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The Barn Door Restaurant & Meat Market will serve its last meal on Mother's Day after 73 years of serving steaks in San Antonio.

Why it matters: The closure marks the end of a decades-long gathering place for San Antonians on the North Side, as well as another loss for the city's roster of legacy restaurants.

The latest: The Barn Door announced Monday that May 10 will be its final day of service.

A reason for the closure was not disclosed.

"Right now, our focus is on celebrating the legacy of the restaurant, its staff and the generations of guests who have supported them," spokesperson Joshua Rodriguez told Axios in a statement.

What they're saying: "This is not an easy decision," co-owner Randy Stokes said in a statement. "It has truly been the privilege of a lifetime to serve this community."

Flashback: Original owners Bill Tassos and David Strauss opened The Barn Door in 1953.

Stokes took over in 2011, according to78209 Magazine.

What's next: The Barn Door will operate on a reservations-only schedule starting May 1, with limited hours: 5–10pm Wednesdays through Saturdays and 11:30am–8pm on Sundays.

The Barn Door to close after 73 years in San Antonio

A piece of San Antonio dining history is entering its final days.

Split image: left shows a red-and-white checkered table with plates of salad, grilled meat, fries, and drinks; right shows a red barn with the sign "The Barn Door" above white doors.

A spread of The Barn Door's offerings and the exterior of the building. Photos: Courtesy of Embark Marketing

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="The Barn Door Restaurant &amp; Meat Market" data-vars-click-url="https://www.thebarndoorrestaurant.com/" data-vars-content-id="07745693-6f4b-43b4-936a-43cf334456ad" data-vars-headline="The Barn Door to close after 73 years in San Antonio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.thebarndoorrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">The Barn Door Restaurant &amp; Meat Market</a> will serve its last meal on Mother&#x27;s Day after 73 years of serving steaks in San Antonio.Why it matters: The closure marks the end of a decades-long gathering place for San Antonians on the North Side, as well as <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="another loss" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/11/20/oscar-s-taco-house-demolished-in-san-antonio" data-vars-content-id="07745693-6f4b-43b4-936a-43cf334456ad" data-vars-headline="The Barn Door to close after 73 years in San Antonio" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/11/20/oscar-s-taco-house-demolished-in-san-antonio" target="_self">another loss</a> for the city&#x27;s roster of legacy restaurants.

Food and Drink

Spurs fans hoping to flood Commerce Street on Sunday to celebrate the team's Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers were diverted away because of Fiesta celebrations, authorities say. 

Why it matters: The post-game honking tradition is a uniquely San Antonio expression of pride that dates back to the team's 1999 championship.

The latest: Though some fans who arrived early managed to cruise and honk along the traditional stretch, many others were redirected by police.

"Commerce was temporarily blocked by SAPD vehicles for Fiesta-related pedestrian safety," SAPD spokesperson Camelia Juarez tells Axios San Antonio in a statement.

Unable to gather in their usual spot, some fans spilled into surrounding neighborhoods that don't typically see the post-game celebrations, catching some residents off guard.

Between the lines: Fiesta — the 11-day citywide celebration that draws massive crowds downtown — overlapped with the NBA playoffs, amplifying foot traffic and fan energy.

Yes, but: By Sunday, many of Fiesta's largest events had already wrapped. On Friday, when major gatherings like A Night in Old San Antonio were underway, honking activity did not appear to be disrupted.

What they're saying: Southtown bar owners Jody Bailey Newman and Aaron Peña voiced frustration on X, calling the move a "major fail" and "deeply wrong."

"The city DESERVES to celebrate EVERY win the way we know how," Peña wrote.

What we're watching: SAPD did not respond to follow-up questions about whether Commerce Street will reopen for future celebrations — a question that may get answered soon enough with Game 5 happening Tuesday.

Juarez adds that fans should "celebrate responsibly, always wear your seatbelt, follow all traffic laws, do not exit your vehicle on an active roadway, and do not sit on top of moving vehicles."

Spurs fans blocked from Commerce Street after win

Commerce Street honking was disrupted Sunday, but fans found workarounds.

Fans waving Spurs flags drive down a crowded street. 

