A new Wetzel's Pretzels bakery is taking shape inside the Walmart Supercenter at North Mesa Plaza, 1807 W Craig Rd, with construction already underway in North Las Vegas. The shop is anticipated to open before the end of 2026, bringing the soft pretzel chain's fresh-baked goods to shoppers already running errands at the big-box store.
According to What Now, the company is “already constructing a new shop in the Walmart Supercenter within the North Mesa Plaza at 1807 W Craig Rd,” and the outlet reports it is anticipated to open before the end of this year. The franchisee behind the new location is Thomas Martin, though What Now says he had not responded by the time of publication.
Wetzel's pretzels are, per the same report, crafted from fresh dough and baked in-store throughout the day — the same approach the brand uses at its other Nevada locations. The chain currently has at least six known locations operating in Nevada, mostly scattered around the Las Vegas Valley, and it has also put food trucks on the road in the region, the article notes.
A Growing Walmart Partnership
The North Las Vegas build-out is the latest sign of Wetzel's deepening relationship with Walmart. In a statement tied to a separate opening in Porter Ranch, California, the company said it “continues its partnership with the world's largest retailer to grow in untapped markets across the country,” according to Wetzel's Pretzels Franchising. That Porter Ranch bakery opened inside the Walmart at 19821 Rinaldi St. and is run by first-time franchisee Chris Izaguirre, with the company describing the opening as part of its push into high-traffic retail environments, including prime Walmart locations.
What Now has separately reported that the chain's Walmart partnerships have been performing well beyond expectations, with plans to keep expanding the relationship. That momentum fits into a broader pattern of growth: more than 40 new stores were planned for 2022.
Pretzels Popping Up In Convenience Stores, Too
Walmart isn't the only nontraditional venue fueling the chain's expansion. Wetzel's opened 20 of its restaurants in nontraditional locations like convenience stores and airports last year, according to C-Store Dive, and the company plans to double the number of its sites operating inside convenience stores over roughly the next two years. Another 10 to 15 convenience-store locations are currently in development, the trade outlet reports, and the company has identified c-store development as a key avenue for its nationwide expansion in 2026.
C-Store Dive also reports that Wetzel's is aiming to open its 500th location sometime this year. The brand's smaller store-within-a-store concept allows retailers to add its full fresh pretzel offering in a limited footprint, a format that has let it slide into food courts, mid-mall spots, sports arenas, kiosks and food trucks alongside its traditional bakeries, per a separate What Now report.
Origins Of The Pretzel Chain
Accounts of exactly where Wetzel's Pretzels got its start differ depending on the source. One What Now report states the company was founded in 1994 by Rick Wetzel and Bill Phelps in Redondo Beach, California, while a separate What Now report describes the brand as founded more than 25 years ago in Pasadena, California. What's consistent across both accounts is the chain's early menu innovation — in 1996, Wetzel's became the first pretzel chain to launch pretzel-wrapped hot dogs, the outlet notes.
For now, the North Las Vegas location remains a construction site inside the North Mesa Plaza Walmart, with no confirmed opening date beyond the general 2026 target and no word yet from franchisee Thomas Martin. Local shoppers hoping for a taste will have to wait for the bakery doors — and the fresh dough inside them — to officially open.
