Southside Cellar
It’s been a long haul, but owner Shawn Howell says his Southside Cellar is nearing the finish line. Located at 125 South Main St. at the intersection of downtown and the Near Southside, it will add a much-needed package store to the area when it opens.
Howell says he has his fingers crossed that Southside Cellar will open before the end of the year, but suggests you check his social media for updates.
Howell says this idea has been brewing for many years. His career has followed his passion for beer, from the four years that he ran 8.0 Restaurant in downtown, to the 13 years he spent with the Flying Saucer franchise.
“I’ve always wanted to do something on my own,” Howell says. “So I took a hard look at what was missing before settling on the concept.”
At its heart, Southside Cellar will be a growler filling station with 30 rotating taps to choose from — but that’s not all. “We’ll have a much higher inventory of beer and wine available for package sales,” he says.
The space in divided in half. On one side you’ll find an impressive selection of beers and wines, some in a cold cases, and the rest ready to take home to your own refrigerator.
At the top of Howell’s pyramid is quality. He says selection will consist of local breweries, then Texas brands, national brews, alongside the best the world has to offer.
Together he and his staff have about 40 years of experience with craft beer, and educating his customers is part of Southside Cellar’s mission statement. And, unlike most growler filling stations, he will also provide a nice selection of wines.
The other side of the space is devoted to a lounge-y tasting room, an intimate space for about 40 people to kick back and enjoy with an “Irish pub feel.” A variety of couches and armchairs mix with barrels and a snug bar. There are gold velvet drapes on the windows and the exposed brick walls are decorated with collections of antique beer cans from the pop-top era.
Southside Cellar will have a few snacks on hand, but does not have a kitchen. “We’re lucky enough to be surrounded by great restaurants, and their menus will be on hand,” Howell says.
Customers will be allowed to grab something to eat and bring it in with them. And some of Southside Cellars nearby neighbors, like the newly opened Coco Shrimp, plan to return the favor.