Beloved San Antonio coffeehouse quietly closes after 30 years

One of San Antonio’s longest-running coffeehouses has been snuffed out. Candlelight PourHouse, located off the St. Mary’s Strip in Tobin Hill, has quietly closed after a three-decade run.

In January, the brunch spot announced it was taking a hiatus, but promised it would eventually return. Since then, it has deleted its social media pages and cleared out of its Victorian townhouse at 107 Kings Court.

Candlelight first opened in 1995 at 3011 N St Mary's St, the space that now houses nightclub Vibras. With its mismatched furniture, brightly painted walls, and amateurish abstract paintings, it was the kind of hangout that was once common before Starbucks commodified coffee culture.

It became an immediate hit with college students and artists, who appreciated its bohemian vibe and bottomless mimosa deals. It was especially embraced by the LGBTQIA+ community as one of San Antonio’s true safe places away from the Main Street gay bars.

In 2021, the business moved across the street, emphasizing the garden setting and rebranding as PourHouse. Owner Tammy Russell, however, was soon plagued with issues such as ongoing construction on the Strip and an inability to secure COVID recovery grants.

The loss of income led Candlelight to limit its hours in 2023. At the time, Russell told KSAT that she had tapped into her retirement funds, although she vowed to keep fighting for the business.

The spotty hours continued into its final days. Commenters in a 2026 Reddit thread said the place hardly ever opened and had few customers when it did — a fact made more noticeable by the brunch lines stretching out of its neighboring restaurant, Cullum’s Attaboy.

Candlelight’s graceful old building, however, won’t be vacant long. Popular Castle Hills Latin restaurant Bilia Eatery is moving into the space to open a new concept, Vecino, according to a recently filed Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission public notice.