The Pearl Returns

Lustre Pearl returns: The Rainey Street bar that started it all reopens in East Austin

Austin Photo Set: News_Adrienne Breaux_Bridget Dunlap_July 2011_Lustre Pearl

Lustre Pearl East is slated to open on Thursday, November 5.

Lustre Pearl is back on the scene. The East Austin reincarnation of the Rainey Street bar that started it all is slated to open on Friday, November 6.

Fans of Lustre Pearl will see that this "new" bar looks pretty familiar. The original Lustre Pearl building was moved from 97 Rainey St. and transplanted to a new home at 114 Linden St.

"It was crucial to restore this incredible house, to replicate everything the original Lustre — built in 1895 — embodied, to give our customers back the space they made an institution. It's been a labor of love and we are excited to once again have a full house," said Bridget Dunlap of Dunlap ATX in a press release.

In addition to the house, which has seen some much-needed upgrades, the Lustre Pearl East grounds will feature a separate building with a kitchen and a second bar. "The stark differences in the two buildings highlight a delicate harmony, a new Austin that couldn't exist without the old and an old that would not be preserved without the outcomes of the present," said Dunlap.

The kitchen will be helmed by Executive Chef Carson Symmonds, who has created a tasty menu of sandwiches and salads. On the bar side, guests can choose from a lineup of cocktails and beers.

Lustre Pearl East will be slinging drinks Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 pm to midnight, Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 am to midnight.

This is a hot time for the Dunlap ATX group. Burn Pizza + Bar recently opened on East Sixth Street, and another Lustre Pearl is in the works for Rainey Street.

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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.