Spurs fans honking near St. Mary's Street on Sunday. Photo: Madalyn Mendoza/Axios

Spurs fans hoping to flood Commerce Street on Sunday to <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="celebrate the team&#x27;s" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/03/20/san-antonio-spurs-clinch-playoffs-2019-2026" data-vars-content-id="429ad725-ae04-456f-a63a-d47718c3af54" data-vars-headline="Spurs fans blocked from Commerce Street after win" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/03/20/san-antonio-spurs-clinch-playoffs-2019-2026" target="_self">celebrate the team&#x27;s</a> Game 4 win over the Portland Trail Blazers were diverted away because of Fiesta celebrations, authorities say. Why it matters: The post-game honking tradition is a uniquely San Antonio expression of pride that dates back to the team&#x27;s 1999 championship.

Culture

Sports

Two new UT Health San Antonio initiatives are targeting diabetes and Alzheimer's, with a focus on earlier detection and better treatment.

Why it matters: Both diseases are major health challenges for San Antonio, and earlier intervention could improve outcomes.

Catch up quick: UT Health San Antonio opened the Center for Brain Health last November — a new facility housing the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases — and launched the Center for Excellence in Diabetes in March.

🧠 Researchers aim to detect dementia years before symptoms appear — using blood tests, advanced imaging and other diagnostics — while studying genetic drivers and potential treatments.

Black Americans are about twice as likely as white Americans to develop Alzheimer's; Hispanics are about 1.5 times as likely, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

In Bexar County, 13% of the 65-and-up population has Alzheimer's. In many border counties, that percentage is more than 16%, outpacing the national rate of 11%. 

"We don't know exactly why this is, but we're determined to find out," Jeremy Tanner, an assistant professor of neurology at the Biggs Institute, said in a statement.

🧪 The new center focuses on improving care and expanding clinical trials for type 2 diabetes.

1 in 6 San Antonio adults has diabetes. Of those cases, more than 95% are diagnosed with type 2, per UT Health San Antonio.

The bottom line: The centers reflect a push to grow San Antonio's role in diabetes care and Alzheimer's research.

How UT Health San Antonio is tackling diabetes and dementia

Diabetes and dementia care are in focus at two new facilities.

Illustration of a brain under a microscope.

Two new UT Health San Antonio initiatives are targeting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="diabetes" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/10/30/san-antonio-diabetes-amputations-university-health" data-vars-content-id="7feb428b-42f7-401a-a851-23a7b8d02e93" data-vars-headline="How UT Health San Antonio is tackling diabetes and dementia" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/10/30/san-antonio-diabetes-amputations-university-health" target="_self">diabetes</a> and Alzheimer&#x27;s, with a focus on earlier detection and better treatment.Why it matters: Both diseases are major health challenges for San Antonio, and earlier intervention could improve outcomes.

Health

Local Brief

It's parade weekend in downtown San Antonio as Battle of Flowers kicks off Friday, followed by Fiesta Flambeau on Saturday.

Why it matters: These are two of the city's most celebrated events — so big that city offices, schools and many businesses close Friday. 

⏰ The Battle of Flowers vanguard begins at 9:55am, with the parade stepping off at 10:30am. The Fiesta Flambeau vanguard begins at 7:15pm, followed by the parade at 7:45pm.

🎟️ Buying a ticket guarantees you a seat and supports each parade's nonprofits, but you can watch for free from anywhere along the route.

Battle of Flowers tickets start at $33. For Fiesta Flambeau, tickets range from $31.50 to $41.50. Both can be purchased online. 

KSAT will stream both parades, starting at 10am and 7pm, respectively.

🚌 VIA Metropolitan Transit is offering park and ride service for $1.30 each way from Crossroads and the Walmart at Brooks to Convention Way Drive for both parades and other Fiesta events.

Street parking and paid lots are also available around the route if you prefer to drive, and ride-hailing is another easy option for getting downtown.

☀️ This week's rain has mostly cleared out, but humidity will stick around and push up the heat index. 

Expect heat indices in the mid- to high-90s on Friday and Saturday.

The National Weather Service recommends staying hydrated and taking breaks as needed.

🥳 The party doesn't stop when the parades end. For many, the post–Battle of Flowers pilgrimage to the Bonham Exchange is a Fiesta tradition (doors open at 11am).

