Latest news with #SanAntonians
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After 63 Years, This Legendary Mexican Restaurant In San Antonio Is Being Forced To Close
San Antonio's culinary scene is rich with history and unforgettable flavors, attracting locals and tourists alike with food unparalleled anywhere else in the world. But post-pandemic, the restaurant scene never fully recovered from the hits that it took, equally losing customer sales and employee retention rates. Just days after the beloved, similarly-iconic Denver-based Breakfast Inn announced it was closing its doors for good, San Antonio's legendary Mexican restaurant, Oscar's Taco House, dropped the bomb that it's unexpectedly shutting down permanently -- but not by choice. According to multiple reports from local news sources, Oscar's Taco House is being forced to close by the city to make way for a new bridge. The bridge is part of a five-year project, officially named the South Zarzamora Street Overpass at Union Pacific Railroad, and it is expected to construct new bridges, roads, and sidewalks to improve mobility of the Southwest Side neighborhood. The restaurant's owner, Alex Pruneda, told local news source MySA that the city wanted the building closed by May 15, 2025, but Pruneda wrote a letter begging for an extension to give his 32 employees more time to prepare. The restaurant is set to officially lock up for the last time on June 28. Read more: 11 Mexican Restaurant Chains, Ranked Worst To Best Oscar G. Garcia opened Oscar's Taco House in 1962 at 705 Barrett Place, San Antonio, operating it first as a carhop burger joint and soon adding classic Tex-Mex entrees (if you're curious, here's what makes Tex-Mex different from Mexican cuisine). Garcia's sons took over the restaurant in 1978 after he passed away, but maintained the classic, old-school feel of decor and service. Over 40 years later, the restaurant was purchased in 2021 by close family friend Alex Pruneda, who's continued serving burgers, enchiladas, and, of course, San Antonio's world-famous and unique puffy tacos ever since. In the midst of Oscar's Taco House ceasing operations, lifelong fans and devoted customers expressed their disappointment on social media. In a Facebook group for San Antonio Restaurants, people shared stories about decades of happy memories within the restaurant's walls. One commenter said "I never thought [this] would happen. I hope they relocate, [because] that's a fav in that area," while another agreed that "it will be missed by customers who called [it] home." Oscar's Taco House has no current plans to relocate, so in the meantime, San Antonians will have to visit one final time before the end of June and take a chance on some of the other absolute best restaurants in San Antonio. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Associated Press
21-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Announces San Antonio as Inaugural Site for Skilled Trades-Focused Campus
New Campus is Part of Company's North Star Strategy to Shape America's Future Workforce PHOENIX and SAN ANTONIO, April 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), a leading workforce education provider for transportation, skilled technicians, energy and healthcare, today announced that San Antonio will be the site of its first campus for skilled trades programs. The announcement continues the company's successful execution of its North Star strategy to shape the future of workforce education in the United States. The San Antonio campus is one of three campuses the company plans to open in Fiscal 2026, subject to regulatory approvals, across its two operating segments: UTI, which offers transportation, skilled trades and energy education; and Concorde Career Colleges, which specializes in the dental, nursing and allied health professions. UTI-San Antonio is expected to open in Spring 2026 and offer programs in aviation, welding, HVACR and an electrical training suite of wind, robotics, industrial maintenance and electrical/electronics. 'Skilled trades education builds the foundation for innovation, economic strength and fulfilling career opportunities,' said Tracy Lorenz, UTI Division President. 'In a world that relies on skilled professionals to keep industries moving, an investment in this training is an investment in the future. We look forward to leveraging our educational expertise and deep industry relationships to support San Antonio's economy.' 'This skilled trades campus highlights how we are optimizing our resources to increase access to high-demand programs while minimizing space and capital expenditures,' said Todd Hitchcock, Corporate Chief Operating Officer, Universal Technical Institute, Inc. 