Dripping Springs Early August Roundup: 5 New Spots to Try, a Salon Turns 1 & the Library Hits the Road
August is here, and between a wave of new storefronts, a local milestone, and a library that now drives to you, there's plenty happening around Dripping Springs. Here's your early-August catch-up.
New Around Town: 5 Spots Worth Trying
Community Impact recently rounded up businesses that opened in the first half of 2026 — here are five we haven't spotlighted yet that deserve a visit:
Rice & Oak Thai Texas Grill Kitchen — Downtown's newest Thai spot opened January 2 along Hwy. 290 near Mercer Street (1025 Cannon Dr., Ste. 105). Owner Siwaphan Sampaotong ran the beloved Aroi Thai food truck in Belterra from 2014 until late 2025 before making the jump to brick-and-mortar. The menu spans woks, curries, rice bowls, shareables, and house-made tamarind sparkling soda.
The Alley — The Texas boba chain opened its Ledgestone location (12400 Hwy. 290, Ste. 230) with a grand opening on March 28, serving curated teas, freshly prepared tapioca, house-made cane syrup, and their signature "croffles" — crispy baked waffles. 🔗 the-alley.us
Ritzy Rexann — Opened January 13 in the former Last Chance Bar & Dancehall space, this Western boutique from local owner Kynzie Johnson offers vintage-style clothing, jewelry, and hats — plus a custom hat bar and handcrafted leather furniture showroom in the back. Johnson even designed an exclusive clothing line for the store.
Suds Brothers Express Car Wash — The locally owned express car wash opened March 11 at 610 W. Hwy. 290, offering single washes, unlimited wash passes, and family plans. 🔗 sudsbrosds.com
Rêve Plastic Surgery — Opened May 19 at 1055 Kibo Ridge, Ste. 105, with a focus on privacy and discretion: concierge transport to and from procedures, in-home post-operative visits, and overnight nursing care. 🔗 reveplasticsurgery.com
🔗 Source: Community Impact — 15 businesses that opened in Dripping Springs in 2026
Milestone: TipToe Nails Turns 1
TipToe Nails (140 Arrowhead Ranch Blvd., Ste. 102) celebrates one year in Dripping Springs this month — the salon held its Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting on August 14, 2025. Co-owned by Jenna Nguyen, a favorite local nail artist, TipToe opened farther west than most area salons and has built its reputation on meticulous attention to detail, high-quality products, and hygienic practices across to "spa manicures, pedicures, nail enhancements, and specialty nail art.
If TipToe has been your go-to this year, an anniversary-week review or visit is a great way to celebrate them.
The Library Now Comes to You
The Dripping Springs Community Library's "Library on Wheels" is officially on the road. After a community fundraising campaign — supported by Hays County and a Dripping Springs Community Foundation grant — the mobile library held its ribbon-cutting in April and began service this summer, bringing books, technology, story times, and STEAM programming directly to neighborhoods across the library's 110-square-mile service area.
The design wrapped around the vehicle was created by local artist Cathy Richardson, and the full schedule of stops is being published at the library's site — worth checking if you're in an outlying neighborhood or have kids home for the last stretch of summer.
🔗 dscl.org | Source: Hays Free Press
DSISD: New Leadership as the School Year Approaches
With the first day of school (August 12) around the corner, two campuses will be welcoming new principals this year:
Rudy Gonzalez was named principal of Dripping Springs Middle School following a unanimous vote by the DSISD Board of Trustees.
Dr. Leanna Pesta was appointed principal of Walnut Springs Elementary, also by unanimous board approval.
Also worth knowing: DSISD began accepting out-of-district transfer applications this spring for K–6 students who live in Texas outside district boundaries — a notable shift for families just beyond the district line.
Support Local This Month
From Thai food downtown to boba in Ledgestone to a nail salon celebrating year one, this month's roundup is a reminder of how much is opening — and thriving — right here. If your business has news, a milestone, or an opening we should cover, we want to hear about it.
