Schuhmacher Hall / 308 University Drive
Texas A&M University dorm since the 1964 (archive). The address was added retroactively and mail does not go to dorms if you address it as such.
A&M United Methodist Church / 417 University Drive
This has been here since at least 1972 (as A&M Methodist Church), likely longer. It is a sprawling campus including additional buildings off of Cross Street, the Wesley Foundation, and another at College Main and Church Avenue.
Aggieland Credit Union / 501 University Drive
Aggieland Credit Union has been here since the mid-1990s, taking over a bank building built in 1950, but had most recently served as a Pizza Hut. More here on Brazos Buildings & Businesses.
1405 University Drive
This address doesn't exist anymore as it was redeveloped into Northpoint Crossing, but this was a UtoteM convenience store from 1966 to 1984 and was closed in 1985 shortly after rebranding as a Circle K (same with the Walton store). This sat vacant for a few years before becoming Thermal Shield Applications in 1987. According to ads they did window tinting, security alarms, and cell phones, but in 1990 they moved out to 3213 South College. Sterling Automotive (auto repairs) was here as late as 1997 (possibly—they have almost no newspaper presence). After briefly home to "Just Smokes" (#21), in 1998 Aggieland Tattoo moved in and changed hands to Ink Dreams in 2005. A few years later Ink Dreams closed for Oasis Pipes & Tobacco, and that was evicted a few years after that, moving to Walton.
Bank of America / 111 University Drive East
This small office building (featuring Bank of America with drive-through lanes in the back) with some other, smaller office tenants inside. It opened in 1977 for Bank of A&M, with one early tenant being Jett Property Management Company in suite 220 in 1980.
In April 1981 the bank changed its name to RepublicBank A&M, associated with First RepublicBank out of Houston. While it's not listed here, it was acquired at some point by the Houston bank, which became insolvent in 1988 and was awarded to Charlotte (NC)-based NCNB Corporation, becoming NCNB Texas National Bank as the Texas-based banks were before the parent company rebranded to NationsBank in the early 1990s, which in turn was acquired by Bank of America in 1999.
Jack's Stereo / 202 University Drive East
Watson Sentry Hardware first opened in 1974 and closed in summer 1988. In 1989 when Aggieland Schwinn moved from 809 Texas Avenue South. By the mid-1990s it had renamed to Aggieland Cycling & Fitness (yes, the very same in the former Putt-Putt) before moving to 817 Texas Avenue South (close to, but not at their former location—by this time, 809 had been demolished.
In 2000, it became Denim & Leather Furniture and that was converted to Avilla in 2003, a furniture store with two other locations in town (and all but forgotten), but in 2005 it was gone and became University Pawn, which only operated for a few years before it became its current tenant in 2008.
Dutch Bros Coffee / 300 University Drive East
The fifth Dutch Bros Coffee shop in the Bryan-College Station area opened November 30, 2022. It replaced a small single-tenant office building housing a State Farm office. The office, run by Bruce Boyd, had been in operation since the late 1970s, presumably closing around the early 2020s and never being replaced (likely retirement).
310 University Drive East
This was built in 2023 with Pepperoni's Pizza and Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Replaced a ranch-style home converted into offices (Koppe Corp., GMS, etc.). Pepperoni's, as of this writing, is open until 3 am three nights a week.
Pilger's Tire & Auto Center / 400 University Drive East
400 University Drive East was first developed as Zuber Tire Co. in 1972 (moving 1219 South College Avenue). A few years later it closed and replaced with its current tenant, Pilger's Tire & Auto Center. (See also 402, which takes the other half).
Montelongo's Fine Jewelry / 401 University Drive East
A high-end jewelry store (at least for College Station standards, anyway), which moved in around August 2006 (building built 2004-2005).
402 University Drive East
This shares the building with 400 University Drive East. It opened as Aggie Auto Parts in 1972, becoming Aggie 100,000 Auto Parts in 1973 before simply becoming 100,000 Auto Parts, which later was rebranded as Carquest Auto Parts in the 1980s before closing in 2014. NAPA Auto Parts reopened the store in 2015 before closing about five or six years later.
Benjamin Knox Gallery & Framing / 405 University Drive East
The first result for this address (not counting the 405 University used as an address at the Sparks Building is for Tri-County Teachers Credit Union. The first commercial use for this building was a converted house (possibly from a MacArthur address), as a May 1976 classified has "house full of furniture and appliances for sale" (liquidating the appliances and furniture, not the house) with the credit union opening in June, renaming to Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union by spring 1977, a name it still holds today, and remained until re-locating to a modern location at the corner of Airline Drive and Longmire Drive (directly across from Albertsons and its adjoining stores.
It appears that the original structure was demolished in 2000 but the parking lot wasn't. The current building began groundbreaking in September 2000 and was completed the following year.
In directories I've seen "Circle Squares Dance Club" listed at 417, that seems to have been an error and they operated out of A&M United Methodist Church for a while.
College Station Fire Department Station #6 / 610 University Drive East
For years, a large water tank was here, but it was later removed, leaving a small hill where it used to be. Later on, the city built a fire station here. It opened in December 2012, did not replace any previous fire station, and is one of the largest and fanciest fire stations in town.
Rosa's Café & Tortilla Factory / 710 University Drive East
Google calls Rosa's a "fast-food chain featuring classic Mexican dishes & housemade tortillas in festive surroundings" when in reality it's more of a hybrid on the upper end side (and much nicer than, say, Taco Bell). Good tortillas, too. This particular store (#26) opened in 2006.
800 University Drive East
First of three buildings that encircle a large pond and fountain, part of a 2006 project. Blue Baker (ste. 100) opened in May 2007. Atami Steak & Sushi (ste. 200) opened a few months later. Most of the other restaurants here are covered on Brazos Buildings & Businesses, but this one's not there as there's nothing that closed.
Buffalo Wild Wings / 903 University Drive East
This chain restaurant was opened in early 2005.
Comfort Suites / 907 University Drive East
This Comfort Suites hotel was opened in 2006. It is located a good ways back from the road, with Buffalo Wild Wings and others in front of it.
Willie's Grill & Icehouse / 940 University Drive East
The College Station T.G.I. Friday's at 940 University Drive East opened late 2005 and closed in May 2013. It appears the franchisee, LBD 2001 Inc., shut down the previous year and was taken over by corporate; however, the College Station location wasn't one of the ones they moved forward with. It was replaced with Willie's Grill & Icehouse in 2014. Until July 12, 2026, I had it on Brazos Buildings & Businesses and had a newspaper article that talked about its closing.
Pluckers Wing Bar / 990 University Drive East
This stand-alone restaurant opened August 2024, the first new building in the development in almost twenty years.
McAlister's Deli / 1006 University Drive East
The area's first McAlister's Deli opened August 2003 (and would remain the only one for some 20 years).
University Title Co. / 1021 University Dr. E.
The College Station branch (possibly the original location) to University Title Company. It was built in the mid-1980s.
Hyatt Place / 1100 University Drive East
Tax records show this hotel opening in 2007.
Aloft / 1150 University Drive East
Marriott-owned hotel, opened late 2015 (four floors, 105 rooms). It features no dining services but there is a hotel bar on the first floor.
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites / 1203 University Drive East
Opened since around 2000, this Holiday Inn Express is one of two on University Drive East (a second one to the east of the freeway opened more recently). It features 77 rooms and 34 suites.
ANB / 1221 University Drive East
Commerce National Bank (a division of Lubbock National Bank) opened here in 2000. In 2020, the bank was renamed as ANB following Amarillo National Bank's takeover of Commerce National Bank's parent company and subsequent rebranding.
TownePlace Suites by Marriott / 1300 University Drive East
Opened by 1999, this hotel has about 94 rooms spread across two three-story buildings.
Avinext / 1400 University Drive East
MicroAge moved here in 1999 to this then-new building, but the franchisee disconnected in 2014, renaming to "Avinext".
Panera Bread / 1407 University Drive East
In August 2012, Panera Bread opened, after over a year of a troubled building schedule (it opened four months late with the foundation being poured almost a year earlier), though despite some mediocre reviews, has been quite successful.
Staybridge Suites / 1405 University Drive East
In fall 2014, Staybridge Suites opened behind Panera Bread and CityBank Texas, an all-suites hotel by InterContinental Hotel Group. Holiday Inn Express is just a stone's throw away, and another HIE is further down on University in the opposite direction.
CityBank Texas / 1409 University Drive East
Opened 2008. It is the first business at the northwest corner of the stoplight. (Panera Bread to the west and Staybridge behind it were built later).
1501 University Drive East
On the other side of the Forest Drive stoplight, this small U-shaped strip mall, built as part of the Gateway Center development, was opened sometime in early 2005 and had typical "lifestyle center" tenants including Coldwater Creek and Chico's, which both co-tenanted many of the developments in this era (though Coldwater Creek was not a charter tenant). From the upper left going counter clockwise, there's Jos. A Bank Clothiers (though I believe that closed in 2020), Minuti Coffee (#2 on the map; Starbucks relocated down the street to the former Chimney Hill site, while Minuti opened in December 2020 after struggling to make it and "temporarily" closing at Northpoint Crossing), SKECHERS Factory Outlet (formerly Coldwater Creek before their bankruptcy, and I believe originally Kirkland's before it moved to a larger location within the center), Chico's, Talbots, Chrome ("A Salon Experience"—this may have been something else originally and is #6 on the map), Heartworks (7), and Douglas Jewelers (8). Douglas Jewelers I believe was a charter tenant at the center, went out of business around the end of 2012 due to the owners retiring, reopened soon after with new ownership, which then pulled the plug several years later and is now in Conroe. See the map of the complex (sourced from here) with the layout of the complex. The picture is unchanged (the blank space north of Chicken Express missing a number was an error on their end, not mine).
1505 University Drive East
Similar to the building above, this sprawling strip was built in two phases. Please see the map linked in the previous entry. Unusually, this entry will contain a table to show the tenants here.
| Suite # | Current Tenant | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Chipotle | Opened 2010 (they already had a location on Northgate). |
| 110 | vacant | Portrait Innovations opened in 2010 had already come and gone by December 2018 before the chain suddenly closed in January 2020. |
| 120 | Rio Nails | Originally, this was home to The Texas Store (opened 2008), which moved from Post Oak Mall, but closed in 2011. |
| 130 | Learning Express Toys | Former home to Willa Boutique (operated from 2008-2016) |
| 200 | Carter's | Children's store co-signed with Oshkosh B'Gosh. Katie's, a women's clothing store, was located here from 2014 to 2016. |
| 250 | Ulta Beauty | Ulta Beauty has been here since this part of the center was built (opened 2007). |
| 300 | Michaels | Michaels arts and crafts store, and opened in 2007. At some point they changed their logo from the old version. |
| 410 | Golftec | Motherhood Maternity closed in early 2020, Golftec opened 2023. |
| 420 | Amazing Lash Studio | 420 used to be Edible Arrangements (moved out). |
| 450 | America's Best Contacts & Eyeglasses | Store #5021. Catherine's Plus Sizes moved here in 2007 from Post Oak Village but closed in 2020. |
| 490 | J.Crew Factory | Lane Bryant opened in 2007 with a Cacique "store-within-a-store" with its own door and operated until around March 2025 (the Post Oak Mall location operate as well until the mid-2010s). After its closure, J.Crew Factory moved in. |
| 500 | Kirklands | Originally, Circuit City was here, with the new "circle" logo (and the "Horizon" format, looking almost identical to this Denton location. They moved here in January 2007 from the old store on Harvey Road. After Circuit City's closure (March 2009, when the last of the stores finalized clearances), it was redeveloped as Kirkland's and Half Price Books (Ste. 550). |
| 550 | Half Price Books | The new Half Price Books opened in January 2011, and that had moved from Parkway Square, though the warehouse ceilings made the store far less inviting than its previous incarnation. |
| 600 | PetSmart | PetSmart opened in spring 2006 with Linens 'n Things, and has been here ever since. |
| 700 | Spec's Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods | Linens 'n Things opened in April 2006 and closed a little more than two years later (fall 2008 with the chain). It initially maintained its red facade, but that eventually disappeared, and most of the time it was empty save for a seasonal Halloween store that cropped up every fall. In 2013, it was finally announced that there would be a Sprouts Farmers Market taking its place, though in the end they pulled out and did not open a store there. It wasn't until August 2017 when a Spec's Wine, Spirits, & Finer Foods store opened, but only about half of it is used for retail, the other is wholesale (relocated from the former J.J's store) |
Wings 'N More / 1511 University Drive East
Wings 'N More (22) opened in January 2003, moving from the Texas Avenue location. It is located just east of the 1501 University Drive East building.
1600 University Drive East
This was built as Scott & White Clinic in 1986, built over an underground culvert. After a new clinic was built next door in the mid-1990s the "1600 Campus" continued to operate until December 2014 and demolished in spring 2016 (moving to other facilities, including the opening of the new Scott & White Hospital on Rock Prairie Road or the smaller clinic on Arrington Road) and was demolished afterward.
The City made a deal with Houston-based Pappas Restaurants to build a Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, but Pappas kept delaying and eventually the deal fell through.
Texas Roadhouse / 1601 University Drive
Texas Roadhouse was operational by summer 2000 as one of the first restaurants in the strip.
Newk's Eatery / 1613 University Drive East
Newk's Eatery (opened as "Newk's Express Café" with a different logo, possibly changing due to a complaint from Houston's Cafe Express) opened in 2010 or 2011 in an undeveloped section between the restaurants that fronted University Drive East and the parking lot of the stores behind it. I've only personally eaten there once (during the summertime), and I greatly enjoyed the pickled watermelon rinds (likely seasonal) and garlic cloves they've had as side options.
This is placed ahead of Fish Daddy's as it is west of it, despite a "later" address.
The Home Depot / 1615 University Drive East
The first major store to be built in the Gateway Center, complex, The Home Depot, opened in spring 2003. It's actually a bit on the smaller scale of things, but that's okay. So, from the top, here are some of the stores that opened over the years (and closed). I scanned it a number of years ago at my old blog. This is numbered below the other addresses because it is behind them.
Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen / 1701 University Drive East
Cheddar's Casual Cafe opened in 2000, as one of the strip's first entries. Cheddar's kept the "Casual Cafe" branding several years (it finally changed by early 2020) after the rest of the chain switched to the new branding of Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen.
Baylor Scott & White Clinic - College Station University Drive / 1700 University Drive East
Located on University Drive between Glenhaven and Earl Rudder Freeway and originally built in the mid-1990s as an extension to the facility across the street, this medical clinic ("Scott & White Clinic - University Drive") continues to operate as part of the Baylor Scott & White family.
1721-1741 University Drive East
This little shopping center has a vacancy on the left side (1721, originally LazerSmooth, body hair removal), David's Bridal (1731, large central tenant), and Papa John's (1741, right side tenant). I forgot when it opened, but the space was originally WineStyles (2006-2011), a wine and gift shop.
Drew's Car Wash / 1751 University Dr. E. Starbucks / 3059 University Drive East TXB / 3071 University Drive East Hilton Garden Inn
Originally Gateway Express Car Wash (adjacent to the Exxon gas station, see the Earl Rudder Freeway page), this facility (Drew's Car Wash) offers tunnels and auto detailing. It opened in 2009.
EARL RUDDER FREEWAY to BOONVILLE ROAD
University Drive East did gain an extension beyond Boonville Road in 2018 by going to Oakmont Boulevard, but this is neither part of the state-maintained FM 60, nor has any addresses on it. The address numbering also jumps way up past Earl Rudder Freeway, likely due to Carter's Creek and syncing the numbering to other roads east of the highway.
Starbucks opened January 2025 despite having a College Station address. For a period of less than a year, there were three Starbucks on FM 60 with this store, the Chimney Hill redevelopment, and the Northgate store.
TXB #73 opened their first Bryan-College Station store in August 2023. It has a College Station address despite being in Bryan.
Despite the official name of this hotel being Hilton Garden Inn College Station, it's in Bryan (completed sometime in late 2013/early 2014)
3101 University Drive East
These call center offices were built in 1999 for DecisionOne, a tech support call center that operated 24 hours a day. Around 2005-2006 DecisionOne moved out and was replaced with West Corporation, which vacated around 2010 and became home to Penncro Associates (debt collection). Penncro vacated in 2015 after being bought out by another company. From 2016 to 2020 it was a Wayfair call center with over 500 employees at its peak. It closed after COVID-19 and eventually reopened in a greatly reduced capacity. Six months after reopening, it closed for good in January 2023 and as of July 2026 is still vacant.
University Services Building / 3380 University Drive East
Our last entry on this page is something I originally wrote about for Brazos Buildings & Businesses years ago (the post was taken out at least a decade ago), but this building (officially "USB" in TAMU's lettering parlance) is not to be confused with the General Services Complex building off F&B, nor the late Special Services Building) is the home to Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, Magnetic Resonance Systems Lab, and others. It's not open to the public, though I went there for a field trip to see animals preserved in formaldehyde or alcohol. It was originally built as a plant for Texas Instruments for computer assembly, though it only operated for six years (1980-1986). Some relevant articles I got from microfilm can be seen here: page 1, page 2.
