Burnet sweetens deal for HTeaO storefront at old Burger King site
The future site of the planned HTeaO located at the old Burger King lot off S. Water Street in Burnet. Staff photo by Caden Senn
An HTeaO storefront will likely be headed to the empty Burger King building off of S. Water Street in Burnet with the help of a $200,000 performance agreement from the Burnet Economic Development Corporation approved at a Monday, March 16, workshop meeting.
While the sale of the Burger King has not yet gone through, both sides have signed a contract for the sale of the building.
Funding will come from the EDC budget, which has a total reserve of over $1.7 million set aside specifically for supporting Burnet’s economy. The developmental dollars will be paid out near completion of the project so long as the developers: finish it by summer 2027, tally a minimum investment of $1.5 million, and employ five full-time jobs a year for three consecutive years.
The performance agreement was approved by the city council immediately following the EDC’s decision, and will require one additional reading and approval before it takes effect.
The agreement is the culmination of a months-long dialogue with the HTeaO developers that originally began with interest in a plot of city-owned land at the southern corner of Cary Johnson Parkway and S. Water Street.
The land, however, would have needed a retention pond for proper development, which could have cost the EDC hundreds of thousands of dollars to construct.
Weighing their options, the EDC decided to recommend a buyout of the old Burger King lot instead, as it had been sitting empty for nearly a year and a half and would favor the city to be occupied again. The EDC agreed that the project would likely help bolster the economy, and set aside $200,000 to help recuperate the developer’s costs in the switch.
“We shifted from working with them on the land, which had a high cost with the pond that was $375,000 or more,” City Manager David Vaughn said at Monday’s meeting. “I think it’s a better deal for us to get a building that’s dark, not dark anymore.”
EDC President and Mayor Pro-Tem Philip Thurman voiced similar interest in the buyout option at previous meetings.
“I’d rather invest in a building on the main highway than a piece of bare property that’s already sitting there,” Thurman said. “It has a bigger impact on the highway of putting somebody in an existing building than something that’s not there.”
While plans are in very early stages, the size of the Burger King storefront could allow for the future HTeaO to sell merchandise, such as hats and shirts, in addition to their drinks. Interior and exterior renovations are also planned to fully align with the broader brand identity.
HTeaO is a Texas-based iced tea drink stop that started as an Amarillo family business in 2009. The company operates over 125 locations nationwide. To learn more about the company, visit the HTeaO website.