BusinessCentral Austin

Royal Blue Grocery to close Sixth and Congress location in downtown Austin

Haley McLeod

1 min read

Published April 22, 2025 at 2:13 p.m. CTUpdated April 22, 2025

Royal Blue Grocery to close Sixth and Congress location in downtown Austin — Royal Blue Grocery will be closing the company's Congress Avenue location June 13. (Courtesy Royal Blue Grocery)

Royal Blue Grocery will be closing its location on Congress Avenue near Sixth Street in downtown Austin this summer due to public safety concerns and the lingering COVID-19 impact to business.

What they're saying

“The public safety crisis that was happening—very focused on Sixth Street and also Congress Avenue—really just put a lot of stress on the business and strain the relationship between us and our landlord,” co-owner Craig Staley said.

For nearly two decades, the bodega-style corner store has been serving the downtown area, offering everything from coffee, wine, grab-and-go meals, convenience items and more.

Staley said the Congress Avenue location has been an important fixture for many people that work in the area.

“There are a lot of people coming in asking us, ‘What am I going to do?'” he said, explaining that the landlord will not be renewing the lease.

Staley encourages patrons to visit the company's other six Central Austin locations, with the next nearest downtown locations within walking distance—one on West Third Street and the other on Brazos Street.