News

Schertz Station Boom: 15+ Restaurants & Stores Opening in 2026

John B

09 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

The 72-acre development at I-35 and Cibolo Valley Drive is transforming into Northeast San Antonio's dining and retail hub. Here's everything opening this year:

Already Open (Late 2025/Early 2026)

Dave's Hot Chicken
📍 Schertz Station (I-35 & Cibolo Valley Drive)
📅 Opened January 2026 (soft opening)
🍗 Nashville hot chicken chain — third San Antonio location

Panera Bread
📍 Schertz Station
📅 Ribbon-cutting held late 2025
🥖 Fast-casual bakery cafe

Opening Spring/Summer 2026

Portillo's — SUMMER 2026
📍 18678 I-35 N (Schertz Station)
📅 Grand opening summer 2026
🌭 Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, burgers
💡 New "Restaurant of the Future" prototype design
🚨 Currently hiring

James Avery Artisan Jewelry — MAY 29
📍 18406 I-35 N (Schertz Crossing/Hill Country corridor)
📅 Grand opening May 29, 2026 (confirmed)
💍 Full retail jewelry store (Texas-based brand)
🏗️ Construction ongoing

CAVA
📍 Schertz Station
📅 Mid-2026 (permit stage)
🥙 Mediterranean fast-casual (Midwest brand entering Texas)

Piada Italian Street Food
📍 18430 I-35 N, Lot 6 (Schertz Station)
📅 2026 (VIP sneak peek sign-ups available)
🍝 Italian street food concept

Also Coming Soon

Home Depot
📍 Schertz Station
📅 TBD 2026
🛠️ Large-format home improvement store

Additional retail/dining spaces still available — developer Merit CRE continues leasing

Also Recently Opened in Schertz

Las Palapas
📍 Schertz (location TBD from source)
📅 Recently opened
🌮 Tex-Mex (San Antonio-based chain expansion)

The Purple Pig BBQ
📍 Schertz
📅 Recently opened
🍖 Rising on local "best restaurant" lists

What It Means

Schertz Station is becoming the dining destination for the I-35 corridor between San Antonio and Austin. With 15+ restaurants and stores opening in 2026 alone, this development is transforming Schertz from a bedroom community into a regional retail hub.

James Avery and Portillo's opening in late spring/summer signals a coordinated launch strategy — expect serious crowds when they open.

For residents: More options mean less driving to San Antonio for dinner or shopping. But also expect heavier traffic on I-35 and longer waits at new restaurants during peak hours.

For existing Schertz restaurants: The competition just got fierce. Independent restaurants will need to differentiate or risk getting crushed by the national chains flooding in.

Sources: