Mi Pueblito / 8237 Research Blvd.
This was a Burger King from 1974 to 1993. As of 2007 (into the mid-2010s) it was Speedy Align, now it is Mi Pueblito, a taco shop and convenience store since around 2019.
Church's Texas Chicken / 8545 Research Blvd.
As of 2024 this was still branded as Church's Chicken. It appears to date back only to the early 1990s.
Mister Tramp's Sports Pub / 8565 Research Blvd.
This sports bar has been here since 2008.
Target / 8601 Research Blvd.
This was one of the first Target stores in Austin, opening way back in in October 1980. Since then, it's been expanded and remodeled several times. Target T-96 at 2300 W. Ben White Blvd. opened at the same time.
Arby's / 8648 Research Blvd.
This Arby's dates back to at least the 1990s but features a rotating sign.
El Pollo Rico / 8702 Research Blvd.
This former IHOP was closed around 2014 and is now the home of El Pollo Rico (somewhat oversized, I'd say).
Colonnade / 9033-9041 Research Blvd.
This strip center is composed of three buildings, some of them with upper levels. The first two buildings have the address of 9033, with the building closest to the east having an upper level portion (with Apartment Experts). Zaika Indian Cuisine is here, with The Honey Baked Ham Company in the building as well. The center building is also 9033 but has no upper level and is occupied by Mikado Ryotei in its entirety as of 12/24 (it is suite 100 of 9033). 9041, presumably built later, has suite 100 occupied by Casa Chapala, which was Black-eyed Pea from 1984 to the early 2010s.
Jim's Restaurant / 9091 Research Blvd.
This Jim's was built in 1974. "The Arch-ive" has several views of the exterior.
Costco Wholesale / 10401 Research Blvd.
The first Costco in the Austin area opened September 2001. The store also has a Costco gas station out in front of the store.
Happy Chicks / 10611 Research Blvd.
Quickie Pickie, which I believe was a convenience store, was here from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, then became Antique Mania. Flooring Distributors was here from 1998 to the early 2000s, then Pinky's (also known as Pinky's Wirelesss) from 2003 to around 2007. This was converted to restaurant in the late 2000s.
According to archives from Austin American-Statesman, Terraburger opened here in July 2009 as their second location (closed March 2012—their original location at 2522 Guadalupe closed about two years prior). It was replaced by Elevation Burger in 2013 but it closed less than a year later. After this was replaced by Baby Greens (not the same location listed in Fearless Critics) by 2017, which closed in October 2022. Sometime in late 2023 or early 2024 it reopened as Happy Chicks.
10900 Research Boulevard
This strip center's largest tenant, suite D, hosted a Randalls from 1996 to February 2024. Randalls 2490 opened to functionally replace the Simon David at Arboretum Market and was one of the largest and most upscale Randalls stores in the Austin area when it opened, but ultimately closed down to underperformance.
When it closed, there was some hand-wringing on RetailWatchers as it was the closest to the size that Kroger would've wanted to convert (this was during the merger era) and expressed question if Kroger even wanted the Austin area. (They didn't. They ended up closing delivery in Austin within a few months.)
Rudy's Country Store and Bar-B-Q / 11570 Research Boulevard
This Rudy's BBQ location opened in 1994. It has a gas station in front (currently a Shell, though it might've been Texaco originally). I do not know what the structure on the south side of the property is or used for.
7-Eleven / 11643 Research Blvd.
This 7-Eleven was formerly a Speedy Stop (with Texaco branding). In 2013, Speedy Stop was divested to 7-Eleven, which later took over the gas brand by the late 2010s. Adjacent to the store was The Money Box check cashing as of 2011 and by the early 2010s Speedy Cash (no relation to Speedy Stop). This shuttered sometime between 2021 and 2022. In 2024 it became "iVape ATX".
11680 Research Boulevard
Chuy's has open since 1996. Next to door it at 11680 Research Blvd. "Suite A" (the Chuy's has no suite number, but was originally B) is a former Joe's Crab Shack (it was closed and converted to BrickHouse Tavern + Tap between 2009 and 2011 before closing for good in March 2022). Like most abandoned commercial buildings in Austin, it got tagged up with graffiti upon abandonment and was demolished within two years, but a Frost Bank was built there by the end of 2025.
Academy Sports + Outdoors / 12250 Research Boulevard
Academy moved here in 2001 from 11570 Research Boulevard. This was originally a Wal-Mart (Austin's first, actually) from 1988 to 1997. It moved to 13201 FM 620 Road North with a new Supercenter.
Krispy Kreme / 12586 Research Blvd.
This chain donut shop has been here since at least 2007.
Short Stop / 12784 Research Blvd.
This drive-through burger chain was once owned by Two Pesos with this particular location operational since 1989. There's a rumor the entire chain may go under in 2026, which is a shame since I enjoyed the fries here. Say it ain't so!
H-E-B / 12860 Research Boulevard
This opened as a Tom Thumb in 1981 and was sold to Albertsons (as store #4018) in 1989. In 2007, the store was sold again to H-E-B. Under Albertsons, there was a minor expansion to the north side. A Jim's in the parking lot (12832 Research Blvd.) has been there since 1982.