A Day at the Market

New market opening in Dripping Springs with pizza, coffee, and music

Oakwood Public Market aims to be a private space where people can relax all day.

Photo courtesy of Oakwood Public Market

Dripping Springs is getting a big addition to its shopping and social landscape next month. Oakwood Public Market, offering food, live music, retail, and more at 2500 Beverly Dr., is targeting an October opening, according to a press release.

The release announces a private ribbon-cutting ceremony along with some details about what locals and visitors can expect once the market is open.

The market offers something rare in Dripping Springs. The town's shopping centers and most of its roads — with the exception of a few blocks on Mercer Street downtown — are better accessed by car than on foot. The market, however, is designed for guests to "linger, relax, and enjoy..." making it an easy place to show up without a plan.

The market is located on top of a hill, with views of the surrounding area.

“We designed Oakwood to feel like it’s always been part of this community – a place where people can eat well, kick back and connect,” said director of operations Ryan Schibi in the release. “From morning coffee to family dinners, we hope Oakwood becomes part of your daily rhythm.”

The release lists the following vendors moving in (with descriptions shortened here):

Coffee Shop – Coffee, espresso and baked goods made on-site by Conor Smith, co-founder of Los Angeles bakery Gemini Bakehouse
Oakwood Market – Local and international foods, wines, beers, pantry staples, gifts, and grab-and-go meals
Pizza Kitchen (inside the Market) – Artisan pizzas made with local ingredients by former 40North chef Clint Elmore
Oakwood Bar + Restaurant – Elevated Hill Country dining, handcrafted cocktails, and brunch
The Soda Shop – Root beer floats, sundaes, and other playful treats, plus burgers, fries, and a brunch menu
Over Yonder — Home goods and gifts that showcase in traditional craft and modern styles from nearby and around the world

There will also be some shared general spaces such as indoor and outdoor seating, a stage for music in the evenings, and a playscape for kids and leashed pets. A private event space will set aside a room for parties, dinners, and other occasions, with a connection to an outdoor stage.

“We built this space to host life’s best moments, from rehearsal dinners to Sunday brunches and everything in between,” said Oakwood co-founder Blake Rue, who is also a developer with Headwaters. “Dripping Springs has become a destination for events and celebrations — and we’re proud to be an inclusive space where visitors from near and far can join in the festivities and feel like they belong.”

market openings pizza coffee music gifts home goods

income analysis

This is the family income needed for one parent to stay home in Texas

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

With costs to raise a child soaring over $20,000 a year in Texas, some households might decide to have one parent work while the other stays at home to raise their child.

The cost of raising a child has ballooned in major cities like Austin, forcing many families to weight the choice between paying for child care or having one parent stay home full-time.

A recent analysis from SmartAsset determined the minimum income one parent needs to earn to support their partner staying at home to raise one child in all 50 states. In Texas — not just Austin — that amount is just under $75,000.

The study used the MIT Living Wage Calculator to compare the annual living wages needed for a household with two working adults and one child, and a household with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child. The study also calculated how much it would cost to raise a child with two working parents based on factors such as "food, housing, childcare, healthcare, transportation, incremental income taxes and other necessities."

A Texas household with one working parent would need to earn $74,734 a year to support a stay-at-home partner and a child, the report found. If two parents worked in the household, necessitating some additional costs like childcare and transportation, it would require an additional $10,504 in annual income to raise their child.

SmartAsset said the cost to raise a child in Texas in a two-working-parent household adds up to $23,587. Raising a child in Central Texas, however, is slightly more expensive. A separate SmartAsset study from June 2025 determined it costs $24,118 to raise a child in the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro.

In the report's ranking of states with the highest minimum income needed to support a family with one working adult, a stay-at-home parent, and one child, Texas ranked 32nd on the list.

In other states like Massachusetts, where raising a child can cost more than $40,000 a year, the report acknowledges ways families are working to reduce any financial burdens.

"This often includes considerations around who’s going to work in the household, and whether young children will require paid daycare services while parents are occupied," the report said. "With tradeoffs abound, many parents might seek to understand the minimum income needed to keep the family afloat while allowing the other parent to stay home to raise a young child."

The top 10 states with the lowest minimum income threshold to support a three-person family on one income are:

West Virginia – $68,099
Arkansas – $68,141
Mississippi – $70,242
Kentucky – $70,408
North Dakota – $70,949
Oklahoma – $71,718
Ohio – $72,114
South Dakota – $72,218
Alabama – $72,238
Nebraska – $72,966

texas income smartasset family