Brown County business news & data
County seat: Brownwood · Population (2024 est.): 38,631 · Edge county (partly in the 254 area code)
254 rate centers: May
In the news
Temple's sales tax allocation jumps 16.6% as 254-area cities collect $25.6M in October
The Comptroller sent $25.6 million in October sales tax allocations to 77 cities across the 254, up 10.5% from a year ago.
Last call, first call: The Beltonian Theatre, Thai Cafe and The Cave among October's new TABC licenses
TABC issued 41 new permits and licenses in the 254 area from Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, and 29 more applications were pending.
Permits & filings
Costs, square footage and dates are owners' estimates filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TABS accessibility registrations) and may change.
| Registered | City | Project / owner | Est. cost | Sq. ft. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-19 | Brownwood | Brownwood Streetscapes City of Brownwood | $6,500,000 | 3,700 |
| 2026-10-19 | Brownwood | Silos Promenade and Courtyard City of Brownwood | $6,000,000 | 1,300 |
| 2026-10-19 | Brownwood | Founder's Crossing Park City of Brownwood | $3,350,000 | 2,000 |
| 2026-10-28 | Brownwood | Connector Building First Baptist Church Brownwood | $1,800,000 | 3,840 |
Sales tax allocations, October 2026
| City | County | Oct. 2026 | Oct. 2025 | Change | Year to date | YTD change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownwood | Brown | $599,542 | $594,138 | +0.90% | $6,475,613 | +1.58% |
| Early | Brown | $271,686 | $190,189 | +42.85% | $2,617,138 | +32.90% |
New sales tax permits (businesses)
Sole proprietors and other individuals are left out on purpose; only businesses registered as corporations, LLCs and similar entities are listed.
| Date | City | Outlet | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 21, 2026 | Brownwood | Vk Distro | Wholesale (nondurable) |
| Oct. 21, 2026 | Bangs | Big Country Beverages LLC | Grocery & food stores |
| Oct. 21, 2026 | Brownwood | Matcha Organics LLC | Non-store retail |
| Oct. 17, 2026 | Brownwood | Super Sudds Of Texas LLC | Personal services |
| Oct. 7, 2026 | Early | Wt Solutions, LLC | Specialty trade contractors |
| Oct. 7, 2026 | Brownwood | Cristea's | Restaurants & food service |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | Blanket | The Gun Club | Hobby, music & books |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | Brownwood | Independent Resources | Other |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | Brownwood | Road Fuel | Other |
New TABC licenses
| Issued | City | Business | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 27, 2026 | Brownwood | Boys & Girls Club of Brown County Inc | Nonprofit temporary event |
| Oct. 27, 2026 | Brownwood | Fusion Grill | Mixed beverage |
Pending TABC applications
| Filed | City | Applicant | Applied for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 23, 2026 | Bangs | Big Country Beverages LLC | Wine & beer retailer (on-premise) |
Top mixed beverage sellers, September 2026
| # | Location | City | Gross receipts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar | Brownwood | $64,148 |
| 2 | Waylon's And Ray's Place | Brownwood | $49,997 |
| 3 | The Hideout Golf Club & Resort | Brownwood | $35,032 |
| 4 | Chili's Grill & Bar | Brownwood | $31,552 |
| 5 | Deja Vu Hookah Lounge And Bar | Brownwood | $28,948 |
| 6 | Brownwood Country Club | Brownwood | $24,052 |
| 7 | Heart Of Texas Vfw Post 3278 | Brownwood | $17,670 |
| 8 | The Royal Card Club | Brownwood | $9,545 |
| 9 | The Turtle Restaurant/the Turtle Gelateria/ The Tu | Brownwood | $8,637 |
| 10 | Pogue Farm Market Seafood & Steak | Brownwood | $8,122 |
County total: $300,177 from 19 locations (August: $518,769 from 24).
Data window: Sept. 30 to Oct. 29, 2026 unless noted. Sources.