What's opening next to Swig? 👀

Good Morning Waco! This is The Waco Buzz, the newsletter that's as refreshing as an HTeaO Georgia Peach Tea on a hot Waco day.

In this edition:
🌉 Riverfront Plans Finally Move Forward
🏪 That Empty Plaza on 10th Is Finally Filling Up
🚧 Dallas Street Getting an $8.9 Million Overhaul
⚽ Baylor Soccer's Perfect Season Lasted Exactly Two Games

Let's get to it!
— Sam Harper

P.S. Blown away at the response to the introduction of Waco Buzz Games in the past week. Over 1,000 of you played in the last 48 hours. More to come!

After weeks of consecutive 100 degree days, that Sunday morning rain felt great. It also woke up every ant colony in your yard and got the wasps moving even more. If you're anywhere near construction or dirt work right now, you've probably spotted scorpions too.

Keep all of it out of your house with Right Pest. If you live off 84, you've probably already seen their new office or trucks around town. They just cut the ribbon on the new location.

Here's what I like most: plans start at $49 a month and treat 30 feet out from your home, not just around the foundation and a wave goodbye. Covered pests also come with a half-acre warranty. Family-safe treatment is the standard, not an upsell, and organic options cost nothing extra.

They put money behind their service too. If a covered pest comes back, they return and treat it again at no charge. Still not happy after that? Their 254 Promise puts 2.54 services back on your account.

👉 Get started with Right Pest*

Remember when the Farmers Market moved to the courthouse lot back in 2017 to make way for the riverfront project? It's taken a minute, but the pieces are finally clicking into place.

City Council approved an update last week to the Riverfront development plan by Foster Pavilion. The two restaurants that were always part of the plan are still coming. The hotel that used to be in the mix is getting swapped out for a mixed-use building instead, with apartments on top and restaurant and retail space on the ground floor.

Why the switch? Riverfront Lofts, the apartment building the same developer built at 414 S. University Parks Drive, is basically full. And with plenty of hotel rooms already built or under construction downtown, the updated plan calls for more apartments instead.

🥡 The Takeaway: Design work is expected to start in the next few weeks. Construction on the restaurants and new building is expected to follow once the city wraps its $26 million riverwalk rebuild. Read the full update here. ($)

Quick Hits:

🍩 Central Texas Food Bank's new regional hub opens today

🏃 Academy Sports + Outdoors second Waco area location has its official soft opening this Sunday.

🐓 Run. Don’t walk (meaning safely drive). Chicken and waffle sandwiches are now available at all Waco area Chik Fil A’s.

🍽️ Dinner Club is on Wednesday night. I’ll see 85 of you at the after party! September sign-ups just opened.

This week's find is a big one: Waco to Tucson roundtrip for $336, about a third cheaper than usual. Fly out Wednesday, Sept. 23, and return Saturday, Sept. 26, with one stop through DFW each way on American.

👉 Check flights on Google*

*_{^{Price is subject to change and may no longer be available at the time you check the link.}}

🏪 ProCare Injury Specialists Lands Next to Swig

For years, the strip next to Baylor at 1011 S 10th St has basically been Tropical Smoothie, Firewater Liquor, and a lot of empty storefronts. That's changing fast.

Swig opened its drive-thru last week right next to MOD Pizza and now ProCare Injury Specialists just opened there as well. It's a recovery-focused clinic offering everything from imaging to chiropractic care and physical therapy under one roof.

🔪 Garden City Grocery Gets Its First Neighbor

Garden City Grocery just landed its first neighboring tenant. Brazos Blades, a specialty knife shop, is now open right next door at 1726 Austin Ave. Think high end pocket knives and swords, not Cutco kitchen knives.

🏀 Waco's Favorite Local Brand Just Went International

Sendero Provisions Co.is now the title sponsor of Mens Sana Basketball, a professional team in Siena, Italy. The Italy connection runs through Waco's Michael Hillman, founder and CEO of Cornerstone Caregiving. His investment group, W.I.B.O.G., now owns a 75% stake in the team.