'San Antonio is the ideal city for our investment, given local industry's growing need for skilled workers in the programs this UTI campus will offer. In addition, we have received strong support from public officials and community leaders over the years for our Concorde-San Antonio campus, which has successfully educated thousands of students for healthcare careers since 2010.' UTI-San Antonio will occupy more than 50,000 square feet at 5776 Stemmons Drive. The location and programs are subject to state, accreditor and U.S. Department of Education approval and student recruitment will not begin until those approvals are received. 'Universal Technical Institute is a welcome addition to San Antonio's workforce development ecosystem,' said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. 'We look forward to their presence helping to make economic mobility accessible for all San Antonians.' Universal Technical Institute, Inc., currently has 6 campuses in Texas: UTI-Austin, UTI-Dallas, UTI-Houston, Concorde Grand Prairie, Concorde Dallas and Concorde San Antonio. The company recently announced Atlanta as the site of another new UTI division campus and Fort Myers, Fla., as the location of a unique, co-branded Concorde-Heartland Dental campus for dental hygiene and dental assistant programs. The core tenets of the Universal Technical Institute, Inc.'s North Star strategy—growth, diversification and optimization—are the foundation for initiatives at the company's two divisions. The second phase of the company's North Star strategy is expected to deliver approximately 10% revenue CAGR and expand its Adjusted EBITDA margin to nearly 20 percent through fiscal 2029. At its most recent earnings call, the company reported strong financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2025, with its key metrics of revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and new student starts having improved year-over-year. The company also increased its guidance ranges for the fiscal year. More information about Universal Technical Institute, Inc., including the company's most recent investor presentation, can be found here. About Universal Technical Institute, Inc. Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI) was founded in 1965 and is a leading workforce solutions provider of transportation, skilled trades, and healthcare education programs whose mission is to serve students, partners, and communities by providing quality education and support services for in-demand careers across a number of highly skilled fields. Universal Technical Institute, Inc. is comprised of two divisions: the UTI division and Concorde Career Colleges. The UTI division operates 15 campuses located in nine states and offers a wide range of transportation and skilled trades technical training programs under brands such as UTI, MIAT College of Technology, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute and NASCAR Technical Institute. Concorde operates across 17 campuses in eight states and online, offering programs in the allied health, dental, nursing, patient care and diagnostic fields. For more information, visit or or visit us on LinkedIn at @UniversalTechnicalInstitute and @Concorde Career Colleges or on X (formerly Twitter) @news_UTI or @ConcordeCareer. Media Contacts Alanna Vitucci [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Universal Technical Institute, Inc.
Axios
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Expect San Antonio car dealers to be busy this week
Some San Antonians are rushing to buy new cars before tariffs drive up costs. Why it matters: The reality of President Trump's tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts is sinking in, with the consensus that vehicle prices will go up and the industry's financial outlook will darken. The latest: A 25% tariff on automakers that do not manufacture cars or car parts in the U.S. is set to take effect Wednesday, per the White House. What they're saying:"Consumers likely have a narrow window to buy new or used vehicles before prices increase by 10% or more," said Jonathan Smoke, chief economist at Cox Automotive. Zoom in: San Antonio's Ancira Auto Group saw a 32% increase in sales across its 13 area dealerships last Saturday compared with the Saturday before, vice president April Ancira tells Axios. Those were mostly people who planned to buy a car this year anyway but moved up their timeline because of the tariffs, Ancira says. The company will have to hibernate away some of the recent sales boost in anticipation of a hard year later on, she says. The intrigue: The bump may last a little longer. Ancira now has "1,800 tariff-free cars" that haven't hit dealer lots yet but were already ordered or on their way, Ancira says. By the numbers: The Yale Budget Lab forecasts vehicle prices will rise 13.5% on average, or about $6,400 on the average new car.
