Hipster Restaurant
Urban Outfitters expanding on The Drag, taking over 5 prime retail spaces
Urban Outfitters is set to take over five prime retail spaces on Guadalupe Street, including campus-area favorite Mellow Mushroom. The clothing store will not only expand its retail space, but has filed an application with TABC to serve alcohol in the new space and will open a full service restaurant, reports The Daily Texan.
According to the Texan, Urban Outfitters will take over existing storefronts including Archer Hookah Bar, Pipes Plus, Manju's, Texadelphia and Mellow Mushroom. The Chase Bank next door to the existing Urban store will remain. The retailer has already applied for six permits with the City of Austin, including a new construction permit and multiple interior renovation permits.
This isn't Urban's first foray into restaurants. In spring 2014, Urban Outfitters opened The Gorbals, a restaurant in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood. The eatery is housed in a large-scale event space called Space Ninety 8, which is also home to a bar, marketplace and art gallery. The Gorbals has also been the subject of Gawker's Best Restaurant in New York column (which, if you haven't already, will be the best thing you read all day).
Though Archer, Pipes Plus and Texadelphia have been shuttered for some time, the news will mean a move for both Manju's and Mellow Mushroom. Speaking with the Texan, Manju's owner Kavita Sajnani said the clothing store will not reopen unless a space near campus becomes available. Mellow Mushroom said it may relocate to Round Rock.