2022's Top 10 Retail Center Experiences: La Centerra At Cinco Ranch is No. 7

One unique feature of Poag Shopping Centers’ La Centerra (besides the clock tower that’s visible for miles) is that it’s a dog-friendly property. Most of its stores and restaurants allow dog access. That draws both dog owners and lovers, of course, something that led to the creation of its annual Paws Fest.

“This year we invited Dock Dogs, a competition that has dogs diving into a 30-foot swimming pool,” said Norma Garza, La Canterra’s GM for the past five years. “We let anybody who wanted to let their dogs jump take part, but we also drew professionals from outside Texas. Five thousand people attended.”

La Centerra’s 200 annual events are driven by text and email input from customers and by its location near Katy’s downtown. It hosts farmers markets, Mondays with Mommy, Fit Fridays, Earth Day Bash, car shows, and the International Women’s Day Market, at which female tenants of the center and other women-owned businesses in Katy showcase their products.

“We had about 20 businesses that participated and got a tremendous response. The next day we had a huge uptick in our social media reach. We gained 250 new followers,” Garza said.

And, oh yes, La Centerra at Cinco Ranch would not have made our list without a stunning roster of more than 90 tenants. Among them: Alamo Draft House, Sport Clips, Torchy’s Tacos, Sephora, Pure Barre, Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille, Loft, Jos. A. Bank, Francesca’s, and Grimaldi’s Pizzeria.

Stay tuned for daily profiles of the next six centers. Until then, catch up on what you missed:

No. 8 Town & Country Village Shopping Center
No. 9 Streets of St. Charles
No. 10 RIO