A brewery and coffee house are the first of a dozen new vendors that will bring food and beverages to the buildings of a long-vacant car dealership.
In a “make ready” building at the corner of Avenue B and Brooklyn Avenue, where Cavender Cadillac workers once cleaned and polished its vehicles for new buyers, San Antonio-based developer Hixon Properties plans to open a food hall it is calling Make Ready Market after its original use.
Construction on the food hall adjacent to The Soto office building, which is located at 711 Broadway St., began in December and is expected to be completed by this winter, according to the developer.
On Monday, Hixon announced that Pouring with Heart, a group that operates bars in Austin, Denver, Los Angeles and San Diego, will be Make Ready Market’s first major tenant with a brewery concept. The as-yet-unnamed bar will offer craft beer brewed on site and draft cocktails, and will be Pouring with Heart’s first project in San Antonio.
“We immediately fell in love with San Antonio because it truly celebrates its culture and community,” stated Peter Stanislaus, head of development for Pouring with Heart. “In collaboration with Make Ready, we hope to create a gathering place that unites folks through imbibing, and we are eager to connect with the neighborhood.”
Hixon also announced that Mila Coffee, which operates a coffee trailer at Broadway News near the Pearl, will also open at Make Ready Market. Mila Coffee will be housed in a standalone, walk-up space along the new bike path under construction along Avenue B.
“Make Ready was the perfect place for our second location because of the community gathering aspect of the project, the connection to The Soto office building and other nearby businesses, as well as proximity to the River Walk,” stated Marco Cardel, owner of Mila Coffee.
Make Ready Market is part of a development that includes The Soto, the first mass-timber building of its size and kind in the state, and is located on the site of a former auto dealership vacated in 2013.
The Soto is home to several businesses, with others set to move into space there within the next few months, said a Hixon representative. They include Argo Group, Encore Bank, SHOP Companies and Ulrich Investment Consultants.
Situated between Broadway Street and the San Antonio River, Make Ready is expected to attract area residents, office workers, cyclists and pedestrians.
“Our desire is to find tenants that enhance the community by providing great experiences in approachable and familiar venues,” stated Hunter Kingman, vice president of acquisitions and development for Hixon Properties. “In time, Make Ready will be filled with other unique and exciting tenants offering great culinary and beverage experiences for visitors and locals alike.”
