By Edmond Ortiz
This new slate of San Antonio-area news briefs features a new cafe/bar concept in downtown, the closure of a Southtown Italian eatery, a new partnership between a Southtown bar and a gourmet hot dog stand, local government support for Comfort merchants, and the planned reopening of a century-old New Braunfels storefront.
El Weinecero hot dog stand partners with Southtown bar
El Weinecero, a gourmet hot dog stand that is popular at events and late night spots, is setting up its first brick-and-mortar location at Southtown bar Gimme Gimme, 803 S. St. Mary’s St.
Guests at Gimme Gimme will get to choose from El Weinecero’s signature hot dogs and items from its newly expanded menu beginning this final weekend of January..
According to a press release, the crew from El Weinecero will operate in Gimme Gimme’s kitchen Thursday through Sunday nights.
In addition to gourmet hot dogs, patrons can pick from offerings such as wings, grinders, tacos, pastas and full entrées. New menu items by El Weinecero include roast beef, beer-battered onion rings, smothered chicken sandwich, and chicken jalapeño bites.
A grand opening celebration marking El Weinecero’s arrival at Gimme Gimme takes place Jan. 30. The El Weinecero hot dog stand will continue to operate at its long-time downtown base, 123 Losoya St.
On Monday through Wednesday nights, chef Paul Petersen will continue to cook up foods already popular with Gimme Gimme fans, including crispy dogs, steak nights, and smash burgers.
“Opening inside Gimme Gimme gives us the opportunity to grow creatively and operationally while staying true to our roots,” the El Weinecero team said in a statement. “Southtown is the perfect environment for our next chapter — culture driven, energetic, and deeply connected to the city’s food and nightlife scene.”
Kendall County extends aid to Comfort businesses
Kendall County commissioners voted 4-1 on Jan. 27 to provide funding to the Boerne Kendall County Economic Development Corp. in an effort to help boost small business owners in Comfort.
Commissioners Court agreed to reimburse a maximum of $3,000 to the BKCEDC, which is hiring a consultant to determine the financial need for small businesses in Comfort, and to compile information for a downtown Comfort assessment plan. The money is coming from remaining interest on federal COVID-19 relief funding.
Amy Story, BKCEDC’s president and CEO, said her organization wants to lend a hand to Comfort’s independent merchants, many of whom are struggling financially partially because of the damage caused by last summer’s Hill Country floods.
“We want to make sure we’re supporting the business community that exists in Comfort,” Story told commissioners. “They’ve had a lot of challenges over the past couple of years, not the least of which was the flooding, which impacted the business community and their ability to generate revenue during a normally busy time of the year, during the summer when there’s camp traffic.”
All commissioners agreed with Kendall County’s supporting an economic development agency’s attempt to aid Comfort’s business owners, but Pct. 1 Commissioner Jennifer McCall cast a “no” vote.
She said it was hard to justify a decision to provide money in this case while some local nonprofits have approached the county for funding assistance, but those organizations received no financial aid.
Downtown San Antonio cafe/bar opens
Kafe Krave, a daytime cafe and evening bar, opened Jan. 26 just south of the Bexar County judicial complex. The location is 227 Dwyer Ave., Suite 101.
For now, Kafe Krave’s owners are rolling out their specialty coffee program with information on the bar offerings to be revealed later.
Kafe Krave is celebrating its grand opening by offering discounts now through Jan. 30, including a buy-one, get-one-free coffee.
Hours of operation will be 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 7 a.m.-6 p.m. and 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and 8 p.m.-1 a.m. Sat., and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun.
Historic New Braunfels storefront reopens in February
H.D. Gruene Mercantile will open Feb. 17 in a 122-year-old, 6,500-square-foot building that is among many landmark structures in New Braunfels’ Gruene Historic District.
Located at 1607 Hunter Road, H.D. Gruene Mercantile will offer a variety of curated gifts, apparel, accessories, and home goods, including 70-plus Texas-based brands and makers, according to a press release.
The new shop is named after Gruene’s founder, Henry D. Gruene, and housed in a building that was originally established in 1904. H.D. Gruene Mercantile will celebrate its official grand opening this spring.
The new store is owned by the Molak Corp., whose portfolio includes an array of area retailers, entertainment venues and restaurants, such as Gruene Hall and Gristmill River Restaurant.
“H.D. Gruene Mercantile has always been part of Gruene’s story, and this reopening is about honoring that legacy while creating something that feels relevant, inspiring, and distinctly Texan,” Susie Molak, wife of the late Pat Molak, said in a statement. “Visitors to Gruene can look forward to immersing themselves in the Mercantile’s rich history while perusing the original floors of the store.”
La Focaccia to shutter Jan. 31
La Focaccia Italian Grill, a locally owned and operated restaurant that has been a Southtown fixture since its inception in 1996, will be permanently closing at the end of business Jan. 31.
Owner Luigi “Domenic” Ciccarelli confirmed the closure in local media reports, saying it is time for a rest from the restaurant industry, where he has worked for more than 50 years.
