January: Family-owned North Austin shop Restart CBD strives to educate customers on the ins and outs of cannabidiol
Even though they opened Restart CBD in the summer of 2018, the Torabi sisters are veterans of the local cannabidiol, or CBD, industry.
When Shayda and Sydney Torabi, co-owners and founders of Restart CBD, first opened shop, the duo was selling their organically sourced CBD products in the front room of a warehouse space. At that time, Shayda said only a couple other local brands were carrying CBD products. Read more
March: Bent Oak Winery brings the tasting room home
Operating a sociable business like Bent Oak Winery during a global pandemic requires more than the standard pour of creative thinking. Read more
May: New leaders carrying decor company forward
Founded in Northwest Austin in 1986, Floor King had been under the leadership of Kurt Wade and John Surko for much of its history. In January 2020 the home design, decor and floor covering company transferred to new leadership.
Now the business, which later this summer opens its newest location in San Marcos, is led by a second generation of Surkos, Jack and Kelly Surko-Guerra, and longtime Floor King team members James Brown and Kim Wanslow. Read more
October: North Austin's Hopsquad Brewing Co. aims to whip up the unorthodox
On June 19, hundreds of Austin FC fans packed into Hopsquad Brewing Co. and spilled into the brewery’s parking lot. Los Verdes, the fervent supporters group backing the upstart MLS team, was preparing for its first-ever march from Hopsquad to Q2 Stadium. The brewery, in turn, made a pale ale specifically for the occasion.
The home opener was a contrast from the previous months for Hopsquad. North Austin’s newest brewery debuted in December 2019, only a few months before the pandemic closed taprooms citywide. Read more
November: Szabo Woodworks: Crafter builds custom pieces made to last
Szabo Woodworks is a local woodworking business started by veteran Robert Szabo in December 2019 following his return from active duty in the Middle East with the Marines earlier that year.
Szabo started his woodworking journey with what he thought was a weekend-long kitchen cabinet project that ended up taking a year. He began woodworking as a way to keep his mind occupied and moving forward after returning from active duty. Read more
December: Woman-owned Reunion Barbershop in Northwest Austin focuses on inclusiveness for all hair types
Ashley “Ace” Gibbs knew she wanted to cut hair for a living at 5 years old.
After the death of her mother in 2007, she decided to get her cosmetology license. Years later, she decided to open her own place, Reunion Barbershop. Read more
Amy Denny, Grace Dickens, Iain Oldman and Greg Perliski contributed to these stories.
