La La Land Kind Cafe is lining up an east-side San Antonio debut this summer, with permits in place for a 1,259-square-foot shop at The Shops at Lincoln Heights. The tenant-finish project is scheduled to kick off in May and wrap by the end of August, putting a potential opening on the calendar before summer officially winds down. State paperwork pegs the buildout at about $280,000 and lists Alejandro Bernal as the tenant contact.
Project documents filed with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation identify the build as project TABS2026016578, with a May 11, 2026 start date and an Aug. 31, 2026 completion date. The records note that the work is a privately funded tenant finish, confirm the $280,000 estimated value and the 1,259-square-foot footprint, list JMCR Lincoln Heights LLC as the owner and again name Alejandro Bernal as the tenant contact.
Reporting from What Now San Antonio puts the new cafe in Suite 120 at 999 East Basse Road and highlights menu regulars like the Upsidedown latte, fluffy cloud-topped coolers and the Truffle Burrata Toast. That piece also notes that reporters reached out to La La Land development vice president Alejandro Bernal and founder Francois Reihani for comment but had not heard back before publication. For shoppers who already treat the center as a regular stop, the opening could add one more grab-and-go option to the existing line-up of stores and eateries.
La La Land pitches itself as a purpose-driven operation. According to La La Land, the La La Land Foundation launched in 2017, and the first La La Land Kind Cafe followed in 2019 with a mission to create paid internships and mentoring opportunities for young people aging out of foster care. The company describes that hiring and mentorship program as quiet, behind-the-scenes work that helps trainees build practical job skills. Extending that approach to San Antonio would bring the brand’s hiring-and-training model into a fresh market.
La La Land's Texas Push
Industry coverage has been tracking La La Land’s rapid build-out across Texas and beyond, as the chain leans on fresh funding and a steady flow of new leases in malls and neighborhood centers. Trade reporting from Daily Coffee News outlines recent investment that underpins a nationwide expansion plan, while local permits show a pipeline of tenant-finish projects in the works. The combination of bright, Instagram-ready branding and a social-mission pitch has helped the concept scale quickly in several Sun Belt markets.
What to expect
If the timetable in the TDLR filings holds, contractor activity and posted permits should start popping up on-site in May, with "coming soon" signs or early job postings likely to follow once crews begin the interior build. Assuming construction stays on schedule, the cafe could be pouring drinks for customers by late August. We will keep an eye on permit updates and any official announcements from La La Land for a firm opening date.
