Shopping centers in San Antonio are having a real moment, transforming from errand stops on longer routes to destinations in their own right. But for some shoppers visiting San Antoino’s first Teso Life or 85°C Bakery, overcrowded parking lots are becoming a risky, or even costly, endeavor as tow trucks are frequently seen lugging vehicles away.
Visiting University Square at DeZavala on a weekend or after work can be overwhelming. You’ll often find several vehicles circling the parking lot trying to find an open spot or leaving shopper. But on either edge of the rows and rows of parked vehicles, several oddly vacant spaces are on display. The answer lies in the signs often overlooked by excited visitors or people making a quick stop.
“Towing enforced at all times. IHOP customers & employees in designated spaces only… Unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner’s or operator’ expense,” signs read, plastered around areas of IHOP and a couple of other businesses nearby, though easy to miss from certain shopping center entrances.
Michelle Salinas was on her way to the Rio Grande Valley to visit her sister around Christmastime last year. She decided to stop in at a very popular Taiwanese bakery chain’s first San Antonio location.
But her efforts to quickly grab some treats for her sister, which she says took a total of 15 minutes from the time she parked, ended up costing her hundreds and a whole day. She says the warning signs outside the IHOP were inconspicuous. But her car was still gone when she walked back to the lot anyway.
“When I came back out, my car was gone,” Salinas told MySA. “Apparently, they just park somewhere and watch. The minute someone leaves their car, they wait for them to walk into a business and tow the cars.”
She didn’t know where her car had gone at first. The warning signs were only printed on one side, she says, facing away from where she’d last seen her vehicle. When she did find the sign with the towing information, 143 N. Comal St., she had to find someone to give her a drive 11 miles away to get her back.
By the time she got there and through the line (and there often seems to be a line there based on reviews), it was dark outside and she was out $235. She took to TikTok to warn people, especially with the holidays approaching and budgets stretched further than ever.
Vehicles being towed from this particular parking lot is becoming quite common. With the sudden boom in popularity at this shopping center, it’s no mystery why the parking lot is suddenly full so frequently. But the owners of University Square at DeZavala did not respond to requests for comments from MySA over towing enforcement, designated parking space agreements or possible parking increases or improvements.
Salinas’ story isn’t a one off. There are numerous videos and posts online of folks warning of the quick-response towing at this booming destination. One TikTok user, @cococharles9, spotted two vehicles being towed from the same IHOP parking lot in January.
“Apparently it’s a frequent issue at that specific location,” she told MySA. “The tow truck drivers were waiting in that lot. Once they saw the customers walking towards the stores, they would pull in and run to place the tow… They’d pull out the vehicles and adjusted them about two blocks away.”
MySA also reached out to IHOP for comment on towing enforcement but did not hear back by publication time. MySA requested comment from Teso Life and 85°C Bakery to learn whether they’re working to address the concerns but did not hear back.