Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. Expands to San Antonio
The Boerne-based operator is launching a new express location, providing a blueprint for scaling via satellite units.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. has secured a lease for a new space in a San Antonio strip center to launch a secondary brand, Dark Side Brick Oven Pizza Company Express. The expansion marks the first new location for the owners, who currently operate a restaurant in Boerne.
Why it matters
The expansion demonstrates a common scaling strategy for independent operators: launching an 'express' model to capture new market share in a more densely populated area. By choosing a strip center location, the business is likely optimizing for lower overhead and higher volume compared to their original flagship site.
The new site represents the second location for the owners, bridging a distance of more than 30 minutes from their original Boerne operation. The expansion is the first of its kind for the business since establishing its presence in the region.
The players
Michael Hawes
Owner and operator of Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. currently based in Boerne.
Denice Hawes
Owner and operator of Darkside Brick Oven Pizza Co. overseeing the new location expansion.
The details
Owners Michael and Denice Hawes are implementing a focused service model by launching the Express brand in a new strip center. This move allows the operators to transition from a single-site model in Boerne to a multi-unit strategy, utilizing the suburban strip center format to minimize real estate costs while targeting the San Antonio market. Finish-out of the facility is scheduled to begin shortly.
Timeline
October 21, 2026: Owners announced the expansion via Instagram video.
March 2027: The new San Antonio location is expected to open.
Market Landscape
This move follows the broader industry trend of independent full-service restaurants opening express-style satellites to penetrate new urban markets with reduced staffing and footprint requirements. It reflects a shift away from traditional flagship-only models toward optimized, multi-unit regional footprints.
Operators looking to expand should evaluate whether their current kitchen infrastructure can support an express-model satellite without diluting the flagship brand's value proposition. Assess the real estate footprint of the new strip center to determine if the location's expected traffic compensates for the added management complexity of a second site.
The takeaway
Successful scaling often relies on segmenting menu and operations to fit the footprint of a secondary, smaller location. Monitor the build-out timeline and operational transition through March 2027 as a benchmark for your own multi-unit expansion efforts.
Further reading
For more on shifts in the local retail environment, see Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by MySA.
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