A Yemeni specialty coffee shop plans to open in mid- to late October at the former Starbucks on Westheimer Parkway in Katy.

Qatra Specialty Coffee will fill a storefront that has sat empty for about a year. Owner Basel Aldabyani confirmed the timeline to Community Impact Newspaper, which first reported the opening window on Monday, Sept. 28. The shop will move into 22020 Westheimer Pkwy. in the Kroger Plaza at Westheimer Parkway and South Mason Road.

The Starbucks at that location closed in September 2025. It lacked a drive-through, which Covering Katy News reported likely made it a target when the corporate chain began closing locations.

Aldabyani, who grew up in Richmond, said he spotted the opportunity after reading Covering Katy's coverage of the closure and the community's reaction to losing a neighborhood gathering spot. "When I read the article, the focus was a lot about having a place where the local community can hang out. To me, that just seemed awesome," Aldabyani told Covering Katy in February.

The Katy shop is Qatra's first in the Houston area. The company opened its first location in San Antonio in late 2023 and now operates two San Antonio stores and one in Clemmons, North Carolina, according to Qatra's website. A Spring location is also listed as coming soon.

Qatra specializes in organic beans sourced from Colombia, Yemen and Ethiopia, roasted at a facility on Westheimer Road in Houston. The menu will include espresso drinks, iced lattes, pour-overs, matcha and Middle Eastern desserts, along with what Aldabyani described as a "tight, well-thought-out" sandwich menu.

The shop also plans to offer its own version of the "Pup Cup" for customers who bring their dogs, continuing a tradition from the former Starbucks that neighbors had mourned losing.

Qatra's exterior signage was already up at the storefront as of Aug. 28, Covering Katy reported, with brown paper lining the windows while interior renovations continued. No firm opening date has been announced beyond the mid- to late October window. Residents can check Qatra's website for updates.