Firehouse Subs & Jeremiah's Italian Ice in Bastrop | April 23-29, 2026

This week, we're doing something a little different. We're spotlighting two Bastrop restaurants that have earned their spot in the weekly rotation for families across Bastrop County, Texas. One is a hot sub chain with a firefighter heart. The other is a community treasure serving up a dessert most Texans still can't quite describe. Plus, the Texas MS 150 rolls into Bastrop this weekend for its first-ever start here, the Friends of the Bastrop Library Book & Plant Sale is back (public day is Saturday only this year), PetSmart just opened at Burleson Crossing East, and your full calendar for the week ahead.

Let's get into it. 🗓️

For the first time, the Texas MS 150 is adding Bastrop as one of its official start lines. On Saturday, April 25 at 8:00am, cyclists will roll out of Mayfest Park (25 American Legion Dr, Bastrop) on a brand-new 38-mile route that winds through the Lost Pines, cuts through Buescher State Park near Smithville, and finishes at the Fayette County Fairgrounds in La Grange.

The Texas MS 150 is one of the largest charity bike rides in the country, raising millions every year for MS research and patient support (the 2026 goal is $11.3 million). The traditional ride is a two-day journey with starts in Houston-area cities (Addicks / Energy Corridor for the 96-mile route, Brookshire for 75 miles, Bellville for 50 miles) and Downtown Austin (75 miles), all converging in La Grange for the overnight before continuing to College Station on Day 2. Bastrop's new 38-mile option is designed for riders who want the full MS experience as a single-day ride, with a complimentary return shuttle from La Grange back to Mayfest Park.

What that means for you: expect extra bike traffic on Highway 71 and the back roads toward Buescher State Park on Saturday morning. If you're out running errands, leave an extra 10 minutes and give the cyclists room. If you want to cheer them off, Mayfest Park opens early for the start.

Learn more about the Texas MS 150 →

If you've driven down Highway 71 West lately, you've noticed: the Burleson Crossing corridor is turning into Bastrop's newest retail anchor. PetSmart opened its first Bastrop location on April 18 at 655 Hwy 71 W, Ste. 111, right across the street from where Firehouse Subs and Jeremiah's Italian Ice already sit.

PetSmart joins the established Petco & Whole Pet Market, to bring the full lineup to Bastrop: food and supplies for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and small pets, plus grooming, training, and veterinary services on site. For Bastrop County families, that means one less drive to Round Rock or Pflugerville when your golden retriever needs a nail trim or your kid decides they need a hamster.

Combined with the recent Sprouts Farmers Market opening on Hwy 71 and the Toasted Yolk Cafe and Chuy's both coming soon to Sendero, Bastrop's west side is officially a shopping destination. If you haven't driven past the Burleson Crossing area in a month, it looks different.

If you haven't stopped in yet, Firehouse Subs opened in Bastrop in late 2025 and quietly became one of the easiest weeknight dinner answers in town. It's a hot sub chain, but it's also the rare chain where the backstory actually shows up in the food.

Firehouse Subs was founded by two brothers who are former firefighters, and you can feel that on every visit. The dining room is decked out in firehouse memorabilia, every order comes with a cheerful "welcome in," and a portion of every purchase supports first responders through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. For a town like Bastrop, where our fire and EMS crews are genuinely beloved neighbors, that mission hits different.

What to order: The Hook & Ladder (smoked turkey + honey ham + Monterey Jack) and the Engineer (smoked turkey + Swiss + sautéed mushrooms) are both solid middle-of-the-road picks. If you're hungry and want to try the original, go for the Firehouse Meatball. All subs come on a steamed roll with the meat also steamed, which is their thing, and honestly it works.

The Bastrop location is clean, fast, and family-friendly. Kids' meals are reasonable, there's plenty of seating, and the line moves. Dine-in, takeout, and delivery via the usual apps.

Bastrop is a town that appreciates its fire crews. Firehouse Subs isn't just a sandwich shop here, it's a brand that says "we see you" to the people who run toward trouble. And the food is genuinely good. Add it to the weeknight rotation.

Every town has that one spot where both kids and grown-ups light up when someone says "let's go." In Bastrop, that spot is Jeremiah's Italian Ice.

If you've never been, here's what you need to know: Italian ice is not a snow cone, not shaved ice, not sorbet. It's something better than all of them. Originally from the Italian "granita" tradition, Italian ice is a smooth, water-based, fat-free frozen dessert that hits somewhere between soft serve and sorbet in texture. Jeremiah's has been perfecting theirs for over 25 years, and it shows.

Walk in and you're looking at a wall of flavors, from classic strawberry and mango to bolder picks like cookies & cream and coffee cookies & cream. Kids pick the color they like best. Adults pick the one that reminds them of something from when they were a kid. Nobody leaves unhappy.

Jeremiah's also makes custom ice cream cakes for birthdays, teacher appreciation, baby showers, and the "my kid has a soccer team and I need to feed 20 of them" moments that every Bastrop parent knows. Cakes are made to order with your flavor combo of choice. Call ahead at least 48 hours, especially if you want a theme or decoration.

The Friends of the Bastrop Library's Annual Spring Book & Plant Sale is back, and this year there's a twist: the sale to the general public is only ONE day. If you want the first look, you'll need to be a Friends member or sign up at the door.

🗓️ Friday, April 24 | 4:00-6:00pm — Friends Members-Only Preview. Not a member yet? You can join at the door, or learn more at friendsofbastroplibrary.org.

🗓️ Saturday, April 25 | 9:00am-3:00pm — Open to everyone. Public sale day, and it's only this one day, so don't wait.

🌿 Saturday, April 25 | 10:00am onward — The Lost Pines Garden Club plant sale in the parking lot. Handpicked plants from Bastrop County gardeners who know what actually thrives in our soil.

📍 Location: Bastrop Public Library, 1100 Church Street, Bastrop, TX

💲 Payment:

Friends of the Bastrop Library is handing out Children's Book Coupons - good for one free book (up to $2 value) at Saturday's sale. Print one out, grab it at the door, or pick one up ahead of time at the library.

All proceeds benefit the Bastrop Public Library - our own community library serving every reader in Bastrop County, Texas. If you've ever checked out a book from them, brought a kid to storytime, or used the Pressley Meeting Room, this is the weekend to give back.

A big thank-you to the Friends of the Bastrop Library for sending us the details.

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Thanks for reading, Bastrop County. If you made it this far, you're my kind of neighbor.

A few quick asks this week:

See you next Thursday.

Marilyn

Bastrop Current

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