COMING ATTRACTIONS

Mealtime mega-app Wonder to open its first area food hall in Schertz

Wonder is opening its first San Antonio-area storefront in Schertz

Much-hyped mealtime company Wonder is gearing up to disrupt Schertz. The techy app-slash-food hall is opening its first San Antonio area storefront in the rapidly growing Schertz Station development at 18406 Station Rd.

The name is apt for a concept that may have newcomers scratching their heads. Founded in 2018 by former Walmart e-commerce exec Marc Lore, it aims to bring “fast-fine” delivery and pick-up to the masses, which is really just a fancy way of saying you might have heard of some of the chefs.

Unlike traditional food halls, the concept precooks everything out of a commissary, then finishes it in a central kitchen. The model allows the company to operate multiple “restaurants” in one space. Guests can order fare created by buzzy eateries like Tejas Barbecue and Di Fara Pizza or celebrities like Bobby Flay, José Andrés, and Marcus Samuelsson, but it is all being prepared by the same line.

The company also operates storefronts like the 3,973-square-foot space coming to Schertz. The physical locations offer pick-up service and limited dine-in space, and also feed Americans’ growing appetite for delivery apps. In 2024, Wonder purchased struggling service Grubhub, making it possible to order from other local restaurants from the same app.

Wonder also owns meal kit pioneer Blue Apron, AI-powered restaurant rewards program Claim, and robot-powered restaurant Spyce, known for preparing food in “three minutes or less." More recently, the start-up gobbled up food media company Tastemade, so now all of its slashes are too long to list. Think of it as a Swiss Army knife that comes with plastic cutlery.

The company first promised a Texas expansion in February, focusing first on the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The corporation said Texas’ “suburban areas, characterized by densely populated communities and car-dependent infrastructure,” made it one of the nation’s most attractive markets.

Wonder has not officially announced the timeline for the Schertz location. According to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings, the company aims to wrap up construction in October.

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JOYFUL, JOYFUL

SAS Shoes blesses San Antonio's Salesian Sisters with new Spurs kicks

SAS Shoes/ Facebook

Oh, happy day.

Alamo City’s biggest Spurs fans will now be doing the Lord’s work in some more comfortable kicks. SAS Shoes has gifted the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco new sneakers as a thank you for their community service and unwavering dedication to the NBA Western Conference champs.

The sisters have become a global phenomenon after one of the members prayed over center Luke Kornet, a devout Catholic, during Game 4 of the Spurs’ playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder (booooo). Since then, many locals have considered the habit-wearing megafans good omens, immortalizing them in memes and (ahem, bootleg) merch.

But the order isn’t only known for giving Kornet the wings to make a championship-worthy block. The long-time West Side order runs an elementary school, offers services for women at risk, and runs a weekday camp for area youth during the summer.

“San Antonio’s favorite sisters, now in even more comfort,” wrote SAS Shoes in a social media post. “Their joy, kindness, and spirit have captured hearts across the country, and we couldn’t be happier to see all the love they’re receiving.”

In keeping with the sister’s devotional dress, the shoes were equally understated — black with tasteful silver topstitching.

Although the sisters have only recently gone viral, the Spurs' support isn’t anything new. Sr. Bernadette Mota, director of mission advancement for the order and a former basketball coach, told Christian publication Sojourners that the fandom started around 20 years ago.

“We had a couple elder sisters at our provincial house, our retirement house for our sisters who need assisted living,” she explained. “Some of them were born and raised in San Antonio, and anytime there was a game on, they would watch it. And they would get very irritated when the game had to be turned off because it was bedtime.”

The other sisters began watching games to connect with the youth they serve.

There’s no word whether there will be any divine intervention in the Spurs’ first game against the New York Knicks, held at the Frost Bank Center on Wednesday, June 3. But, DJ Quake, if you’re listening, nothing pumps up an arena like “Joyful, Joyful.”

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