🥡 The Takeaway: Next time I find you a flight deal from Waco to Italy (I'll let you know the second I spot one), keep an eye out. You may see a Sendero jersey before you see the Colosseum.

Chalk Bluff Annexation Moves Forward

City Council voted this week to formally annex about 150 acres of city owned land near Chalk Bluff into Waco's city limits. The city has owned the property since 2023.

Mayor Jim Holmes emphasized that the vote was administrative, bringing the land into the city without approving any future development there. Neighbors have voiced concerns about a potential wastewater treatment plant on the site. City officials say no funding has been secured for any such plant and actual construction is likely a decade away at the earliest.

🚧 Dallas Street Getting an $8.9 Million Overhaul

Over in East Waco, an $8.9 million rebuild of Dallas Street between Elm Avenue and Ashburn Street is set to begin later this year. The project includes new pavement, sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, storm drains, and updated water and sewer lines, with about $4.4 million of it covered by a federal grant.

The new sidewalks will stretch to within a block of the MKT Trail, though there's no official connection between the two yet. Completion is expected around November 2027.

AI is already changing how people work, build businesses, and get noticed. If you've been meaning to figure out what you're actually supposed to do with it, YOU x AI is coming to Waco on Sept. 12, with founders, marketers, and Baylor experts sharing practical ways to use AI to build faster, get discovered, and create better content.

Grab a ticket and use code YOUXAIBUZZ for 20% off.

👉 Get tickets here

Move-in week meets home game energy meets an upset nobody saw coming. It was a lot for one weekend.

Baylor Soccer opened the year 2-0-0, including a statement win over No. 10 Arkansas, and climbed all the way to No. 6 in the country. Then Texas State walked into Betty Lou Mays Field Sunday night, the first weekend students were actually back on campus, and left with a 3-1 upset.

The energy from the fans felt like a carryover from World Cup fever, and it's not hard to see why. Women's soccer is growing fast nationally, and watching a top-six team like this one, there's a real chance you're watching future pros.

Good news: they get a shot to bounce back. Baylor hosts Pepperdine this Sunday, Aug. 30 at 7 PM for Pups at the Pitch. There'll be a dog bandana giveaway for the first 100 fans, plus an actual Corgi Race. Come for the soccer, stay for the corgis. And remember, every Baylor Soccer home game is free to attend, so there's zero reason not to go.

Want Baylor tickets for less? The Waco Rush Pass gets you discounted, locals only pricing on Baylor events. It's free to sign up, and it's one of those Baylor perks most people don't even know exists. 👉 Sign up here

Tuesday, August 25:

Wednesday, August 26:

Thursday, August 27:

Want your event featured? Reserve a spot here.

🔥 HOTWORX Woodway is offering Waco-area teachers a free week through September 30.

🧗‍♀️ This Fall, Basin Climbing + Fitness is hosting the best birthday parties in Waco. Use code BUZZ75 to get $75 off a September or October birthday party. Reserve your spot.

🚗 Your neighbors at Chevrolet of West have been taking care of Waco drivers for years with new and pre-owned trucks, SUVs, and cars just 20 minutes up I-35 in West, TX. Stop by or browse their inventory today.

💧 Need a boost? I-ViT Hydration & Wellness offers IV therapy and wellness treatments to help you feel better, recover faster, and boost energy. Waco Buzz readers get $35 off by clicking the link.

💪 Move better. Recover faster. Live stronger. Waco Body Mend is a world class space built for everyday movers, athletes, and anyone who wants to feel their best.

✨ Skin & Body Refinery delivers top tier injectors, advanced treatments, and natural looking results that help you look and feel your best.

Thanks for reading The Waco Buzz today. If you found something useful, share it with someone who still gives you directions to a new place instead of just giving you the address for Google Maps.

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