Yee-haw!
Wrangler claims former Vespaio site on South Congress for flagship store
Wrangler and three other retailers will occupy redeveloped space at the former South Congress Avenue home of Vespaio and Chapulín Cantina.
Austin’s hip South Congress Avenue district has lassoed a U.S. flagship store from the Wrangler westernwear brand.
Wrangler will open a roughly 1,600-square-foot store at the former site of adjoining restaurants Vespaio and Chapulín Cantina. Both eateries closed earlier in 2026; Vespaio spent nearly 30 years at the site and was one of the landmark properties on South Congress as it evolved into something much more modern and corporate.
Wrangler officials say the store will open in early 2027, but a press release from real estate developers Quannah Partners and Fortum Ventures indicates a fall 2026 opening.
Wrangler will be one of four retail tenants in the 6,800-square-foot, first-phase redevelopment of the building that Vespaio and Chapulín Cantina shared. Wrangler’s other stores are in Fort Worth and Greensboro, North Carolina.
Scott Baxter, chairman, president and CEO of Wrangler’s owner, says the Austin location “will be a terrific store in an incredible Wrangler [market] for our products.”
The three other occupants of the 1612 S. Congress Ave. development will be Alberta Boot Co.’s and Cody & Sioux’s first U.S. stores — and the brands’ U.S. flagship locations — and Astrid & Miyu’s first boutique in Texas.
Alberta Boot, which sells handcrafted western boots, and its western apparel sister brand, Cody & Sioux, will occupy about 4,000 square feet. Jewelry purveyor Astrid & Miyu has leased about 1,200 square feet.
“Each of these brands has a strong identity and an authentic story, and together they reflect the quality, craftsmanship and originality that define South Congress,” Quannah CEO Doug Wiley says. “We believe they’ll be a meaningful addition to one of Austin’s most vibrant retail destinations, and we’re proud to continue investing in the long-term success of this iconic corridor.”
The second phase of the project will kick off early next year, adding a new building with almost 4,000 square feet for one or two more tenants, the developers say.
Quannah and Fortum bought the SoCo property in December.
On the same block as the under-construction retail hub are the new duo of the Butcher’s Daughter vegetarian restaurant and Only the Wild Ones wine and cocktail bar, along with the South Congress Hotel, which will debut in January as a Hyatt Standard property.
