One-stop shops!

Austin restaurants transform into neighborhood grocery shops amid COVID-19 crisis

Jester King is just one of many local spots offering provisions and pantry staples for locals.

Photo courtesy of Jester King

The current global pandemic has many Austin-area businesses scrambling to survive while adjusting to new restrictions. Meanwhile, residents are scrambling to adjust to hours-long trips to the grocery store and delivery services with days-long waiting lists.

If necessity is indeed the mother of invention, some Austin entrepreneurs are finding new ways to add revenue while helping neighbors access the food staples we all need. From Dripping Springs to Airport Boulevard, restaurants and bars across the region are transforming into makeshift mini-marts — albeit ones selling local veggies and organic dairy instead of soft drinks and salty snacks.

Though traditional grocery stores are working hard to minimize contact, these spots offer no-touch, drive-thru, or curbside options all while operating within CDC guidelines.

In Dripping Springs, Jester King is brewing up something entirely different to help get them through the next few weeks. With the brewery and pizza destination unable to operate normally per city and county regulations, Jester King is adding a "charming country store" to help boost revenue and give customers much-needed access to pantry staples — and toilet paper, of course.

"When we closed our restaurant to the public, we had a lot of grocery items left over," says owner Jeffrey Stuffings of the inspiration. Now, in addition to ordering pizza and beer to-go, the brewery is also selling vegetables, coconut milk, baking supplies, and offering free rolls of toilet paper for orders over $50.

In East Austin, Dai Due is offering $25 bushels of organic produce alongside its curbside menu, while nearby Sour Duck has transformed into a veritable grocery store with everything from coffee and eggs to pesto and acorn tea available for purchase.

On Webberville Road, The Cavalier is finding creative ways to adapt to our collective new normal — including creating a virtual farmers market. Along with to-go frozen cocktails and a menu of classic Southern fare, The Cavailer offers a selection of deli meats, fresh produce, dairy, and other pantry staples. Patrons can also snag meal prep kits and pre-packed picnics (and bonus music playlists!) to help break up the stay-at-home monotony many of us are facing in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"The Cavalier is committed to meeting the new needs and changing lifestyles of our community," explains co-owner Rachelle Fox. "Providing our neighbors with access to fresh produce and pantry staples is crucial to their quality of life."

In response to these rapid changes, Quality Seafood has temporarily moved operations into its North Austin parking lot. Customers can order lunch or dinner from the Quality food truck, along with eggs, milk, fresh produce, and, of course, toilet paper. Down the street on Airport Boulevard, Sala & Betty is selling a $100 box bursting with five pounds of ground beef, a gallon of milk, a dozen eggs, a large variety of veggies, and salad dressing.

On nearby North Loop, Foreign & Domestic added a "staples" section to the to-go menu. In addition to the restaurant's food and booze menu, patrons can order up bread, eggs, milk, and some veggies.

South Austin's Aviary Wine & Kitchen is also getting into the market game, selling toilet paper; sugar; flour; eggs; and a $50 "bird box" stuffed with lettuce, citrus, beets, potatoes, broccoli, kale, and more. Nearby at Radio Coffee & Beer, customers can snag an ever-rotating menu of goods — including coffee, of course — at Radio's makeshift "drive-thru."

Our new reality has only just begun, and city leaders are indicating it will likely extend far past the April 13 deadline. As Austin small business owners adapt to this new normal, consumers too must begin to think creatively about how — and where — we get our groceries. If a trip to locally owned restaurant means bypassing the grocery store, it's not just helping curb exposure to COVID-19, it's ensuring that these businesses survive long after it's gone.

As the Cavalier's Fox says: "Though we may all be apart from one another, it is a time for us all to come together."

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Kelly Stocker contributed reporting for this story.

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Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.