The Where I Live series aims to showcase our diverse city and region by spotlighting its many vibrant neighborhoods. Each week a local resident invites us over and lets us in on what makes their neighborhood special. Have we been to your neighborhood yet? Get in touch to share your story. If your story is selected and published, you will receive a $250 stipend.
To most people in San Antonio, Southtown is an extension of downtown; it’s a place for First Fridays, Fiesta events and brunching on weekends. For my wife Paola and me, Southtown is more than a neighborhood; it’s home.
Southtown is made up of five neighborhoods: King William, Lone Star, Collins Garden, Roosevelt and Lavaca, where we reside.
I grew up on the Northwest Side of town, while my wife was raised in Del Rio, Texas. I always preferred the liveliness of the city over life in the suburbs; I enjoy the noise, the neighbors, events and everything that comes with urban living. I remember visiting Southtown when I was younger and always admired it, and now I’m lucky enough to call it home.
Paola and I have lived here for almost a decade, starting in her small Lavaca apartment. We met while I was in law school and Paola was studying for her CPA exams. I knew very early on that she was the one, but she wasn’t totally convinced. A lot of talking and a strawberry lemonade paleta from the old Steel City Pops on South Presa finally convinced her. Eventually, we decided to bring home our dog and best friend, Waffles.
On any given weekend, you can catch the three of us walking to Stranded Coffee to start the morning; honey oat milk lattes for us and a few milk bones for Waffles. We might think we are headed home after picking up coffee, but it’s easy to get swept up in the magic of Southtown. So many morning strolls end up in full-day adventures exploring different markets, weekend events or simply visiting with neighbors.
Waffles struts around confidently as if the entire neighborhood is his backyard. Whenever we walk by familiar places like La Frite or Bar Loretta, he has to stop and pop his head in to say hi. During his evening walks, he stalls in front of the Friendly Spot and coaxes us to a seat in front of the big screen to catch the end of a Spurs game. Then, on the way home, he greets all of the neighborhood dogs and stops to say hi to anyone who will baby talk to him, especially the old man who, every time we walk by, asks, “Are you walking that dog, or is that dog walking you?”
While the restaurants, bars, events and other spectacles of the neighborhood are great, the true hidden gem lies in the people. Lavaca is a vibrant, multicultural neighborhood that embraces diversity. Southtown has a broad spectrum of socioeconomic classes. Neighbors care for one another, become invested in each other’s lives and give one another a sense of belonging. Many families have been in this neighborhood for generations, living in their childhood homes and raising children of their own. Each has embraced and welcomed us, showing us what the true meaning of a neighborhood is. A quick wave or hello in passing can turn into a night on a neighbor’s porch, having a drink and exchanging stories until 2 a.m.
Just like many neighborhoods in the city, residents of Lavaca and Southtown have our struggles. It is a place where the old and the new must find a balance and exist in harmony. The neighborhood isn’t nearly as affordable as it once was. Affordable housing is scarce, and rising property taxes, along with the costs of maintaining a historic home, have driven people away.
Memories of the old Southtown are still here, but change is visible, even in the 10 short years of living here. Change is a large part of Southtown; new neighbors, restaurants, houses, even the possibility of a new stadium in our backyard. I’ve learned to embrace it, but also to work to keep the heart and charm of our centuries-old neighborhood alive. This is home for us.
