San Antonio’s unprecedented development boom continues to point northward with the upcoming 72-acre Schertz Station, now being built at I-35 and Cibolo Valley Drive. The mixed-use center will transform the burgeoning bedroom community with some of America’s buzziest chain restaurants, including Portillo’s.
The development is part of a rapidly growing area that has already attracted newer franchises like Dutch Bros and Salata and legacy restaurants such as Chile’s, IHOP, and Denny’s. But the most hype is around a quartet of chains that only have a limited presence in the San Antonio area.
Portillo’s, a Chicago-based chain, adored for its Italian beef sandwiches, hot dogs, and cake shakes, has no Alamo City presence at all. An earlier release says the location will be a “restaurant of the future,” a smaller-scale site with dual drive-thrus and a pick-up shelf inside. Although the company has not shared an exact opening date, the San Antonio Business Journal said it was eyeing the fall.
Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream will open its second area location at Schertz Station. Photo courtesy of Handel’s
Schertz Station visitors will soon be able to cool off with scoops from Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream. The cult Ohio ice cream parlor introduced itself to San Antonio in 2023, but so far, it has not expanded. The closest location to the Rim store is in Austin.
Dave’s Hot Chicken, a Los Angeles brand cashing in on the Nashville trend, has only been in San Antonio since 2022. Since debuting at 9602 Texas Hwy. 151 #108, it has only opened one more restaurant in the area. Mediterranean chain CAVA, one of many fast-casual joints that have snagged Chipotle’s build-your-own model, has made further inroads in town, but still only has three outposts in the city limits.
Leasing documents from commercial real estate firm Merit also show a few chains that have a more widespread footprint in the area. A brochure shows Jersey Mike’s Subs, Panera Bread, and Smoothie King joining the strip dominated by a massive EVO Entertainment compound.
Although Schertz is not growing as rapidly as other area suburbs like Boerne, Selma, Fair Oaks Ranch, New Braunfels, and Canyon Lake, recent census data states that the town has boomed with a 10.61 percent increase since 2018. The city is actively recruiting new development to serve its newest citizens.