Nostalgia is a funny thing — the most random destinations can bring vivid childhood memories back to life. That’s exactly why a Target renovation has upset frequent shoppers this summer.

The Minnesota-founded chain has 13 locations across San Antonio, so several folks can pinpoint the spot closest to their old stomping grounds. Today, the company’s stores are known as places where you can spend hours, not just for checking off items on your grocery list but also for browsing home decor, fashionable clothes and electronics. 

So what did young Texans look forward to while their guardians shopped? Those hot bags of salty popcorn and blue icees, maybe even a pizza if their parents were going to be taking a while. You know what we’re talking about –– the beloved Target Cafe.

In 2026, the cafes are harder to find. Some locations have held on; the one at San Antonio’s 2810 SW Military Drive store remained there until just a few months ago, a store representative tells MySA. One avid customer, social media personality Bootleg Food Review, visited the spot on Monday, June 29, and wrote in a Facebook post that it had been “replaced” with a Starbucks. 

“This is a major bummer,” they wrote, adding in a statement to MySA that it “was one of the few remaining locations that still had a cafe” and that they “don’t see them being around much longer as it appears more stores are getting this remodel.”

This location underwent a $2.1 million renovation this past April. A company spokesperson previously said the renovation would include “hip and cool” displays with LED lighting and revamped home, beauty, and apparel displays throughout the store, among other initiatives. The Starbucks at the SW Military Target had been temporarily closed and reopened on Tuesday, June 30, according to the location representative.

“It saddens me,” online personality Bootleg Food Review told MySA. “We no longer have Kmart, and Walmart has changed considerably since the ’80s and ’90s, so it almost felt like the Target Cafe was one of the few things we had left from a bygone era.”

They continued, “Everything about it was so special … it made for great memories while shopping for school supplies at Target.”

Texans gathered in the post’s comments to express their sadness over the Target Cafe’s disappearance.

“Was that our last shot for the popcorn?” local James Hudson commented. 

“No more ready-to-eat personal pan pizzas. That’s a violation of my civil rights. I demand to speak to a supervisor,” another user, Henry Ramirez, wrote. 

In 2002, Target announced it would include Starbucks in every new store going forward. That decision inevitably led to the removal of the cult-favorite cafes. Since then, petitions have been launched to bring them back, and people often share old photos of the space on Reddit and on fandom websites dedicated to the perk. 

Some residents allege that the following shops still feature elements of the cafe. MySA reached out to Target to confirm the details but did not hear back in time for publication.

The stores San Antonians pointed to include the following: