Yeti Coolers' cool new flagship store has an opening date. The first-ever retail location for the beloved Austin-based brand debuts Thursday, February 23.
The humongous space, located in a 1930s warehouse at the intersection of Congress Avenue and Barton Springs Road, will house the full lineup of Yeti products, ranging from heavy-duty coolers to ice-cold tumblers. (Before, you could only purchase them online or at sporting goods stores across the country.)
The flagship location also includes neat facets such as an old Franklin Barbecue pit — complete with smoking instructions — a bar; a build-your-own-Yeti station; and a wide variety of funky, Austin-branded goods. But this store is more than just a store. In addition to selling merchandise, the new outpost will play host to a variety of events, including concerts and movie screenings.
"The flagship store will be a destination for locals and tourists to interact with and get to know the Yeti brand. From shopping to live music and beers on the patio, this will be a space to celebrate our passion for the wild and connect with our community here in Austin," Corey Maynard, Yeti's vice president of marketing, told CultureMap.
The new Yeti storefront is part of the South Central Waterfront Initiative, a comprehensive development plan for the neighborhood just south of Lady Bird Lake. Goals include adding more green space and affordable housing, as well as increasing pedestrian friendliness.
Look for Yeti on the first floor of 220 S. Congress Ave., right behind Austin's rotating bat sign.
Yeti Coolers' new flagship store on South Congress Avenue is its first-ever retail location.
