ATX-LTW: Impact 9/3/2025

Here are five of the top-read stories across the Lake Travis and Westlake areas in August.

When Emily Alberts founded Dearly Baby and Children’s Boutique in October 2022, she had just had her second child. Frustrated with the lack of highly-curated baby garments and wares she was searching for online, she decided to pull all her favorite brands into her own boutique storefront. 

The overview : Located in Davenport Village, Dearly Baby and Children’s Boutique offers a wide selection of hand-selected clothing, gifts, toys and decor designed for children ages 0-6. The business’ brick and mortar location, which features racks of children’s garments and shelves stocked with baby-friendly toys and accessories, was opened in December 2023, following a year of the business operating exclusively online.

What they’re saying: “I wanted to bring all of the baby brands that I loved under one roof, physically and online,” Alberts said. “Originally I just started bringing in all the brands that I had found that I loved for my kids.”

Days before a contract for a new Zilker Café vendor is set to advance, city officials signaled they may reopen the search for an operator and allow alcohol sales at the concession stand in hopes of drawing a local business—and more revenue.

The details: The Zilker Café has been closed for almost a decade after multiple attempts to restart operations there stalled out. This year's solicitation for a new cafe vendor drew just one submission, and city staff have reported a ban on alcohol sales at the facility is a top reason for low interest in the opportunity.

The parks department previously applied to allow beer and wine sales at the cafe in 2021, but community pushback led to that proposal's rejection. But with an extended closure and concerns about the lack of local businesses hoping to run the concession stand, some city leaders said they'd support an alcohol permit at the site.

Austin airport CEO Ghizlane Badawi spoke at a Round Rock Chamber luncheon Aug. 28, outlining the multibillion-dollar expansion currently underway and the hefty economic benefit for the region.

The big picture: Badawi characterized the airport as the “economic engine for Central Texas,” noting that a 2018 Texas Department of Transportation study estimated Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s economic impact at $7.6 billion—a figure now projected at approximately $10 billion, Badawi said.

What’s happening?: Presently, under the expansion initiative—Journey with AUS—there are six projects under construction and five in design.

Looking ahead: City of Austin officials gave the green light to new lease agreement with airlines during an Aug. 28 council meeting. This means airlines will commit to the expansion program and lease the over 20 new gates airport officials expect to open in the early 2030s, according to an ABIA news release.