Georgetown diners have a variety of options when it comes to finding a place to eat downtown, and by the end of the year, Austin-based Noble Sandwich Co. will be the newest to join the list.
The eatery, planned for 112 W. Eighth St. in the former Scentchips location, is one of several that have either recently opened or are in the planning stages in downtown. Others include Sweet Lemon Inn & Kitchen, which opened a counter-service cafe in April, and 600 Degrees Pizzeria & Drafthouse, which expanded its dining area in July.
“We have a number of restaurants that are having great success [in downtown],” City Manager David Morgan said. “It’s exciting to see a variety of retailers, including restaurants, that target a wide demographic from empty nesters and young professionals to college students and families. ... I think having Noble Sandwich Co. make a decision to come to downtown is an incredible sign about where our downtown is today and about how optimistic we are for its continued growth and vibrancy.”
Restaurants account for about 61 percent of the sales taxes collected in downtown, which equals about $250,000 collected between Oct. 1, 2015-May 31, Georgetown Budget Manager Paul Diaz said.
Developing vacant space
Two other buildings along Austin Avenue on the Square that have been vacant for several years could also add to the city’s dining options.
Karl Meixsell and his wife, Dina, purchased the historic Stromberg-Hoffman Building at 718 S. Austin Ave. earlier this year and plan to bring a restaurant concept to the first floor and add office space on the second floor, he said.
“We are very excited to be working on this project. … Although the building is in bad shape and in need of a complete overhaul and renovation, the commercial potential was obvious to us,” Meixsell said. “We admire what the city of Georgetown has done with the Square since we have come to Georgetown and are excited to have this opportunity to be a part of that through the renovation of [the building].”
Meixsell said the couple could begin renovations this summer and announce a tenant this fall.
“The way [the building is laid out] and the location of it, it’s just a great location for a restaurant,” he said, adding that he has been talking to established businesses to possibly open a new location on the Square. “We want to find someone that brings a good vibe to the Square.”
Building owner Michael Novick, who owns the building at 704 S. Austin Ave., said a food-related business is the best use of the space.
“I think the Austin Avenue side of the Square would be ideal for bars and restaurants to be located there, in a perfect world,” Novick said. “The city was so generous to expand the walkway [along Austin Avenue] and make it more community- and customer-friendly. … I think [a restaurant or bar in that space] would be the highest and best use.”
Cody Hirt and Brad Strittmatter signed a lease for the building at 704 S. Austin Ave. in early August with plans to open Mesquite Creek Outfitters, an outdoor clothing store with a craft beer and wine bar, in early October.
The store will feature men’s and women’s high-end outdoor apparel, a fly fishing section in the back portion of the store, and the beer and wine bar with a limited menu in the store’s front section with indoor and outdoor seating, Hirt said.
“We wanted to be [different],” Hirt said. “I feel like the city needs something like this. Combining men’s and women’s apparel … I think it will hopefully have a nice draw and uniqueness to it.”
The bar’s menu could include local beers, meat and cheese trays andother small plates, he said.
Shelly Hargrove, Georgetown Main Street Program manager, said the city is focusing on making downtown a destination for residents and visitors.
“We want to attract people to our downtown and to do so we need multiple options for food,” she said. “It’s a different experience than in Austin.”
Hargrove said adding more restaurants to the Square would not only draw more people to the Square, but doing so would also help existing restaurants.
‘Critical mass’ of eateries
Morgan said adding Noble Sandwich Co. to the mix of eateries in downtown is a “tipping point” for things to come.
“There have been multiple years of this community really focusing on good planning and good energy to promote and have a vibrant downtown, and we are seeing the benefit of all that work,” Morgan said. “Having Noble Sandwich Co. come to Georgetown is a big sign about how the Austin region sees Georgetown and, specifically, downtown. Noble Sandwich Co. is an exciting, trendy restaurant that chose Georgetown for its unique atmosphere and authentic downtown.”
Chet Garner, host of “The Daytripper” TV show on PBS, purchased the building that will become the Noble Sandwich Co. location earlier this year.
“I already felt an ownership of downtown because I live here, but to really be part of making sure the Square stays vibrant [is important to me],” he said. “I don’t so much feel like an owner of the properties as much as I feel like a steward. It’s my job as an owner to make sure we get a business that is going to help raise the bar for everybody.”
Garner, who refers to himself as an “accidental developer,” owns another building on the Square.
“[The two buildings] were good opportunities for me, [a person] who is passionate about downtown, to have a stake in it,” Garner said, adding that with the former Scentchips building he knew he needed to bring a new dining option to the table. “After all my travels across Texas, I’ve come to the conclusion that a square can never have too many restaurants. Once you sort of hit this critical mass of restaurants, you start to attract even more people. … We just need to keep making sure downtown has that healthy mix of dining, retail, shopping. Then it’s no longer about going to do one thing; you just go there because you know you’re going to have fun.”
