The Kapchinskie family wants customers to feel right at home when they step into Martin’s Place, a more than 100-year-old institution in Bryan that serves up barbecue “cooked the old-fashioned way.”

The background: Steve, his wife Betty, and their daughter operate this family business that was founded by Steve’s grandfather in 1925. Steve said his grandfather began working as a butcher and decided to barbecue what meat did not sell. His original shop was constructed in the same location where Martin’s Place stands today on South College Avenue, where, Steve said, his family invites customers to slow down.

The history: In 2005, Martin’s Place became an Official Texas Historical Landmark in celebration of its 80th anniversary, according to the Brazos County Historical Commission. In the support research narrative, Steve’s son Brian made his case for the designation.

On the menu: “We cook on brick pits over live coals; We use oak wood,” said owner and pitmaster Steve, a third-generation Kapchinskie. “It’s all about hard work and sweat, and simple flavors—like barbecue was intended to be.”

Haraz Coffee House plans to open its latest Texas location in College Station, located along Texas Avenue next to Lapels Laundry.

About Haraz: Founded in 2021 by Hamzah Nasser in Michigan, Haraz Coffee House boasts traditional Yemeni-style coffee culture while blending modern cafe offerings. According to the business's website, the brand has expanded rapidly in the last five years, growing to more than 50 locations nationwide, including eight in Texas, with hundreds more in development.

On the menu: Customers can expect a mix of traditional and modern drinks and snacks, including:

• Yemeni-style coffee, such as Harazi Mufawar and Sana'ani

• Espresso drinks, lattes and specialty teas

• Pastries and desserts, including Dubai bars and sabaya

• Bagged coffee, merchandise and catering options

Before you go: According to Haraz's website, the coffeehouse aims to create a community gathering space centered on Yemini heritage, specialty coffee and hospitality.

As of time of publish, Haraz had not responded to Community Impact's request for comment on a tentative opening date.

• 2711 Texas Ave., College Station

"Big 6" construction continues in its sixth month as crews build slightly new traffic patterns and containment walls. Bryan-College Station drivers should expect multiple overnight lane and frontage road closures along Hwy. 6 through May 21.

What you need to know

• May 18-19: full closure, 8:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m.
  • The southbound main lane between Briarcrest Drive and Harvey road will be closed.
• May 20-21: full closure, 8:30 p.m.-6:30 a.m.
  • The southbound main lane between University Drive and Southwest Parkway will be closed.

The Texas Supreme Court on May 15 denied Gov. Greg Abbott’s request to remove state Rep. Gene Wu from office after the Houston Democrat led his colleagues in a walkout to protest congressional redistricting last summer.

The details: In the court’s majority opinion, Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock ruled that because Wu and other House Democrats “voluntarily returned” to the Capitol two weeks after their August departure, it was not necessary for the court to get involved.

The court also rejected a petition by Attorney General Ken Paxton to expel Wu and 12 other Democrats over the walkout, consolidating the two requests in one ruling.

What they're saying: Wu celebrated the ruling in a May 15 statement, saying that "the Constitution does not let a governor erase voters’ choices when their choices are inconvenient to him."

Abbott's office argued the governor's August lawsuit helped end the walkout and said the state was prepared to fight future quorum breaks: "If Democrats abandon their offices again, the governor will bring them right back to the Texas Supreme Court."