Booze News

First look inside South Austin's new booze mega-store

Sunset Valley is getting a new booze haven. Total Wine & More, "America's largest independent retailer of fine wine, spirits and beer," will officially open to the public on Thursday, May 21.

The South Austin spot is the chain's first store in Austin and its ninth location in Texas. The new storefront is taking over the former Sprouts Farmers Market location in the Sunset Valley Village shopping center.

At 28,600 square feet, Total Wine & More will house approximately 8,000 varieties of wine, 3,000 different spirits, and 2,500 kinds of beer. "Providing the best selection and prices — while creating a one-of-a-kind shopping experience for the customer — is our number-one priority," said co-owner David Trone in a press release. "Our interior design features are customer-centric in every way."

The Austin store will include a humidor, two tasting bars, and an education center for beverage classes. Multiple iPads will be available around the store to help patrons find the perfect wine to pair with a meal (you can download that same app for your own device).

Total Wine & More is owned by brothers David and Robert Trone, who began expanding the chain on the East Coast in the early 1990s. The beverage giant rivals other big-name Texas-based chains like Spec's and Twin Liquors, but positions itself as a destination shopping experience.

Its Austin invasion is just starting: A second storefront is in the works near Lakeline Mall. It is slated to open later this year.

Total Wine & More opens Thursday, May 21.

Courtesy photo

Total Wine & More opens Thursday, May 21.

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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.