San Antonio neighbors rally to save beloved East Side ice house

Never count anything out before the last Hail Mary. That’s the lesson behind a new crowdfunding campaign that is trying to keep Dakota East Side Ice House (433 S Hackberry St.) from closing on August 9.

On June 25, owner Kent Oliver announced he decided not to renew the lease on the property, ending an eight-year run. Now, two of his Historic Gardens neighbors have decided they wouldn’t let him go down without a fight.

In an intro to the campaign, GoFundMe organizer April Pantheress Winn explained that she and another neighbor, Ms. Phyllis, reached out to Oliver shortly after learning the bar was shuttering. They decided to launch on July 1, Oliver’s birthday.

“Kent is a great guy — he’s too proud to ask for help, but he agreed to let us move forward with this fundraiser,” explained Winn. “Kent has poured his heart into Dakota, welcoming customers from every background, genre of music, religion, and walk of life.”

Oliver, the former director of operations at Rio San Antonio Cruises, launched The Dakota in April 2018, placing a bet on the underserved neighborhood near the Alamodome. The “Just be nice, dammit!” sign at the entrance was more than a cheeky slogan; it acted as a manifesto for a business that embraced inclusivity as its core.

From the start, Dakota embraced all of San Antonio’s communities, hosting drag showcases, Día de los Muertos altars, jazz bands, drum circles, and vaccination clinics in service of creating a safe space for everyone.

In its short run, the campaign has raised half of its $13,000 goal, mostly in the last 24 hours. Although Oliver hasn’t yet said whether it will be enough to keep the taps flowing, he seems primed give it another go.

“I’m speechless,” he wrote in the GoFundMe comments. “And y'all know I always have something to say.”