HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – Merit Coffee Co., a family-owned, San Antonio-based specialty coffee roaster, is expanding into Houston with three new cafés starting in the West University area.
In early July, the company will open at 5115 Buffalo Speedway in Terrace Shops, the company announced. Merit will take over the space previously occupied by Starbucks, which closed in September. The center is owned by Houston-based Fifth Corner.
Known for its community-driven cafés that are uniquely designed for each neighborhood, Merit Coffee has 14 locations: five each in San Antonio and Dallas and four in Austin. Founded in 2009, the company sells packaged coffee at grocery stores including H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Kroger, and Central Market.
Two additional neighborhood cafés are scheduled to open this Winter: one at the historic Swift Building in The Heights and another at Greenside in Memorial City. The mixed-use properties are being developed by Houston-based Radom Capitol.
“For years, we’ve dreamed about bringing Merit to Houston,” Bill Ellis, CEO of Merit Coffee, said in an announcement. “Houston has one of the most exciting food and beverage cultures anywhere in the country, and we’ve been intentional about finding the right neighborhoods, partners, and opportunities to establish roots here. Opening our first café in West University is just the beginning.”
The new café is designed as a community gathering place for residents, students, professionals, and visitors alike.
Merit has teamed with local bakery Cake & Bacon to provide a mix of sweet and savory menu items at the West University café and future Houston locations.
“Whenever we enter a new community, we look for partners who share our commitment to quality and hospitality,” Ellis said. “Cake & Bacon embodies everything we love about Houston’s culinary scene, and we’re excited to showcase their incredible work in our cafés.”
June 12, 2026, Realty News Report Copyright 2026
Feature image: Merit Coffee Co. courtesy photo.
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File: Texas Coffee Roaster Enters Houston with 3 Cafés