By Edmond Ortiz
Focus on San Antonio is spending the midpoint of 2026 checking in on key, select moves in the hospitality, retail and culinary industries in and around the city.
HOSPITALITY
City officials and leaders of San Antonio’s hotel and convention sectors are wary of a recent downturn in the local hotel industry, a concern that becomes more glaring as the city and San Antonio Spurs envision how downtown could support the proposed Project Marvel sports and entertainment district.
However, there is some promising news. The latest report from Source Strategies, a locally based hotel consulting company, showed a 2.6% increase in San Antonio hotel revenue during the first three months of 2026 over the same timeframe in 2025. According to the report, San Antonio hotels also saw a .4% rise in demand last winter compared to the start of 2025.
Additionally, local hoteliers reported an uptick in stays attributed to the Spurs’ lengthy playoff run that ended with an appearance in the NBA Finals.
There have been significant struggles in the downtown hotel community, such as The Thompson San Antonio-Riverwalk falling into foreclosure over the original owner’s defaulted loans. Sunrise Realty Trust and Southern Realty Trust, the hotel’s lenders, took ownership of the hotel in a foreclosure auction.
Nonetheless, other hospitality investors are betting on the future of San Antonio’s city center. The 77-room Aztec Hotel is scheduled to open late this summer at 201 E. Commerce St. atop the historic Aztec Theater, whose doors originally opened in June 1926.
A Marriott Tribute Portfolio venue, the Aztec Hotel will boast Zenita Rooftop Restaurant and Bar, which has a menu focused on Mexican-Asian cuisine, and Kellwood Lounge, which features a curated tequila selection.
The project team that is redeveloping another historic urban core structure, Tower Life, into a mixed-use residential highrise is due to start moving in late July towards a $3.5 million renovation of street- and river-level spaces to accommodate retail tenants.
According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, this nine-month initiative will affect more than 23,200 square feet of commercial space at Tower Life Residences, which is slated to have a grand opening in 2027.
The new owners of the 64-year-old El Tropicano Hotel, now Sítio El Tropicano, are preparing to reopen the 315-room Riverwalk resort late this year with food and beverage concepts led by Austin-based Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group. Those culinary offerings will include a signature restaurant that will be open all day, a café and provisions spot, and a poolside bar. Sitio El Tropicano recently began accepting applications for its members-only Sítio Club.
Residence Inn by Marriott San Antonio Riverwalk, opening later this month at 100 N. Main Ave., is an extended-stay property that features 171 suites with full kitchens, and flexible living spaces. Community amenities include a fitness center, complimentary daily breakfast, outdoor fire pit/lounge and a full-service Starbucks.
Elsewhere, the Gunter Hotel recently rolled out a special limited-time package for guests to celebrate becoming a Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel.
A little bit north of the central business district, the Terry Black’s Barbecue development near Pearl will hit a new phase this September when construction begins on a $63 million boutique on-site hotel.
According to a TDLR filing, the three-story hotel – tentatively named The Mandeville – will have a restaurant above a garage and a bathhouse. Hotel construction is due for completion in summer 2028.
RETAIL
While H-E-B is going ahead with a planned $700 million expansion of its Foster Road supply chain campus, the local grocer continues building new stores around the San Antonio region and beyond.
People living in the southern parts of Converse and Schertz look forward to the retailer’s planned opening of a $21 million, 125,000-square-foot store at 10137 I-10 E. later this year.
The new H-E-B will feature a True Texas BBQ Restaurant with indoor seating, a Texas Backyard with live plants, pottery, soil and other outdoor living items, and a pharmacy with drive-thru service. The new store will anchor future retail development in a part of Bexar County that has seen a recent population influx.
Ahead of this new Far East Side H-E-B opening, the company recently donated $25,000 to Converse-based nonprofit Boysville San Antonio, which serves children, youth, and young adults who have experienced abuse, neglect, or family crisis.
Sierra, part of the TJX family of brands such as TJ Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods, will open a 17,000-square-foot store in The Forum at Olympia Parkway at 8270 Agora Pkwy. in Selma. Sierra offers a range of active and outdoor apparel, footwear and gear.
Sierra’s grand opening event, set for 8 a.m. Aug. 8, will include giveaways, a hidden hang-tag activity featuring gift cards hidden throughout the store, and the company donating $10,000 to a local charity.
The Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce will hold a July 21 ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony for Linen and Dove at 1201 S. Main St., Suite 107, in Boerne. Linen and Dove is a consignment closet boutique where community members can “rent” a consignment closet for one week and sell pre-owned clothes, accessories and other items.
