Stay up to date with the latest Leander business news—a collection of newly opened, coming soon, relocations and closings.

Now open: Qahwah House
A new coffee shop selling Yemeni coffee, tea and pastries held its official opening in Leander in late 2025. Owner Adil Mufti said the practice of brewing and roasting coffee beans originated in Yemen, and the shop tries to maintain the standards of the original coffee roasters. Qahwah imports coffee beans directly from Yemen and adheres to traditional brewing and roasting methods.

• 14300 Ronald Reagan Blvd., Stes. 305 and 306, Leander

• 2082 N. US 183, Ste. 115, Leander

A new Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids location is now open near the Liberty Hill and Georgetown border. The business officially opened to clients on Dec. 20, bringing haircuts to children, teens and adults, according to Neal Courtney, CEO of Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids.

What they offer: Services at the salon include the signature kidscut, bang trim, hairstyling, teen cut and braiding. The business also offers haircuts for parents, as well as a baby’s first haircut package with a certificate of completion, photo and lock of hair. 

Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids provides entertainment for clients getting their hair done, including TV shows, video games, playground, fantasy chairs, bubbles, balloons and lollipops. 

Learn more: The children’s hair salon has over 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada, with locations in Round Rock, Austin and San Antonio. 

• Opened Dec. 20
• 2029 Kauffman Loop, Ste. 425, Liberty Hill

The Southwest Williamson County Regional Park in Leander will receive artificial turf upgrades for four fields through a sponsorship with Lonestar Soccer Club. Williamson County commissioners approved the turf project and sponsorship agreement at a Jan. 6 meeting.

About the project: The soccer fields will be converted from natural grass to artificial turf to help reduce impacts from drought and wear, and allow for longer playing time, Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said at the meeting.

Utilizing artificial turf will eliminate maintenance costs associated with natural grass, Williamson County Parks and Recreation Director TW Dieckmann said at the meeting.

For the $8.9 million project, Lonestar Soccer Club will fund $6.5 million, and the county will pay for the remaining $2.4 million.

Diving deeper: Lonestar Soccer Club’s sponsorship will allow the club to receive priority scheduling, discounted usage rates and naming rights for the four fields. The club will also take ownership of maintenance and replacement of the turf in the future.

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects around the Austin metro. 

Upcoming projects
Hwy. 290 extension project
Project: project seeks to reduce congestion along 15 miles of Hwy. 290 between Hwy. 130 and Hwy. 95 South in Bastrop County
Update: public survey concluded Oct. 10

• Timeline: expected to complete first draft of schematic design mid-2026
• Cost: TBD
• Funding source: TBD

• Timeline: total project completion expected in 2026
• Cost: $612 million
• Funding source: federal funding, sale of roll revenue bonds, Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act funds

With the new year beginning and resolutions underway, individuals may look into body contouring procedures to feel more confident in their bodies, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Sanjay K. Sharma said. 

Affiliated with Ascension Medical Group, the University of Texas Dell Medical School and the University of Texas Medical Branch, Sharma said these procedures are common in the Austin area due to the community’s culture of being outdoors and trying to stay healthy. He spoke with Community Impact about how body contouring works, ideal candidates and tips for community members to know when looking for a provider. 

What is body contouring?
Body contouring is a broad-based category in plastic surgery. Any part of the body can be contoured. It can be from areas that are sort of stubborn fat deposits. Patients sometimes want to know how they can get rid of isolated pockets around the abdomen, legs, thighs or arms.

Some Texas film industry leaders say the state is on its way to becoming the third “media coast,” joining Los Angeles and New York as film production hubs. A recent increase in state funding is helping buoy that growth, said Chase Musslewhite, co-founder of Media for Texas, an Austin-based nonprofit that advocates for the advancement of the state’s film industry.

The details: Through 2035, $1.5 billion in state incentives will be available for movies, television shows, documentaries and related projects created in Texas.

To be eligible for the program funding under Senate Bill 22, at least 35% of a production’s cast and crew must live in Texas and at least 60% of the work must be done in-state, according to the Texas Film Commission. Grant reimbursements start at 5% and go up to 31%, depending on how much a production spends and other aspects of the project.

The local impact: After SB 22 became law Sept. 1, some local governments across Texas—including Austin, San Antonio and Houston—expanded or launched their own film incentive programs.