A railroad ticket booth sits between 128 and 136 Bates Street, and its sign reads Interurban Lines. That was the electric rail line that once connected Fort Worth to Dallas, Cleburne, Waco and other towns. The booth is on loan from the Keller History Museum. The houses on either side of it had been empty for more than three years. One was the Keller Station House & History Museum and the other was Catherine Anne's Books.
Old Town Keller has added a lot this year, and almost none of it came from a large development. A new building on Main Street went up with two tenants. A ramen house moved into an old ice house. Now two century-old houses on Bates are being renovated for new businesses. Each was a single owner's decision about a single address, so each moved on its own schedule.
Two Houses, One Fence Line
Ashley Stone Hernandez and Jamie Hurley bought both Bates Street properties. They plan to renovate them and lease them to businesses under the name The Keller Depot. Hernandez already owns 139 Olive, the event center that shares a fence line with the new properties.
128 Bates will be called The Station House, a nod to the old train museum. 136 Bates will be The Jackson Cottage. According to Hernandez, both houses are at least 100 years old. Keller City Council approved a facade grant for both buildings on Sept. 15. Keller Economic Developer Ana Erwin said the project could qualify for up to $30,000 in reimbursement through city grants. The owners hope to bring in a coffee concept and a dessert business. No tenants have been announced yet.
The first public preview was Nights on Bates on Sept. 25, with music, food and local vendors. The Depot was also scheduled to host National Night Out on Oct. 6. Renovation was set to start after that, with the goal of having both buildings ready to lease by December. Plans also call for new landscaping and turf in the backyards to match 139 Olive. The back of both houses would connect to the event center.
"This will truly become a destination for gathering, connection, small business and unforgettable experiences," Hernandez told Community Impact.
No second Nights on Bates date has been announced. The December leasing date is a goal, not a promise. Project updates are posted at thekellerdepot.com.
The New Building on Main Opened Its Doors One Tenant at a Time
Bates Street is reusing old houses. A block over at 228 S. Main St., the newest addition is a building put up from scratch. Restaurateurs Cary Moon and Greg Polson opened Luna Loco there in a newly built 2,100-square-foot space. It soft-opened Aug. 21 and was officially open by Aug. 27. The menu covers tostadas, enchiladas, street tacos and burritos, with Taco Tuesday specials. The drinks list includes a Lucha Libre Margarita and a Fanta creamsicle. Luna Loco planned to roll out its full menu on Oct. 20, so later this month the menu may be bigger than the one diners saw in September. Details are on lunalocotx.com.
The building's other tenant, Southern Soul & Co., opened Aug. 7 in Suite 100. It's a western-style boutique selling clothing and turquoise jewelry, and it held its grand opening Sept. 12.
Wabi House followed the same one-building pattern late last year. It moved into the former Station Patio Ice House at 111 W. Vine St. It had been announced for fall 2025 and soft-opened on Dec. 3, 2025, serving ramen and yakitori.
Here's where each Old Town address stands as of Oct. 10:
| Address | What it was | What it is now | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 228 S. Main St. | New construction | Luna Loco and Southern Soul & Co. | Open |
| 111 W. Vine St. | Station Patio Ice House | Wabi House | Open since December 2025 |
| 128 Bates St. | Keller Station House & History Museum | The Station House | Renovating, leasing target December |
| 136 Bates St. | Catherine Anne's Books | The Jackson Cottage | Renovating, leasing target December |
| 207 S. Elm St. | Existing structure | Keller House Collective, announced as brewery and pizzeria | Not yet open |
Keller House Collective was announced in March 2025 with an opening planned for later that year. A brewery-development tracker still lists it as an existing building where renovations haven't started. For now it's a plan, not an opening.
The Streets Around Them Were Rebuilt First
These buildings have room to fill in because the city already rebuilt the streets around them. Bates Street Park at 133 Bates St. opened Oct. 5, 2024, next to the Keller History Museum. It has outdoor seating, an elevated pavilion and stage, a lawn, a walking path and a climbing feature for young children. The city lists both the park and the Bates Street rebuild as complete. Hernandez has said the park is close enough to the Depot that the block "could create a festival street." That's her idea. The city hasn't announced any plan for it.
South Elm Street is a longer project. Its reconstruction began March 24, 2025, and the City of Keller's project page says work should wrap up in summer 2028. The project includes new on-street and off-street public parking. Early this year, Community Impact reported that the South Elm bridge would close for about four months, with southbound traffic sent to US 377. Winter ice pushed back the demolition start. No later report confirms when the closure started or ended. Check Elm at Pecan before you count on it as a route.
Out on Keller Parkway, the Biggest Project Is Waiting on a Hearing
Keller's largest retail project runs on a much slower schedule than anything in Old Town. Kroger has proposed a 99,992-square-foot Kroger Marketplace on a 17.58-acre site, with fuel pumps and a drive-through pharmacy. At Kroger's request, City Council tabled the permit on Oct. 6 because the company had enlarged its plans for the fuel-center kiosk. Planning and Zoning will review the revised plans Nov. 10, and Council's public hearing is now set for Dec. 1. If the plan is approved, the current Kroger at 976 Keller Parkway would close. This also isn't the first try. Kroger had approval for the same site in 2016, but that project never moved forward and those approvals have since expired.
The Parkway still gets smaller openings that land on time. Red Pepper Wok Chinese Kitchen opened at 1411 Keller Parkway, Suite 300, on Sept. 6. McAlister's Deli has announced a November opening at 1241 Keller Parkway in The Shops at Keller Marketplace, with a drive-thru. In Keller Town Center, Katherine and Tenille moved into a larger space at 101 Town Center Lane, Suite A109, and opened there Oct. 3. Single storefronts can open quickly. A 17-acre grocery site has to clear more hearings first.
Keller's Calendar Through December
The city calendar runs alongside all of this, and a few dates fall before the Depot's December target:
- Oct. 17 – Soup & Bread Day at the Keller Farmers Market, Bear Creek Park, 400 Bear Creek Parkway.
- Oct. 24 – Trash Bash and Haunted Camp Out, per the city's special events page. The farmers market also runs that Saturday.
- Oct. 31 – Pumpkins & Pooches Market.
- Nov. 7 – Flannel Fest, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city hasn't posted this year's location. Last year's festival was at Bear Creek Park, according to Community Impact's November 2025 roundup.
- Nov. 10 – Planning and Zoning reviews the revised Kroger plans.
- Nov. 21 – Thanksgiving Market, 1 to 5 p.m.
- Dec. 1 – Council public hearing on the Kroger permit.
- Dec. 4 – Holly Days, with the Very Merry Light Parade, Santa photos and the Christmas tree lighting. The 2026 venue and times aren't posted yet.
- Dec. 5 and 12 – Christmas Markets at the Park, then Warm Up Winter on Dec. 19 with Santa, cocoa, coffee and carols.
When the December dates arrive, The Station House and The Jackson Cottage are supposed to be ready for tenants, and Kroger's permit will have had its hearing.
Keeping up with which Old Town buildings are renovating, filling or still waiting is part of knowing Keller well. If you want to talk about what these changes mean for your own corner of town, Amanda Beames is glad to share what she's seeing. Schedule a free consultation.
