Last week, the Elsa Economic Development Corporation had the opportunity to attend Retail Live South Central 2025 in Austin. The event brought together hundreds of retailers, brokers, developers, and fellow economic development professionals from across Texas. For a fast-growing community like Elsa, this kind of environment is invaluable.
Walking into the ballroom, the energy was clear: every table represented a brand, concept, or dealmaker actively looking for new markets. From national quick-service restaurants like Popeyes and CiCi’s Pizza, to lifestyle brands like Tropical Smoothie Cafe, to service concepts such as Bluewave Express Car Wash, the show was packed with decision-makers exploring where to grow next.
For Elsa, the strategy is not just about chasing every retailer we see on a map. It’s about understanding our trade area, demographics, and retail gaps, then aligning with concepts that fit. With nearly 80,000 people in our Walmart-anchored trade area, a median household income close to $50,000, and traffic counts topping 20,000 vehicles a day along FM 88, we have the numbers to attract strong brands. At the same time, our household size (just over 3 people per household) and younger population create a natural fit for family dining, value-oriented restaurants, and service businesses that thrive in rural growth markets.
At Retail Live, we were able to sit down face-to-face with retailers who check those boxes. For example:
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CiCi’s Pizza, a family-oriented dining concept, aligns with our demographics and the need for affordable food options.
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Popeyes, a national chicken brand, sees the same traffic thresholds along FM 88 that we know are in demand.
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Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Marco’s Pizza are great fits for our young households and growing delivery market.
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Bluewave Car Wash sees Elsa as an opportunity because, unlike many neighboring cities, we are not saturated with car wash venues.
These aren’t just casual conversations. They’re part of a larger recruitment process where we make the case for site selection in Elsa, using data from tools like Placer.ai, retail trade area studies, and direct feedback from our community. For us, economic development means connecting retail real estate decision-makers with the story of Elsa: a small but growing city that sits in the middle of the Rio Grande Valley’s momentum.
Retail recruitment also complements the other parts of our strategy. As new housing developments and workforce opportunities come online, we need to make sure our residents have access to the goods and services they’d otherwise have to drive out of town for. Every new restaurant, store, or service that locates in Elsa helps us keep dollars local, creates jobs, and strengthens our tax base.
Our first Retail Live experience was a reminder of why showing up matters. The retailers we talked to left with a clear picture: Elsa is open for business, we know our market, and we’re ready to partner with the right brands. Now the follow-up begins, turning those handshakes into site visits, letters of intent, and eventually ribbon cuttings.
Elsa is on the map — and Retail Live was one more step toward building the retail mix our community deserves.
