NEWS YOU CAN EAT
Coffee shop-music venue sadly goes silent in this San Antonio dining news
Vice Versa has closed after two years in business.
Of late, reporting on San Antonio hospitality news can be a real bummer. The city is at a crossroads, struggling to hold on to the independent businesses that make it unique. In the tradition of “Why can’t we have nice things?” locals have often blamed each other for such failures. Maybe it’s time to start looking at the conditions that allow chains to rapidly propagate while local businesses wither on the vine.
Openings and closings
A St. Paul Square venue has cued up its last track. In a frank Instagram post, Vice Versa owner Vinny Guerrero shared that the coffee house/listening room/bar could not recover from the expense of air conditioning repairs in the summer of 2023. “I got no investors, no rich family, just a kid from the west side who knows how to work hard,” he explained, revealing that he was paying more than $8,000 monthly rent. The last day of business was March 31.
A new bar and venue will soon sidle up to the ever-growing Museum Reach district. River North Icehouse targets a spring debut inside a former 317 W. Jones Ave warehouse. The project will bring live music and a full kitchen to the sprawling space.
Seafood chain Fish City Grill is taking a deeper dive into River City. The company is gearing up to open its fourth local outpost in the former Alamo Heights home of Burger Fi at 1907 Nacogdoches Rd. Although company officials have not revealed an exact opening date, it should be dishing out fish fries by the summer.
Two local restaurant groups are ironing out their aprons in preparation for opening catering companies. Via a release, Southerleigh Hospitality Group announced Sense of Occasion Catering, an undertaking offering a wide range of cuisines. Meanwhile, Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality trumpeted its latest venture, Carpenter Catering Co., on social media. The business will take a high-low approach, setting up everything from smash burger bars to intimate omakases.
Other news and notes
A legend of Hill Country hospitality has passed away at 76. A former stockbroker, Pat Molak, purchased Gruene Hall in the mid ‘70s, turning the historic venue into a revered stage for country acts. He founded Josephine Street in 1979, establishing a laidback classic near the modern-day Pearl. Both businesses posted Instagram tributes, remembering his conviviality and stewardship of Texas culture.
It was an uphill battle from the start. After two years of offering delivery service in the San Antonio area, Kroger is suspending operations because it “did not meet the benchmarks we set for success.” In 2022, the grocery giant leased a Northside warehouse, firing shots in the heart of H-E-B territory. After disappointing sales, that facility will close on May 25. Customers can place orders until May 24.
