Established in 1962 As a struggling single mother in the early 1950's, Alice Amason left her home town of Weimar for Houston to provide for her two young daughters. Landing a job at a local pharmacy, she quickly became a customer favorite, as she demonstrated an aptitude for understanding and serving the individual needs of her customers. Alice recognized a consistent theme among her customers that until now, was going largely unmet: a demand for fine tobacco products and a wider range of options. She saw this as an opportunity to create a business for herself and her daughters. However, this proved to be a challenge in the primarily male-dominated tobacco industry, banks were less than willing to entertain a woman asking for a loan to start a tobacco business. Steadfast in her convictions that she could meet the needs of the customers, Alice persevered until longtime friend and customer, Racehorse Haynes, extended a loan of $500. And with that, the Briar Shoppe was born.