Texas French Bread, the longtime Rio Grande Street bakery beloved by University of Texas students and neighborhood regulars, is on track to reopen in April after a 2022 fire gutted its building. Owner Murph Willcott says construction on the replacement structure is nearly finished, and the bakery is coming back to the same footprint it called home for decades. For Austin’s north-campus dining scene, that means the return of a neighborhood institution known for its baguettes, sandwiches, and cozy evening bistro service.
Owner Confirms April Target
Willcott told KVUE the rebuild is "nearing completion" and that the new structure will sit exactly where the old one stood. He described the blaze as having "scorched everything from one end to the other" and said the team is aiming for an April reopening. Final inspections and finishing work are still on the checklist before ovens, counter service, and a full dining room are back in play.
Blaze Destroyed The Rio Grande Building
The fire broke out on Jan. 24, 2022, and firefighters ultimately declared the building a total loss, according to Eater Austin. The Austin Fire Department traced the origin to a mechanical failure, and damage was later pegged at roughly $1.6 million for the structure and its contents. The destruction pushed the bakery to shift production off-site while ownership worked through the slow grind of financing, permits, and design for a complete rebuild.
Roots Stretch Back To The 1980s
Texas French Bread started as a home bakery in 1981 and moved into the Rio Grande storefront in 1986, according to Texas French Bread. The business, launched by Judy Willcott and now operated by her son Murph, built a devoted following for its breads, pastries, and a farm-driven bistro menu. That kind of loyalty has helped keep the brand alive through a long, fire-forced detour.
Community Support Kept The Oven Hot
After the blaze, the bakery stayed connected to customers by serving from a 1971 Airstream trailer in its garden and baking from an off-site commissary, Community Impact reported. Neighboring chefs, community fundraisers, and a GoFundMe that raised nearly $200,000 helped cover severance and keep staff afloat during the long rebuild, according to Eater Austin. That support let the business keep selling wholesale and at farmers' markets while the permanent space inched back toward reality.
What To Expect When It Reopens
When the doors reopen in April, customers can look for the familiar lineup of breads, pastries, and the evening bistro service that regulars have missed, Willcott told KVUE. Returning to a full kitchen and indoor seating will be a major change from the trailer-era operation and should restore one of the Drag’s steady breakfast, lunch, and casual-dinner options. The team plans to share firm opening dates and hours on its usual channels as inspections wrap up.
Updates, along with any menu or hours announcements, will be posted on the bakery’s website and social feeds, according to Texas French Bread. For a business that has anchored the north-campus strip for decades, an April comeback would bring a mix of nostalgia and a freshly busy storefront back to the neighborhood.
