1. Southern Maid, a family-owned and -operated donut and coffee shop located at 6442 FM 306, Ste. 1104, opened in New Braunfels on May 23.
The business is owned by Chris Norris with his cousin and longtime local Carrie Murphy. Norris and Murphy also own Wichita Red's, a small courtyard bar in Gruene.
Norris moved to New Braunfels after retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2020, and it was always the family's plan to open businesses together.
"We both grew up in North Texas in Wichita Falls and we grew up eating these donuts," Murphy said.
Murphy said they both live in the Havenwood area, so it was important for them to serve an underserved area.
Southern Maid offers blueberry muffins, kolaches, French Macarons, kids breakfast and traditional donuts. Murphy also noted that they are the only Southern Maid with a full-service gourmet coffee bar inside, offering a variety of hot and cold coffees.
"As much as we love the donuts, we also want to carry really good coffee," she said.
Southern Maid is open Tuesdays-Thursdays from 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Fridays-Saturdays from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
www.southernmaidnb.com
2. Hill Country Yota Works, an automotive repair shop that specializes in Toyota and Lexus vehicles, opened to customers May 1 at 533 River City Drive, Ste 103, New Braunfels. Owner Fred Means and Lead Technician Chris Biediger have a combined 40 years of experience working on Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
“I've been a Toyota dealership mechanic my entire adult life, same with Chris,” Means said. “Things at the dealership have been changing for many years, and I was able to get away finally and do my own thing. Basically, we're just Toyota nerds that enjoy what we do.”
Means opened the shop to provide a personalized service for customers needing car maintenance or repairs.
“We want to go back to kind of an old-school thing where we know the people coming in, and we know your vehicle; we know your needs, and it's a more personalized experience,” Means said.
Yota Works completes vehicle maintenance work, such as replacing spark plugs, water pumps, drive belts, wheel bearings and brakes. The team can also assist in providing vehicle updates, including for radios or transmissions; offer high-performance fluids; and complete road trip or pre-purchase inspections.
“We basically just want to be a place where when you come and pick up your vehicle and pay your bill, you leave, and feel good about it,” Means said.
The automotive repair shop does not shy away from aftermarket modifications or older models in good condition.
“Unfortunately, something I've been hearing my entire life is how people go someplace, and they're not happy [with the service], or the car is still having the same problem,” Means said. “We're here to do this, and we're serious about what we do. ... I was taught to be an honest person from a young [age], and that's how I intend to run my business.”
Those interested in contacting Hill Country Yota Works for their Toyota or Lexus vehicle repair needs can walk in or contact the business at 830-609-9022. Facebook: Hill Country Yota Works
3. A new direct primary care clinic called Caleigh Rodriguez MD, located at 790 Generations Drive, opened April 1 in New Braunfels.
Direct Primary Care is an alternative model to improving access to high-quality health care with an affordable membership fee.
Owner Dr. Caleigh Rodriguez accepts patients with or without insurance. Her membership fees range from $50-$200 per month.
“It’s pretty inexpensive and that includes, you know, you get my cell number, you get [an] unlimited amount of office visits, [and] so it’s not like you pay extra for the visit,” Rodriguez said.
She offers a variety of comprehensive care, including well-child checkups, annual exams, STI testing, sports physicals, newborn care and more.
Rodriguez also offers discounted labs.
“I try and make it very affordable for the patient,” Rodriguez said.
210-445-6778. www.caleighrodriguezmd.com
4. Fairy Lash, located at 105B I-35 S., New Braunfels, opened April 20. The business was previously home to Weidners Flowers.
The beauty salon offers premier spa treatment services, such as eyebrow tints, waxing, facials, lash extensions/sets, waxes, brow lamination and more.
Fairy Lash accepts walk-ins and is open Mondays-Saturdays from 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays are by appointment only.
832-638-9387. www.fairylash.org
5. Emerald Cottages, an independent senior living community located at 3025 Oak Run Parkway, New Braunfels, celebrated its grand opening May 17.
Emerald Cottages Managing Partner Mark Matise said Emerald Cottages was born out of a need that he had for his own parents.
“I just figured that if they had this need for a residential-style senior living community that was kind of geared to more independent profile, then maybe there were other people who would have that same kind of interest or need,” Matise said.
The independent senior living community will have a total of 72 cottage homes. According to Community Director Lynda Ryden, 40 of the homes are at full capacity, and the remaining 32 cottage homes will be built in Phase 2, which is anticipated to be completed late this summer.
Emerald Cottages has one-bedroom, one-bath or one-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage homes with an oversized attached garage. Community members have access to a community clubhouse equipped with a kitchen, a fitness room, a covered patio with a swimming pool and a dining space. Emerald Cottages is also pet friendly and maintenance free.
The senior living community has four other Texas locations in Kerrville, McKinney, Round Rock and Waco.
Emerald Cottages is open Mondays-Fridays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
830-206-8500. www.emeraldcottages.com/texas-new-braunfels
6. Willow Ridge, a wedding venue located on the Camp Fimfo property, a glamping resort and adventure water park at 520 Whitewater Way, New Braunfels, will open with its first wedding June 17.
With a modern design, the venue can host up to 300 people. Willow Ridge has an outdoor ceremony spot as well as an indoor climate-controlled space for the reception and a spacious outdoor covered patio.
