Kolache Shoppe, the iconic Houston bakery known since 1970 for its authentic, scratch-made Texas-Czech pastries and fresh coffee, is now open in Celina, Texas. Franchise partners Courtney and Jake Poulsen, along with Courtney’s parents, Cindy and Gary Mechler of College Station, are thrilled to be the first to bring the beloved bakery brand to the DFW Metroplex. Located in the new Celina Station at 605 S. Preston Rd., this latest Kolache Shoppe will celebrate a week of Grand Opening events beginning Monday, Feb. 19.

“We have known franchisors Lucy and Randy Hines for many years and have been a huge fan of their delicious kolaches,” says Courtney. “To bring this legacy brand to Celina and to the DFW area is a dream. We are excited to build this business for our community, our children and ourselves.”

Courtney and Jake met at Texas A&M University and, soon after, married and relocated to Frisco, where they are raising their four children. Courtney is a former middle school teacher, while Jake’s background includes business leadership and restaurant management. “We are both ‘people people’ and are excited to play a role in Celina by providing a delicious and convenient option to begin each day,” explained Jake. “This is a special community, and we look forward to being an active part of it.”

Overseen by Tara Lenney Design, the 1,558-square-foot space exudes a fresh, nostalgic feel and features the brand’s signature design elements, including a blue-and-white motif, custom wooden pastry case and espresso bar, as well as a Texas mural with iconic Celina landmarks. In addition to counter service, a drive-thru window allows for quick grab-and-go ordering and pre-order pickup of pastries and specialty coffee drinks. The bakery has a few seats inside, along with a small patio. 

The cornerstone of Kolache Shoppe is the original, decades-old recipe for their enriched yeast dough. Fluffy and lightly sweet, the Czech-inspired, Texas-influenced pastry dough is the perfect foil to the Shoppe’s two dozen signature sweet, savory and breakfast-style fillings and monthly specials. In celebration of Mardi Gras season, February specials include boudin kolaches on the savory side and King Cake kolaches as the sweet special. Both are available Friday through Sunday throughout the month. 

The Kolache Shoppe is committed to sourcing many of its ingredients from local and regional purveyors, including through collaborations for seasonal specials. The Poulsens are working with popular area barbecue joint Tender Smokehouse to offer a brisket, egg and cheddar kolache. They have also partnered with Texas brands GEVA Coffee and Kiolbassa Provision Company.

Kolache Shoppe Celina is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. On weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., they offer a Late Bird happy hour, during which kolaches are buy-one-get-one-free. Curbside pickup is available via online ordering. Delivery is provided via Grubhub, DoorDash and Uber Eats.

“We couldn’t be more excited to expand to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and believe that Celina is the perfect place to continue our growth,” says Randy Hines, who, together with his wife, Lucy, took over the Kolache Shoppe brand in 2014. “We have known Courtney and Jake for years and believe their commitment to community, passion for service, and love for our products will serve the brand and our guests extremely well.”