Sip 'n' shop
Bar wars? Montrose H-E-B appears poised to compete against new Whole Foods within-store wine bar
The H-E-B construction site shows the skeleton of the building going up.Photo by Clifford Pugh
Entrance to the new H-E-B Montrose storePhoto by Clifford Pugh
One of the more talked-about amenities in the new Whole Foods on Waugh is the Bayou Bar — an in-store craft beer and wine bar where patrons can sit and enjoy one of 12 beverages on tap.
We already knew that the new Montrose H-E-B — which has been long in the works and will sit at the corner of Dunlavy and West Alabama, about a mile from the new Whole Foods and near the revamped "Disco" Kroger —would have an impressive beer and wine selection. But now, it seems it's upping the ante with an in-store bar, as well.
How do I know this? I'd like to say it's because I've done some serious digging in my quest to be ever on top of grocery news, but it's actually because I live less than 300 yards away from the construction site on Branard Street (the border of which is the site of a much-debated gate.)
We got notice last week that H-E-B plans to sell alcohol for consumption on-premises, which means one thing: Butt's Bar! (For those not in the know, H-E-B is owned by the Butt family of San Antonio.)
All joking aside, we can't wait to belly up.
The official line from H-E-B officials is that a final decision about whether to include an in-store bar has not been reached, and the permit was applied for in advance.
"We are looking into the possibility of having [a bar]," an HEB spokeswoman tells CultureMap.
The store is currently under construction with a planned late fall opening.
