🍺 Cottonwood Creek Brewery is expanding The Gist: Hutto favorite Cottonwood Creek Brewery & Smokehouse is opening a second taproom at 1201 E. Palm Valley Blvd. The new location will brew beer on-site, with some familiar Cottonwood Creek favorites plus beers made specifically for the new taproom. The team is aiming for a November or December 2026 opening, with a local food truck expected to join the setup in the spring.
Why It Matters: This gives Round Rock another locally owned spot to grab a craft beer, and Cottonwood Creek already has a strong following just down the road in Hutto. We especially like that the new taproom will brew on-site and get a few beers of its own.
🛣️️ Old Settlers Boulevard extension opens
The Gist: Williamson County and Round Rock have officially opened the new Old Settlers Boulevard Extension. The $23.4 million project added a nearly mile-long, four-lane divided roadway connecting North Red Bud Lane to County Road 110, along with a new traffic signal and crosswalk at CR 110, a 6-foot sidewalk and a 10-foot shared-use path.
Why It Matters: The new connection gives drivers another east-west route through a growing part of Round Rock and is expected to help ease some traffic pressure in the area. The added sidewalk, crosswalk and shared-use path also make the stretch easier to navigate on foot or by bike.
🚒 Faster emergency response coming to town
The Gist: Round Rock is getting closer to opening its 10th fire station at 4380 E. Old Settlers Blvd., near Red Bud Lane. The $9.1 million station is expected to open this fall and will help serve the city’s fast-growing northeast side. It’s part of the voter-approved 2023 bond program, which included $44 million for public safety projects.
And there’s more on the way. Fire Station No. 11 is being designed for the area near North A.W. Grimes Boulevard and University Boulevard, adding another future boost to emergency coverage as Round Rock keeps growing.
Why It Matters: More homes and families mean more calls for help, and these new stations are meant to keep response times from stretching as the city grows. Station 10 will give first responders a stronger presence on the northeast side, where development has been moving quickly.
📅 Texas Roadhouse pushes opening back to November
Small update to something we shared a couple of weeks ago: Georgetown’s first Texas Roadhouse is now slated to open Nov. 16, rather than Oct. 19, at 2209 N. I-35. If you had mid-October circled for your first visit, you’ll have to wait about another month.
The honey cinnamon butter isn’t going anywhere. 🤠
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