Willow Ridge Manager Bev Mahnke said having a wedding venue on the property was natural.
“We have great lodging here and great amenities, so it was just kind of a natural thing since marriage is an adventure to have a wedding venue here at the park,” Mahnke said.
The venue also has a built-in wood fire pizza oven and is able to provide late-night snacks for the guests. Willow Ridge has 173 cabins on the property with the largest cabin being able to sleep up to 12 and the smallest being able to sleep up to six. The venue also has hot tubs and mini golf.
Mahnke said the view and lodging set Willow Ridge apart from other venues.
“The thing I always tell my brides is we are so fortunate here in New Braunfels because we have beautiful wedding venues everywhere. The thing you’re gonna find different at Willow Ridge is because we are up on top of the ridge, you are not gonna get a view like this anywhere else,” she said.
Willow Ridge is open by appointment only. 830-741-4173. www.willowridgeevents.com
7. After working for 12 years in the health care industry, Lisa Rosanbalm decided to leap into the world of aesthetics by opening up her own business.
Alchemy Aesthetics Co. is a new medical spa that opened in mid-April in the New Braunfels area.
Rosanbalm spent the last year training with a med spa in Austin and decided she loved New Braunfels.
“This is such a great town, such a great community, and I wanted to have some kind of impact in the community and have my own business,” she said.
Located at 1295 E. Common St., Alchemy Aesthetics Co. provides a variety of skin care treatments, such as chemical peels, dermaplaning and microchanneling. It also provides Botox injections, laser hair removal and consultations.
Alchemy Aesthetics Co. is also looking to expand its services throughout the year.
“There’ll be other laser devices that will provide things such as RF microneedling, laser resurfacing, and then we’re going to look at tattoo removal at some point,” Rosanbalm said.
The medical spa prides itself on educating its clients and creating a customized treatment plan for each individual based on their needs.
“We’re trying to create a more warm and inviting atmosphere because sometimes, I think, when you go to a med spa, it can be a little bit daunting and a little overwhelming. So we want to try to take that off the shoulders of everyone so that they can feel very comforted when they come in here,” Rosanbalm said. “Our goal is for anyone that comes in the doors, we want you to leave here feeling really good.”
Alchemy Aesthetics Co. is open by appointment only. 830-402-8642. www.alchemyaestheticsco.com
8. What was once just an empty backyard is now the home of Cosmic Plant Co., a locally owned, woman-owned plant shop and greenhouse in the Gruene Historic District.
The plant shop and greenhouse, located at 1640 Hunter Road, opened April 20.
The shop, owned by New Braunfels natives Katilyn Pummill and Jenn Kelly, is made from reclaimed wood and tin from a 100-year-old barn that was previously on the property.
A number of the plants are sourced from small local growers. Cosmic Plant Co. sells succulents, gardening tools, ceramics, bath salts, indoor plant nutrient drops, handmade baskets, sustainable home goods and more. It also provides potting services and workshops.
Pummill said they try to sell specialty plants and curate items they love.
“A lot of our stuff is kind of Southwestern forward,” Pummill said. “Every boutique is a little bit different cause whoever’s running those, they’re picking stuff that they like, so we try to blend old world with new world, Southwestern with also classic Americana green.”
She said the name Cosmic Plant Co. “came to fruition by itself.”
“We were just sitting down brainstorming one day, and we’re just like, ‘Well what about cosmic?’ We felt like with plants, there’s so much variety; there’s so many different ways that we want to take this business, different avenues that we want to pursue [with] this business. So it just kind of made sense, but we’re really happy with how it all came together.”
Pummill said they love having their business in their hometown.
9. The Mess Around, an upscale Southern cuisine restaurant, opened at the end of May in a shared space with The Crosswalk at the Schmitz.
Located at 471 Main Plaza, New Braunfels, owners Jennifer and Dennis Wilson offer dinner menu items, including chicken-fried chicken with hunter gravy, a Creole meatloaf plate with collared greens and stone-ground grits that are sourced from North Carolina.
“Crosswalk is still gonna stay our morning brand, but we're bringing The Mess Around into lunch and dinner; they're kind of living side by side,” owner Jennifer Wilson said. “We're really trying to focus on really authentic ingredients,” she said.
Black-eyed peas, braised short ribs, and shrimp and catfish po’boys can also be found on the menu alongside Texas-based beer and wine.
“We see that there's a need or a gap in the [dining] offerings in New Braunfels, where we think the Southern cuisine will fill that gap,” she said.
830-620-7200. www.instagram.com/the_messaround
10. T Nail Bar, which specializes in professional nail care and spa services, opened May 8 in the New Braunfels Marketplace business center at 651 N. Business I-35, Ste. 1335. The business provides pedicures, manicures and wax services and offers shellac, color powder, dip and solar, among other methods.
Services offered include:
- Manicures
- Pedicures
- Kids manicures and pedicures
- Solar nail, an alternative type of acrylic nail made from a blend of powder and liquid monomer
- Dipping nail manicure, a hybrid between gel nail polish and acrylic extensions using pigmented powder
- Color powder, a manicure that uses powder to adhere color to nails
- Shellac over natural nail, a mix of two different types of nail coating using gel and traditional nail polish
- Wax services
- Complementary drinks