Axios
19-03-2025
- Axios
What I learned on a long walk up Broadway
Ahead of Síclovía's return to Broadway for the first time in six years, I decided to get a true pedestrian view by taking a four-mile walk along the street. Why it matters: The Broadway corridor north of downtown is in flux. It's home to longtime family-style restaurants and posh new eateries, showcasing San Antonio's past, present and future. There's no better way to take that all in than on foot. Catch up quick: Síclovía closes streets to cars and opens them to walkers and bikers. On Sunday, it will stretch from Parland Place to McCullough Avenue downtown. How it works: I started my journey by The Newstand coffee shop at Josephine Street, walked two miles up to Hildebrand Avenue and then turned around. Zoom in: City leaders have long hoped to make Broadway into San Antonio's great urban corridor. Whether or not it already is depends on who you ask. The big picture: The corridor has long been a cultural hub. Brackenridge Park, the Witte Museum, the DoSeum and the San Antonio Botanical Garden are on or nearby Broadway. It's also lined with businesses of all types — local delis, an antique shop, a laundromat, a dollar store, bars, a barbershop. What they're saying:"It's an amazing north-south thoroughfare that was important in the early history of the city," local historian Maria Watson Pfeiffer tells Axios. Early San Antonians traveled along Broadway because of the Alamo acequia, the Spanish water system near Brackenridge Park. "Since it more or less parallels the river, it's always been a spine in that way." Context: San Antonio voters in 2017 approved bond funding for Broadway improvements aimed at making the street more pedestrian friendly. Officials planned to reduce it by one lane in each direction, add bike lanes and widen sidewalks. But the Texas Transportation Commission halted those plans when it reclaimed ownership of Broadway in January 2022 to prevent the city from reducing the number of lanes. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has since repaved the road and made updates without removing lanes, adding bike lanes or widening sidewalks. What I found: Sidewalks are better in some places than others, but they're largely intact. The main difficulty is crossing the street to access a business on the other side, since crosswalks are spaced out and the street is so wide. I witnessed a couple people making a run for it. I passed a few bikers who rode on sidewalks rather than the narrow car lanes. State of play: Broadway businesses are in a constant state of change. Jim's Restaurant, a local favorite, shut down last year after 53 years. A Houston restaurant group is taking over the space. Half Price Books and the Antiquarian Book Mart next door closed in May after a developer purchased the site. Half Price Books had been there 45 years. The Ranch Motel, a boutique lodging and leisure club, opened in late 2023. Chains P. Terry's and Postino both opened last year, as did La Panadería, a local chain.
Axios
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
San Antonio's Síclovía returns to Broadway six years later
Síclovía, San Antonio's open streets, car-free event, is making its long-awaited return to Broadway on Sunday, marking the first time the route has been used since 2019. Why it matters: Síclovía temporarily shuts down streets to cars, giving San Antonians a unique opportunity to play outside and connect with the community. Driving the news: Previously a biannual event organized by the YMCA of Greater San Antonio, Síclovía is now held annually in the spring. The route changes based on construction and permit availability, which is why Broadway hasn't been used since 2019. Last year's event took place on North St. Mary's Street. Construction on lower Broadway, which is part of the route, finished in October. Flashback: Síclovía debuted on Broadway in 2011 as San Antonio's version of Ciclovía, a tradition that started in Bogotá, Colombia, more than 30 years ago. What they're saying: Along with being the birthplace of Síclovía, the Broadway route has long been a crowd favorite due to its flat terrain and access to parks, Shannon Gowen, vice president of marketing and communications for the YMCA, tells Axios. "We do a survey after every event, and everybody always asks us to go back to Broadway. That's their favorite route every single time," she says. How it works: The 2.2-mile stretch of Broadway from Parland Place to McCullough Avenue will be car-free from 9am-3pm for the event, which will be from 10am-2pm. It's a non-competitive event, with no start or finish lines and no registration required. Attendees choose how they want to enjoy the path, whether it's walking, biking, skateboarding or more. Five "Reclovías," or activation zones, will feature activities like Zumba, vendors, and group exercises along the route. By the numbers: 1.1 million people have participated in Síclovía since 2011. Nearly 60% of attendees cite physical activity as their main reason for attending. 47% say they would otherwise be inactive indoors. 39% report being more active since attending, according to Síclovía's post-event survey. What we're watching: Where Síclovía will roll next. While Broadway has been a staple, it's not yet confirmed to be a route in 2026, Gowen says.
