Brian Knowles started Terrible Love Coffee in 2021 before expanding to open Terrible Love Wine in September 2026. (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact)
Austin business owner Brian Knowles launched a new concept in Hyde Park last month. The Terrible Love brand has grown from coffee to wine—now featuring unique pours at the Baker Center. In opening Terrible Love Wine, Knowles aims to build a communal gathering space for neighbors to enjoy.
“Hopefully people see us as a neighborhood bar and [it] makes sense that somebody who stops by in the morning for a coffee [is] able to walk over here for a drink at night.”
The Context
Brian Knowles started Terrible Love Coffee in 2021 as a coffee trailer in East Austin before moving to the Baker Center in 2023. Karrie and Tim League, owners of the Baker Center, encouraged Knowles to convert the building’s former boiler house into a fully functioning coffee shop, which Knowles did in 2024.
Knowles always thought the space next to Terrible Love Coffee would make a great wine bar since his early days of operating at the Baker Center, formerly known as the Baker School. Last year, when tenants in the current Terrible Love Wine space relocated, Knowles started planning the building’s transformation. Terrible Love Wine officially opened in the Baker School's band building in September.
“I do love wine, but not to the point where I ever thought I would own a wine bar,” Knowles said. “It was never a goal of mine, but seeing this building, I used to just envision it so easily it just looked like a wine bar to me. It's such a unique building. I just couldn't resist it.”
The Baker School opened in 1911, while the music building, which is now Terrible Love Wine, was constructed in 1958. (Katlynn Fox/Community Impact)
Looking for a libation?
Terrible Love Wine is serving up a selection of champagne and sparkling red, white and rosé wines. Patrons can also find orange wines and non-sparkling red, white and rosés. The wine bar has a few dessert wines, local rotating beers, low ABV drinks, non-alcoholic wines and cold brew on draft.
The low-ABV beverages include the sake-based GBSS, made with rosemary brown sugar simple syrup, grapefruit juice and bitters. Other low-alcohol options include the I Saw a Skull, crafted with Blanc vermouth, cold brew, spiced fig simple syrup and soda.
The wine bar allows customers to taste multiple wines before making a selection, Knowles said. The staff wants everyone to be happy with what they’re getting.
(Courtesy Terrible Love Wine)
What’s special about it?
Wine offerings were built out entirely by wine director Kendall Jackson, who joined the Terrible Love team in June. Knowles and Jackson wanted to feature wines from unexpected regions, he said. Terrible Love offers wine from Mexico, Japan and Palestine, as well as a Chromatic, ‘No. 2’ 2025 from Chile and a Bodega Breseti, ‘Vino Naranja’ 2025 from Uruguay.
“It's a lot of fun to be able to introduce people to regions that they don't necessarily have any experience with,” Knowles said.
Jackson wanted the menu to be both approachable and dynamic, she explained. The hope is for everyone to find something they like, while always being exposed to new offerings. The by-the-glass menu changes frequently, Jackson said, with some wines switching out weekly.
“Most of the wines in here are low-intervention [and] small production, things you're not going to find in the grocery store or at most other places in town,” Jackson said.
Terrible Love Wine serves charcuterie boards with cheese, meat, crackers and an assortment of snacks ($35). (Courtesy Terrible Love Wine)
What’s on the menu
The food menu features some classic light-bite offerings like a cheese plate, tinned fish and charcuterie. The charcuterie board is made with three cheeses, two meats, crackers and an assortment of snacks. Terrible Love Wine also serves up the Nougatine Bakery baguette multiple ways, including buttered and as a ham sandwich. The Jambon Beurre is served with Paris-style ham, butter and cornichons.
One more thing
Terrible Love Wine is open Monday-Thursday from 4-10 p.m., Friday 4 p.m.-midnight, Saturday 2 p.m.-midnight and Sunday 2-10 p.m. The wine bar is 21+ at all times, according to Knowles.
