ATX-LLH: Impact 10/31/2025

Batteries Plus is aiming to hold a soft open of its newest location in Leander this January, with a ribbon-cutting and grand opening planned for February, owner Moises Benavides said.

What they offer: The store specializes in battery and lighting solutions for retail and commercial customers. The location carries thousands of varieties of batteries, ranging from everyday household AA’s to automotive, marine, RV and powersports power sources.

What else? In addition to batteries, the store also offers a range of other services, including key making, lighting solutions, and repairs for mobile devices and tablets. The store will also serve as a location for the community to recycle and sustainably dispose of used batteries.

• Opening late January
• 7680 183A Toll frontage road, Ste. 204, Leander

Here are four recent business stories coming out of the Leander and Liberty Hill area in October.

1. Texas Roadhouse opening in Leander this November 
Steakhouse restaurant Texas Roadhouse is preparing to open in Leander this fall, bringing upward of 200 jobs to the market. The 7,900-square-foot restaurant is looking to hire 210 full- and part-time staff members at the location, according to a Sept. 30 news release. The store is targeting a late-November opening date.

2. Buffalo Wild Wings coming to Liberty Hill 
A Buffalo Wild Wings will be coming to Liberty Hill’s Water Tower Plaza, according to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The new location is expected to break ground in late October and be built out by the end of December.

Approximately 460,000 Texans have Alzheimer's disease, a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Advocates are encouraging Texas voters to approve State Proposition 14, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow the state to spend $3 billion to launch the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.

The overview: Proposition 14 would allocate $3 billion in state dollars to fund the institute for the next 10 years. The institute would work with researchers and doctors to study the prevention and treatment of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

All funding for the institute would come from existing state revenue, donations and potential federal grants, meaning no new state taxes or fees would be created.

What they're saying: "If Proposition 14 passes, it really will establish Texas as an incredible leader in our country," neurological researcher Joshua Shulman said. 

At the polls: Early voting runs through Oct. 31, and Election Day is Nov. 4. For more information about the propositions and candidates on your local ballot, visit www.communityimpact.com/voter-guide.

The overview: As Community Impact enters its third decade, it’s returning to its roots of growth and deeper reader connections. The “Patron” program, which began in 2020 by reader demand, has relaunched as the InCIder.

“This relaunch represents our renewed commitment to readers who support our local news,” CEO John Garrett said. “Beyond funding great journalism, we also want to reward our InCIders and build deeper connections with them, creating a true sense of community around the work we do.”

Event details: As part of the relaunch, Community Impact will host its first-ever InCIder Hour, a new event aimed at celebrating and engaging the company’s supporters.

The event, open to InCIders only, will take place Nov. 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. at Community Impact Headquarters, 16225 Impact Way, Pflugerville.

Guests will have the opportunity to network with fellow InCIders, meet Community Impact staff and attend a featured conversation with legislative reporter Hannah Norton, moderated by Garrett.

“Our first event needed to start where all the hard work is put together,” Garrett said. “People are blown away when they see our operation. To be able to sit and chat with the best legislative reporter in Texas, Hannah Norton, makes it an event our InCIder friends deserve and hopefully will enjoy.”