Recent Restaurant Closures Raise Questions About Helotes’ Business Climate

Several familiar restaurants in and around Helotes have closed in a relatively short period, leaving many residents asking whether these are isolated business decisions or signs of a larger local problem.

A recent MySA article highlighted the closures of Pei Wei and Slim Chickens on Bandera Road. Slim Chickens’ franchise operator said that location closed after its lease expired and that the company intends to relocate elsewhere in the San Antonio area.

Those closures follow the loss of other Helotes-area restaurants, including Jim’s, Sonic, KFC, Arby’s, Taco Cabana, 6 Klicks Café and Golden Corral.

Each closure likely has its own circumstances. Restaurant leases expire, customer habits change, operating costs rise and businesses sometimes relocate. It would not be accurate to assume that every closing has the same cause or that the city could have prevented each one.

Still, residents are not wrong to notice the number of empty restaurant buildings or to ask what is happening.

HELOTES EDC RESPONDS

The Helotes Economic Development Corporation told MySA that it does not consider the recent closures part of a growing trend.

EDC Executive Director Katherin Silvas encouraged residents to rely on credible and current information when evaluating online commentary. She also said Helotes remains attractive to prospective businesses because of its traffic counts, household incomes and education levels.

Silvas noted that restaurants, particularly locally owned establishments operating with narrow profit margins, are especially vulnerable to changing economic conditions.

According to the EDC, the city and economic development corporation are developing incentive programs intended to attract restaurants, businesses and destination retail. Additional grant programs for existing businesses are also being developed.

WHY THE CONVERSATION MATTERS

It is encouraging to hear that new incentives and support programs are being considered. At the same time, public concern about repeated closures should not be dismissed or treated as though residents simply do not understand what is happening.

People see the vacant buildings. They remember the businesses that have left. They also understand that every closure affects employees, property owners, nearby businesses and the number of choices available to the community.

The question is not whether the city should subsidize every struggling restaurant or guarantee that every business survives. That would be unrealistic.

The more useful questions are whether Helotes is doing everything reasonably possible to support existing businesses, identify recurring obstacles, attract businesses suited to the local market and communicate clearly with residents about its economic-development efforts.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

There are also reasons for optimism. New restaurants continue to open in the area, including Chef’s Table Turkish Mediterranean Grill, Arz Lebanese Kitchen, Wild Wing Station and Twin Bros Burgerz. The former Slim Chickens, KFC and other vacant locations may eventually create opportunities for additional businesses.

Helotes remains a growing and desirable community. Recognizing that strength does not require making light of the closures residents are seeing.

Both things can be true: Helotes can remain economically attractive, and the recent number of restaurant closures can still deserve serious attention, transparency and discussion.

SOURCE

Reporting and statements from the Helotes Economic Development Corporation were published by MySA in “Familiar restaurants keep disappearing near San Antonio. What’s happening?”