Despite a lack of foot-traffic in the area, business owners Omar Aldmour and Susan Mutschlechner-Aldmour appreciate not being in downtown as they have better parking, do not have spiking rent and have grown a loyal customer base.
Aldmour, raised in Jordan, said he knows authentic Middle Eastern food and feels as though there are no other places in San Marcos that offer what The Pita Shop offers.
“People come from different towns to just eat at The Pita Shop,” Aldmour said. “We’ve been getting a lot of people from New Braunfels, Wimberley, all the way from Seguin [and] South Austin.”
As the restaurant continued to succeed over the years, it eventually outgrew the handful of tables in the 800-square-foot unit out of which it was servicing the community and needed more space.
In 2018, the owners doubled their square footage by investing in the unit next door to add extra storage and more indoor seating for customers.
The owners spent about six months looking for the right contractor for the job. By happenstance, a loyal customer worked in construction and was able to take on the renovation.
“We were so lucky to even be able to have someone do it for us. When we opened the [original] spot, we couldn’t afford anybody to do any work; we had to remodel it,” Mutschlechner-Aldmour said.
Two years since the onset of the pandemic, The Pita Shop is as strong as ever with a small but mighty staff of seven, including the owners.
Despite frequent trips into Austin or San Antonio for some necessities and specialty items, the owners would not have it any other way.
“People love it, I love it. I’m proud of what we do here, and I want to continue serving San Marcos,” Aldmour said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The Pita Shop
1904 RR 12, Ste. 111, San Marcos 512-216-6051. www.thepitashopsmtx.com
Hours: Tue.-Sat. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m., closed Mon. 3
