This retail center, located near Walnut Creek Metropolitan Park between Parmer and Braker lanes, features a handful of locally owned businesses tucked inside old houses.

Spotlight: Zaytouna Lounge

Owner Amine Najah had his eye on North Austin as the perfect location for the hookah bar and coffee shop that he opened two years ago on North Lamar Boulevard.

"I was waiting for this place to be available—it took me four years," he said. "It's hard to find a place with outdoor [space]."

Having a large outdoor patio and an area to build a petanque court was important to Najah when opening his business, he said.

Petanque is a 100-year old French game similar to Italian bocce or English lawn bowling. Najah said one of his favorite pastimes growing up was sipping coffee and playing petanque at coffee shops in Morocco. When he moved to the U.S., he said he dreamed of owning his own coffee shop with a petanque court.

"It's a dream come true," he said. "Really I didn't do it for the money."

Zaytouna's court has attracted people from throughout the world, including Marco Foyot, a seven-time petanque world champion.

The hookah bar and cafe offers more than 35 hookah flavors, including cafe latte, honey, jasmine and lemon with mint. The lounge also serves Moroccan mint tea.

Zaytouna Lounge, 11800 N. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 5B, 512-491-8700, www.zaytounalounge.com, Hours: Sun.–Thu. 6 p.m.–midnight, Fri.–Sat. 6 p.m.–2 a.m.

Other businesses located at 11800 N. Lamar Blvd.

Gerri's Hair Style & Barber, Ste. 4A, 512-835-2227, Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sun. 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

  • Gerri Vanauken provides hair and barber services for men, women and children. Appointments and walk-ins are accepted.

Foot Heaven, Ste. 2B, 512-351-7881, Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m. daily

  • Arm, back, head and foot massages are offered for $25 and up. The business has been open for three years.

Balkan Cafe & Grill (Expected to open in August), Bldg. 3

  • Owner Zibojin Zekic will serve Balkan, or Mediterranean-influenced, food at Balkan Cafe & Grill. The restaurant will also have an outdoor shaded patio.

Ross' Old Austin Cafe, Ste. 6A, 512-835-2414, www.greencity.com/cafeross.htm, Hours: Mon.–Thu. 7 a.m.–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 7 a.m.–10 p.m.

  • The casual restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers live music often at night. Ross and Sandy Sterzing opened Ross' in 1994.

Santorini Greek Cafe, Bldg. 1, 512-833-6000, www.santoriniaustin.com, Hours: Sun.–Thu. 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–midnight, closed Sun

  • The Greek restaurant and coffee shop serves traditional dishes such as gyros, baba ghanoush and hummus. It also has a daily happy hour from 5–8 p.m.

Allsave Auto Insurance, Ste. 5A, 512-835-2097, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m., closed Sat.–Sun

  • John and Lupe Hernandez opened the business 28 years ago and offer auto, commercial, home, health and life insurance.

Travis County Emergency Services District No. 4, Ste. 4B, 512-836-7566, www.esd4.org, Hours: Mon.–Fri. 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

  • Travis County Emergency Services District No. 4 provides fire and emergency services to about 35 square miles of Austin.