WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Wienerschnitzel plans to return to Waco, with construction expected to start next month.
- The location of the new restaurant on Valley Mills Drive and Franklin Avenue.
- The popular hot dog chain previously had a store in Waco, but it closed in the past.
- The grand opening will possibly be in the fall.
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“I know many times when we would go to the Walmart, it was there, or any of the shops now, where the Petco is, then we would stop by,” Cory Duncan said.
For years, Wienerschnitzel served our local community. But that ended with the fast food joint closing its doors.
Waco native and real estate agent Cory Duncan tells 25 News he remembers going to the original store as a child.
“It was a drive-through. And so that goes to show the location and proximity to other businesses and how convenient that is," he said. "So a lot of times, we would just go in and swing through and grab some food and then keep moving.”
The area is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, including the return of the popular hot dog chain at the intersection of Valley Mills and Franklin Avenue.
Several new retailers are in the area, including Dutch Bros which opened in late 2023.
But almost as important as the new arrivals, is what is no longer there. The building that used to house Ryan's Family Steakhouse is no more, helping increase the visibility of the AMC theatre.
“Especially on a couple of main thoroughfares like Valley Mills Drive and Franklin Avenue, visibility is crucial," Duncan said. "Behind me, there was a Ryan Steakhouse building for so long, and it did block the visibility, especially from that main intersection where people stop and look. So as soon as they demolished that building, it's like the influx of demand happened, and it was just a matter of time before this land was developed.”
Only time will tell if growth in this area will continue. But Wienerschnitzel's arrival bucks recent trends in Waco, including the closure of the Hooters off I-35 and the Applebee's on Valley Mills within the past year alone.
“Them entering or re-entering into the market is a sign of some positive growth and change in the business landscape,” Duncan said.
But overall the central Texas market is still a draw for retailers.
“I think that we will see more and more development come to places that have long been vacant, like this place here,” Duncan said.
