Flix Brewhouse was announced as the Co-Op District’s entertainment complex at Thursday night’s Hutto City Council meeting.
Hutto Economic Development Corporation Chair Bill Gravell and Flix Brewhouse Senior Vice President Real Estate and Brand Development Matt Silvers made the announcement with a presentation for council members and the general public.
The movie theater chain offers craft beer brewed in-house as well as dining options for moviegoers. Silvers floated the possibility of brewing a "Hippo Hefeweizen" at the Hutto movie theater during his presentation.
"Flix isn’t just about beer, movies and food," Silver said. "We have a whole bunch of alternative programming offered up."
Silvers did not specify how many theaters and seats the Hutto Flix Brewhouse location will offer, but estimated that 6,000 to 7,000 customers will visit the site every week.
Per Gravell, Hutto's Flix Brewhouse will be 39,000 square feet and will employ anywhere from 150 to 200 people. Part of the economic development agreement, according to the Hutto EDC chairman, mandates the movie theater hire a certain percentage of Hutto ISD and local college students.
"Every high school kid that lives in Hutto, Texas, will no longer have to go to Round Rock or Taylor for a job… they will be able to do that right here in Hutto," Gravell said Thursday night.
This is the second tenant announced for the upcoming Co-Op District, a $210 million mixed-use development on the north side of Hwy. 79, just west of downtown Hutto.
Earlier this month, Hutto officials unveiled Elgin-based Southside Market & Barbeque as the development’s first tenant, slated to open April 1, 2019. Additionally, the new Hutto City Hall is scheduled to open at the Co-Op District in December this year.
"We’re excited to work on [the Co-Op District] with you and to be a part of it," Silvers said.
The Flix Brewhouse location will be the first movie theater in Hutto. The closest theater to Hutto is currently the Cinemark Stone Hill Town Center— more than 5 miles away from downtown Hutto. The Howard Theatre in Taylor and the Cinemark Movies 8 in Round Rock are both more than 8 miles outside of town.
Flix Brewhouse has a location in Round Rock off Hesters Crossing Road. That location features nine screens and in 2016 expanded its brewing capacity by 50 percent to include a 7-barrel prospero system as well as adding a 15-barrel fermenter and two additional serving tanks. Several of Flix Brewhouse's craft beers have gone on to win awards.
In all, Flix Brewhouse has eight separate locations, including three in Texas.
No timeline was given for construction or an opening date.