

She said that Whirlpool and Procter & Gamble were the first major companies to come and lay down roots in Wilmer roughly 10 years ago.

“We are a fast-growing city,” said Petta.

The most recent addition came this summer with John Paul Mitchell Systems, a hair care manufacturer, announcing its relocation from California to Wilmer as its new headquarters.

When Sherman lived in Wilmer around the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, he says the population was around 2,000 to 3,000 people. Now, it’s close to 7,000, who continue to wait to hear about the return of a grocery store.

“We have two grocery stores that are currently we’re in talks with,” said Sherman.

A dream, Sherman said, he can’t wait to bag and deliver to his hometown once more.

The mayor said she’s looking for developers to come build middle-class and upper-class homes in the city. She said that currently they have working-class homes.