Hutto has seen a surge of economic growth centered around the revitalized Hutto Co-Op District and stretching along the north side of Hwy. 79, with new businesses filling gaps in the city’s entertainment and dining scene.
Adding to that momentum, the area’s newest business—Hooky Entertainment, a family entertainment center—will open its doors May 23.
With a game room, bowling alley, movie auditoriums and a full kitchen, Hooky is designed to be a destination for residents and visitors.
“Why we chose this area is just [because] it’s such a growing community,” said Charlie Tiantawach, Hooky representative. “For us, being based in Austin, having a location this close is really critical.”
Hooky joins a wave of businesses that recently opened in the area, as the city’s increasing traffic is attracting new companies.
The overview
A growing list of new entertainment, dining and retail options from The Hutto Co-Op Districtdown to the anticipated Hooky Entertainment is helping shape Hutto into a regional destination, said Cheney Gamboa, Hutto Economic Development director.
Earlier this year, the city welcomed its first Chuy’s Tex-Mex, which opened in January and is “still packed in there all the time,” Gamboa said.
With residents of nearby communities traveling to visit the restaurant, Gamboa said it has caused a “Chuy’s effect” that benefits nearby businesses.
That ripple effect is visible just to the east, where Cottonwood Creek Brewery & Smokehouse opened April 21.
Cottonwood Creek sales representative Zach Delmonico said the choice to open in Hutto was a “no-brainer.”
“The idea was to bring something different to an already booming and fast-expanding community,” Delmonico said.
The Co-Op continues to fill out with additions like Jack Allen’s Kitchen, which opened March 9 alongside a new parking garage.
The newest business in the area will be Hooky—formerly planned as EVO Entertainment. Parent company Es Vedra Cinemas separated from business partner Elevate Entertainment Group in February, rebranding its share of EVO facilities as Hooky the following month.
The 54,000-square-foot build-out will include 12 bowling lanes, eight movie theaters, a grab-and-go concession station and more activities.
Of the eight theater rooms at Hooky, one will be an IMAX auditorium, and two will be Dolby Atmos auditoriums.
What else?
The Co-Op District leases dining, retail and office space in partnership with private developer MA Partners.
The Co-Op is home to Elgin-based Southside Market, a family business that dates back to the 1800s, and Austin-based Top Notch Hamburgers, the second-ever location.
“Our goal was to go after Austin iconic businesses and not national brands,” said Bob Wunsch, partner with the development firm. “They took longer to do, but they’re all great people, and I think it sets us apart.”
The historic area’s newest building also has almost 70,000 square feet of office space, of which the second and third floor are 100% leased. While the tenant is not yet publicly released, Gamboa said it will likely support operations for the nearby Samsung facility.
Several city facilities also reside in the area. Hutto’s City Hall includes the public library, and last summer a splash pad opened to give area kids an outdoor activity.
City Council voted to prioritize farmers markets in the Gin Building, a feature of the original Co-Op, at a meeting in January. Residents can also rent space in the venue for other events and gatherings.
The history
The original Hutto co-op dates back to 1937. A symbol of the city’s rich agricultural history, farmers in the area would use the cotton gins to process their goods.
In 2004, the city bought the land and kept some of its original features, including the Gin Building. The city renovated the 7,800-square-foot building in 2016 as the first structure at The Co-Op, deconstructing the original steel structures and reusing the best parts to create what stands today.
MA Partners joined the project six or seven years ago to develop the area while preserving its historical significance, Wunsch said.
“We knew the area, and we were asked to come vie for the opportunity to redo The Co-Op,” Wunsch said. “It’s a very intense project.”
The modern development of the area as a walkable, mixed-use site is also a nod to its history, City Manager James Earp said.
What’s next
There is still more to come for Hutto’s Hwy. 79 corridor, Gamboa said. Near Hooky, the city is trying to recruit companies to move into its industrial space.
An additional retail building will soon bring more dining options as well. One such restaurant is Basil & Bites, which will serve Vietnamese cuisine with a Texas twist later this fall.
Inside The Co-Op, the development team is also working to secure a bakery or cafe for the first floor of the office building, and negotiations are underway for the fourth-floor tenant, Gamboa said.
Site plans for the area show multi- and single-family residential, though neither the city nor the developer have released specifics yet.
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