Viva Pearl has emerged as a family-friendly post-parade event in recent years, with vendors and live music, 4–9pm.

And with Fiesta in full swing, expect plenty more events and celebrations across the city Saturday night.

It's peak Fiesta season: Here's your parade guide

San Antonio's biggest parades take over this weekend.

Colorful parade float with dancers in bright dresses, flower garlands, and fringe; spectators watch as a building sign reads "Carabin Shaw Attorneys at Law" in the background.

A float during the 2023 Battle of Flowers Parade. Get ready to wave and yell "show me your shoes." Photo: Madalyn Mendoza/Axios

It&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="parade weekend in downtown San Antonio" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/04/10/fiesta-san-antonio-2026-dates-guide-things-to-know" data-vars-content-id="c8b578ec-e1cd-4990-a505-fc8a532e85cd" data-vars-headline="It&#x27;s peak Fiesta season: Here&#x27;s your parade guide" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2026/04/10/fiesta-san-antonio-2026-dates-guide-things-to-know" target="_self">parade weekend in downtown San Antonio</a> as Battle of Flowers kicks off Friday, followed by Fiesta Flambeau on Saturday.Why it matters: These are two of the city&#x27;s most celebrated events — so big that city offices, schools and many businesses close Friday.

A San Antonio program offering basic health screenings inside laundromats is expanding after landing $1.1 million to grow its reach.

Why it matters: Supporting Prevention in Neighborhoods (SPIN) meets people where they are, catching residents during everyday routines to screen for conditions that often go untreated.

Driving the news: The Baptist Health Foundation of San Antonio awarded the grant to the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health to expand SPIN over the next three years. 

Jack Tsai, professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, has spent the past two years piloting pop-up clinics in San Antonio laundromats. 

Now, it's scaling from just a few locations to about 12 locations across the city, with several launching in recent days.

SPIN partners with SpinXpress and plans to expand to additional smaller laundromats across San Antonio.

How it works: Teams set up inside laundromats to offer quick screenings for blood pressure, diabetes (A1C) and mental health.

Participants get results within minutes. Those with concerning results are referred to low-cost or free care options across the city.

The latest: The next phase goes beyond screening to help people access care. 

"We will not only be doing health screenings but providing health education and then working closely with our partner, University Health, to navigate them to care with a specific focus on diabetes," Tsai tells Axios. 

Threat level: During the pilot phase, researchers found participants had hypertension rates roughly twice as high as the broader Bexar County population, along with slightly higher rates of diabetes.

What they're saying: "We think the work is important because it engages underserved communities and catches them when they have idle time," Tsai says.

What's next: The goal is to expand from helping hundreds to reaching thousands of residents.

"We are particularly interested in setting up in laundromats that are in medically underserved areas," Tsai says.

Health care pops up in San Antonio laundromats

Teams offer quick screenings for blood pressure, diabetes (A1C) and mental health.

Inside a retail store, a man in a tan blazer talks to an employee wearing an orange lanyard while an elderly woman in a green striped sweater sits at a desk; a shopping cart and coats are nearby, with a Lowe's sign visible in the background.

Jack Tsai speaks with a laundromat patron alongside Angela Potes Duran, a masters in public health student helping run the SPIN clinics. Photo: Courtesy of Jennifer Norris/UTHealth Houston

A San Antonio program offering basic <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="health" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/12/15/san-antonio-healthy-gold-health-medal" data-vars-content-id="e2e31ee3-6f5d-415f-b378-1bbe4c4eb941" data-vars-headline="Health care pops up in San Antonio laundromats" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/san-antonio/2025/12/15/san-antonio-healthy-gold-health-medal" target="_self">health</a> screenings inside laundromats is expanding after landing $1.1 million to grow its reach.Why it matters: Supporting Prevention in Neighborhoods (SPIN) meets people where they are, catching residents during everyday routines to screen for conditions that often go untreated.

Madalyn Mendoza

Featured stories

The Barn Door to close after 73 years in San Antonio

Spurs fans blocked from Commerce Street after win

How UT Health San Antonio is tackling diabetes and dementia

Health care pops up in San Antonio laundromats

It's peak Fiesta season: Here's your parade guide