‘Priced Out’: Legacy tenants leaving Woodlands' Market Street as luxury ‘evolution’ moves in

Longtime Woodlands businesses leaving shopping center amid luxury 'evolution'

Longstanding staples of The Woodlands' Market Street are closing their doors, signaling a shift in the shopping center. FOX 26's McKenna Earhart reports.

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - For nearly two decades, Market Street has served as a hub in The Woodlands. But in 2026, a wave of closures of long-standing local staples is sparking a conversation about whether the development is losing its community soul in favor of high-end luxury.

Woodlands Market street closures

The backstory:

While the shopping destination is seeing a surge of global luxury brands like Gucci and David Yurman, the local businesses that helped build the center’s reputation are heading for the exits.

Trademark Property Company, the management firm behind Market Street, has characterized the current changes as a deliberate "evolution." According to company statements from a December 3, 2025, press release, the goal is to "refine the mix" by bringing in premier lifestyle brands to drive the property's continued success.

However, that success comes at a cost that some legacy tenants say they can no longer afford.

"You’re not really a good fit…"

What they're saying:

Corey LeJeune, a local business owner who operated at Market Street for 14 years, says the transition from being a valued partner to feeling like an outsider happened as his lease came up for renewal.

"You move into a space, they let you build it out, you do all these wonderful things," LeJeune said. "And then somebody comes years later and says, ‘Hey, you’re not really a good fit for the neighborhood.’ Being pushed out because I wasn’t a bigger brand... it was upsetting."

LeJeune eventually moved his operations to Technology Forest Place after he says management attempted to move his office away from the high-traffic retail level to make room for different types of tenants.

The exodus isn’t limited to office spaces. Iconic eateries like Schilleci’s New Orleans Kitchen, a 15-year fixture, and Uni Sushi have also shut their Market Street doors. While Schilleci’s is preparing to reopen on Research Forest Drive, the trend of local businesses moving to secondary locations is a concern for some residents.

Devette Daggett, who has lived in The Woodlands for 20 years, says she worries the area is becoming an exclusive playground that no longer prioritizes local families.

"I think it’s really sad that those unique businesses are gone," Daggett said. "When you have a community, you need to pay attention to make sure that everyone is welcome. We really value the unique businesses. We want to be able to bring our families out where everyone can enjoy themselves."

Daggett noted that with the addition of high-dollar projects, like the upcoming Ritz-Carlton, the pressure on property pricing and the local "mom-and-pop" culture is only increasing.

The other side:

FOX 26 reached out to Trademark Property Company to ask about rising rent costs and the impact on local tenants. However, management declined to provide an interview.

For now, Market Street remains nearly 95% occupied. But for those who have walked the sidewalks for decades, the glitz of the new storefronts cannot quite replace the local faces that are no longer there.