WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The new Webster Market opens in downtown Waco on Thursday, featuring dining and retail in 54,000 sq. ft. space. Seven lease opportunities remain available.
- The Webster Market, a 54,000 square foot redeveloped building on Webster Avenue, will have its soft opening Thursday featuring dining, retail, food, music and open shops.
- The space currently houses Casa Do Brasil, Wrangler, Flamingo Boutique, Conner Creek Boutique and Uptown Cheapskate, with seven more spaces still available for lease.
- The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce says the new downtown anchor will help attract major events, drive overnight stays, increase spending at local shops and restaurants, and create a stronger economic ripple effect.
- The market is positioned near the interstate and across from Baylor University, offering small business owners like boutique owner Bryce Shannon significant growth opportunities in downtown Waco.
You can watch the full story here:
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The Webster Market on Webster Avenue is positioning itself as a one-stop destination for dining and retail, with property managers calling the redeveloped space a significant addition to downtown Waco that could boost local businesses.
Bryce Shannon opened her first boutique in Hillsboro, but wanted to expand her business. Now she's opening her doors in Waco at the Webster Market.
"This has been a long time coming actually," Shannon said.
"It was maybe bigger than I was ready for, but I just knew if I didn't take a leap of faith I would never do it, if it was just a God thing," Shannon said.
The redeveloped 54,000 square foot building currently houses Casa Do Brasil, Wrangler, Flamingo Boutique, Conner Creek Boutique and Uptown Cheapskate. However, management is still looking to fill seven more spaces with attractions.
Hannah Parker, the property manager, said they're seeking diverse businesses to complete the market.
"We also have a large brewery concept on the opposite side of the building, so we're looking for something like that that can take up quite a bit of space, and then coffee shops, baked goods, children's clothes, anything else's that speaks to our community that gets people in our doors," Parker said.
The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce says this new anchor for downtown Waco brings fresh energy to the area with its combination of dining and retail options, benefiting local businesses.
The chamber said in a statement:
"We’re excited to see the Webster Market become a new anchor for downtown Waco. Investments like this bring fresh energy and foot traffic to the area, which benefits not only our local businesses but also the overall experience for visitors and residents.
From a sports-tourism perspective, we know that when downtown is vibrant with more dining, retail, and gathering spaces it helps us attract and retain major events. That ultimately drives more overnight stays, more spending at local shops and restaurants, and a stronger economic ripple effect across the community.
Happy to see this momentum continue for Waco’s growth."
Shannon believes the impact and potential growth the market offers represents a huge opportunity for small business owners like herself.
"We're not far from the interstate, Baylor University is right across the road, I feel like Waco needs more of this, were right downtown Waco, there's a lot of great shopping, and other things to to near here," Shannon said.
The Webster Market will have its soft opening on Thursday at 1001 Webster Ave, Waco at 5:30 p.m. with food, music and open shops.
For leasing information you can contact Josh Barrett at 254-722-9587
Previous coverage can be found here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
