Austin is losing another of its beloved coffee shops and important community spaces with the announcement that Brentwood Social House will be winding down operations.
In a letter posted to Brentwood’s website and Instagram account, founder and owner Suzanne Daniels wrote that “I no longer have the capacity – emotionally, mentally, or financially – to continue carrying it forward in the same way.”
Daniels added that, when she opened the cafe in 2015, she envisioned it as “a physical space to foster connection.” She continued, “Over the last 10 years, Brentwood Social House has become so much more than a coffee shop. It’s been a place for connection, comfort, conversation, creativity, celebration, and community.”
Located at the corner of West Koenig and Arroyo Seco, Brentwood Social House became a unique gathering space for the Allandale, Crestview, North Shoal Creek, and Wooten neighborhoods. Its calming ambience and menu, with the signature Fat Rascal, brought the classic British corner teashop to North Central Austin. In the last few weeks alone, it’s hosted live musical performances and a launch party for Michael Gailinas’ newest album, Seraphic Serenade, as well as yoga classes, crafting classes, tarot readings, chair massages, and pop-up arts markets. Kids would clamber over the pirate ship jungle gym out back. Then there’s the community pantry, one of the best used in the city, constantly refilled by neighbors who wanted to support their neighbors. Brentwood became, in the most meaningful sense, a true community hub.
Tragically, economics do not care about community. Daniels cited the same problems that all independent businesses are facing, especially after the financial tsunami of the pandemic: “Rising costs, changing consumer spending habits, increased competition from large corporations and investor-backed concepts, and the growing cost of simply existing.”
She also pointed specifically to the loss of what she called “third spaces” – community-centric businesses that combine performance, exhibition, and gathering spaces under the roof of a working coffee shop. In the last year, this pattern has been repeated as two similar community institutions, Genuine Joe Coffeehouse on Anderson and the Hideout on Congress, have lost their long-established homes.
Luckily, Genuine Joe was able to relocate and is now sharing space with Russell’s Bakery at Northcross Mall. Meanwhile, the Hideout has moved its standup comedy classes and shows to its annex on North Lamar and is currently running a fundraiser to pay for a new coffee shop location.
Daniels has not announced an exact closing date as she still has hopes that Brentwood, or at least the location, may still have a future. She asks that people with potential business options contact her at info@brentwoodsocial.com, while anyone interested in taking over the sublease can reach out to Laura Fairbanks of KW Commercial (laura@fairbankscommercial.com).