Shoppers can also find local artisans’ goods, such as pottery, wood and leather products, home decor, books, fresh flower arrangements, and succulents.
Tilted Cactus Boutique and Gifts opened at 14357 Riggs Road in Helotes, offering a variety of apparel, accessories, including men’s and women’s hats and boots, and gift items.
CULINARY
Texas Sugar Daddies, based on the South Side, recently relocated from the Blessed Sacrament Academy/Por Vida Academy campus to 346 E. Mitchell St., site of the former Sylvia’s Taco House.
Texas Sugar Daddies is primarily a corporate and private event caterer and a custom bakery that also offers a public homestyle lunch items with daily specials and grab-to-go options 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays at its brick-and-mortar cafe. Call 210-281-1415 for details.
A grand opening for the first San Antonio location of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams will be held 5-9 p.m. July 23 in The Shops at La Cantera at 15900 La Cantera Pkwy., Suite 7751, near American Eagle and Foot Locker. Founded by James Beard Award-winner Jeni Britton Bauer, Jeni’s offers 30-plus dozen flavors, and the Ohio chain’s ice creams are known for their buttercream texture. The grand opening party will have free scoops for everyone, and swag bags for the first 50 customers in line.
Ping’s Sichuan Kitchen, based near the Encino Park neighborhood, debuts a second location at 12730 I-10 W., Suite 312, with a 3 p.m. July 16 grand opening event, which will include a ribbon-cutting, a free raffle for a food gift card, and other promotional giveaways.
The grand opening festivities continue July 17 when the first 100 patrons receive complimentary vouchers for spring rolls or pot stickers to be redeemed on their next visit. Additionally, UT San Antonio students who present a valid college ID will get a 10% discount on the entire order for their table. Grand opening activities conclude at 11:30 a.m. July 18 with a traditional Chinese lion dance performance and another free raffle for a food gift card.
A slew of independently owned and operated coffee shops have recently launched. Eternal Morning Coffee is soft-opening at 714 Fredericksburg Road. Karma Espresso Bar has opened a brick-and-mortar storefront at 18750 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 151, Karma still has a trailer at 12150 Alamo Ranch Pkwy.
Pink Coffee and Co. unveiled a Universal City drive-thru stand at 850 Pat Booker Road. Pink Coffee also has spots in New Braunfels, Seguin, Spring Branch and Blanco.
Alondra’s Coffee, located at 3420 N. St. Mary’s St., Suite 102, next to Brackenridge Park, offers various coffee drinks, homemade coffee syrups and baked goods.
The Morning Slasher Caffeinated is holding a grand opening from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. July 18 at 6021 Callaghan Road. Morning Slasher 13 offers horror movie- and slasher-themed coffee drinks as well as “dirty” sodas, energy drinks, shirts and stickers. A parent venture, Morning Slasher 13, is a coffee cart that pops up at local events. A portion of sales proceeds is donated each month to organizations that support domestic violence survivors.
Cake & Batter Dessert Bar opened in Castle Hills at 2211 NW Military Hwy., Suite 111B, offering homemade desserts, breakfast pastries, charcuterie cups, gift boxes, and gluten-free options. Call (210) 257-6530 for details.
Besitos Cafe, which closed its location at 1123 Nogalitos St. on July 12, is slated to reopen in a new space, but no details about the new address or opening date are available.
Ownership of The Esquire Tavern, the oldest Riverwalk bar, recently changed hands as local developer and architect Chris Hill shifted control to the Esquire’s beverage director, Stephan Mendez.
Portillo’s, the Chicago-style street food chain, is planning to open a New Braunfels location, Portillo’s Hot Dogs, with construction of a $2.5 million, 5,000-square-foot restaurant and drive-thru at 2807 Sophie Lane starting this November. Portillo’s recently opened a Schertz eatery.
Popular Canadian coffee and doughnut chain Tim Horton’s is beginning construction on a second of three planned San Antonio locations. Construction on a 1,566-square-foot restaurant in the Redland Plaza shopping center at 2919 N. Loop 1604 E. is nearly done.
Construction of a 2,700-square-foot eatery at 14076 Nacogdoches Road, the site of a former KFC/Taco Bell, is starting this month. Work on a 2,500-square-foot storefront at 18154 Blanco Road, the site of a former Starbucks near Stone Oak, commences this September. Tim Horton’s has not yet provided opening dates for any of these locations.
