Violet Crown, a new wine bar and coffee shop, will soon be opening in the Brentwood area of Austin, as first reported by Eater earlier this month. The establishment will be replacing the similarly-named Violet Crown Clubhouse at 7100 Woodrow Avenue.
“I can give scant details,” Owner Chris Nagelhout tells What Now Austin. “We’re still finalizing our branding and marketing package. When that’s ready, then we’ll be much more public about the establishment.”
Staying away from inquiring about hard details of the restaurant’s offerings and identity, What Now Austin asked Mr. Nagelhout about his relationship with the space before acquiring it.
“I grew up in the neighborhood, went to Brentwood Elementary. There’s a lot of history in this commercial space, including a mural that tells the story of the neighborhood.”
“After college, I bought a house on the same street I grew up in, here in the Brentwood neighborhood. The space the Violet Crown will be in has this wonderful 1950s charm, with wonderful natural light, big storefront windows — it used to be the old pharmacy. My husband and I always wanted to open a café and felt that this was the perfect place to do it.”
When asked why he will preserve the name “Violet Crown”, Mr. Nagelhout offers a simple answer.
“The name Violet Crown will remain because the original neighborhood name was Violet Crown Heights. So this maintains the connection to the community, whether people know it or not.”
And what can readers expect to be served at the Violet Crown?
“The main concept will be a wine bar, emphasizing natural wine, and a specialty coffee program. The food offering will be minimal — we’ll have some cheese boards, charcuterie, and olives, for example.”
Readers can anticipate the new establishment to be up and running in April 2023.
