West of San Antonio, residents of a small town are starting to feel the pressures of urban living. An uptick in real estate projects has brought both pros and cons to the tiny Texas town.
Castroville is about a 30-minute drive from the Alamo City. For now, at least, it has a completely different vibe than its eastern neighbor. With a population just under 4,000, a single school district, and a single national grocery store, folks abide by a slower pace of life.
Over the past two years, though, folks have been seeing growth inch closer to home. An 18-acre mixed-use development is under construction at U.S. Highway 90 and FM 471, near the Walmart. The developer behind the property, Merit CRE, plans to have it host several chain stores, including Ulta Beauty and Bath & Body Works, in 2027. The company expects the population within a 10-mile radius to reach approximately 108,988 people over the next five years.
Social media users are already sharing what they think Castroville is missing in 2026. These ideas include recreational centers such as a YMCA and a roller skating rink, as well as grocers like Target and H-E-B, the latter of which has been a long-standing request.
A spokesperson for H-E-B did not respond to a request for information on whether the company has plans to expand into Castroville, but cited its locations within a 15-mile radius of the town. These include the 211/Potranco, Lytle and Hondo locations. It’s a brand favorite among Texans, but the region appears split on whether the congestion would be worth it.
“It wouldn’t be bad if they would put it outside city limits,” La Coste resident Jeanine Witherell Eaves said on Facebook. “So much stuff is getting crammed into the same stretch and making traffic more of a nightmare than it already was in that area.”
On the flip side, another user, Nora Vigil, wrote, “We need either a Sam’s or a Costco plus an HEB in the Castroville area off Hwy 90 west. This is ridiculous. Lytle HEB is overloaded.”
Others remarked that third spaces, rather than retail, would better serve the locals.
The town’s quaintness is part of its appeal. It has a rich Alsatian history, reflected in its architecture and annual event calendar. Some house hunters look to Medina County for the balance it provides; it’s remained majority rural despite Microsoft’s massive campuses. There’s a single-screen movie theater and plots of green farmland.
Still, you can drive 18 minutes to find Flix Brewhouse near Alamo Ranch for more film options, or shop at the Dove Creek strip for all the name brands that don’t exist in town. Well, at least for now.