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From the opening of a new Costco this spring to a new city ordinance protecting endangered species, check out this roundup of trending stories from across the New Braunfels area from previous Community Impact reporting.
New Braunfels looks to approve ordinance change to protect endangered species
New Braunfels City Council approved an ordinance change on first reading that would prohibit public entry to the Comal River Old Channel from all city-owned property March 23.
What it means
The Old Channel of the Comal River is required to be protected from public access under the Edwards Aquifer Habitat Conservation Plan. But the city's current ordinance only restricts entry to the Old Channel from the Landa Park Golf Course, leaving access points at Landa Park, Hinman Island Park and Prince Solms Park, according to agenda documents.
Recent invasive tree removal in the area has also made the Old Channel more visible, leading to an increase in activity at Hinman Island Park and Prince Solms Park, agenda documents state.
Eduardo Hernandez said one of his passions is getting behind the stove and cooking street tacos. After decades in the corporate world and service in the U.S. Air Force, Hernandez said it was time for a change.
“I made friends with someone in the food business, and it piqued my interest,” he said. “From there, I jumped right in.”
Respecting the craft
With his passion for cooking came new birria recipes. Birria is a Mexican stew consisting of slow-cooked beef, pork or lamb chops, Hernandez said. It originated in Jalisco, Mexico, and is typically served alongside or inside tacos and quesadillas.
Costco to open New Braunfels location this spring
Costco Wholesale's highly anticipated New Braunfels location now has an opening date.
What you need to know
Costco Wholesale will be opening on May 15, Costco's Regional Marketing Manager Kerry Carbullido said in an email to Community Impact. The 152,000-square-foot store is located at 235 Kohlenberg Road, at the intersection of I-35 and Kohlenberg Road within the Mayfair development, according to a news release.
Costco sells an array of items, including appliances, jewelry, groceries, furniture and more. This will be the company's 47th Texas location, 638th in the United States, and 930th worldwide, according to the release.
A new chapter for a historic building has begun.
H.D. Gruene Mercantile—located at 1607 Hunter Road in New Braunfels—opened its doors with a grand opening celebration March 27.
Some details
The storefront originally popped up in Gruene's Historic District in the early 1900s, acting as the primary general store for the area. Now, the mercantile's owners and merchants are looking to preserve that heritage—something they do not take lightly, said Kristen King, Molak Corporation's director of retail and e-commerce. Molak Corporation is the family-owned parent company of Gruene Hall and Gristmill River Restaurant & Bar.
Comal County sees 27.8% population increase from 2020-25
Between 2020 and 2025, Comal County saw a 27.8% population increase, according to county-level data released by the U.S. Census Bureau in March.
The overview
In 2020, Comal County had an estimated population of 163,608, which increased to an estimated population of 209,166 in 2025, data shows.
The largest contributor to population growth in the county is domestic migration, according to data from the bureau. Domestic migration refers to individuals moving across county or state lines. International migration refers to individuals who cross a national border between two countries, according to the bureau.
