AUSTIN, Texas — In the North Austin neighborhood of Anderson Mill sits the Woodland Center, a quaint, L-shaped shopping strip. Tenants include the Austin Aquarium, Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, Indigo Play, The UPS Store and, most recently, Swig — a “dirty soda” shop that shot to virality for its ties to Mormon and Utah culture, especially on the hit show “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

According to its franchise owner, Swig has revitalized the Woodland Center. But some nearby businesses, including employees and customers of Half Price Books, are struggling to enjoy that alleged boost as Swig’s drive-thru line snakes around the complex.

Since its soft opening in late January, Swig has drawn steady, sometimes lengthy lines. The Anderson Mill store, Austin’s first, held its grand opening Feb. 13. It’s owned by ZL Ventures, LLC, a Swig franchisee that plans to open additional locations in Hutto in May or June and in Leander in late 2026 or early 2027.

What You Need To Know

The Anderson Mill location is Austin’s first Swig and celebrated its grand opening on Feb. 13

TikTok users posted videos of 30 to 60 minute waits in the drive-thru line during Swig’s soft opening

A manager at the nearby Half Price Books said Swig’s long lines sometimes wrap around the building, blocking the bookstore’s entrance ramp and customers’ cars

The location’s franchise owner said Swig has brought new life to the shopping complex and voiced concerns about other tenants

TikTok users documented the early crowds. One walked the length of the drive-thru line in January, from Swig to past Half Price Books, which anchors the corner of the L-shaped strip toward the Austin Aquarium. Another filmed cars wrapping around a back parking lot intended for employees of the center’s businesses.

A third TikTok user timed a 50-minute wait and zoomed in on a Half Price Books sign placed outside the Half Price Books that read: “Please do NOT block the entrance ramp! Thanks!”

A manager for the Anderson Mill Half Price Books told Spectrum News 1 the Swig drive-thru line has at times blocked the store’s entrance ramp and customers’ cars, especially on busy weekends.

“We’ve had several customer complaints about just all the traffic, having a harder time finding spots to park,” the manager, who requested to remain anonymous, said. “I personally got blocked in one day. [It] took me like five minutes to get out because I had to wait for all the cars to move and then someone’s trying to make a U-turn to get into the line, and it was a little stressful.”

Google reviews of Swig echo the parking concerns, with some calling it “too crowded” and claiming the line “is blocking anyone from doing anything.” Others praised the staff and said the long line moved quickly and efficiently. 

Ahead of the grand opening, the Half Price Books manager said she worried about “even more craziness.” However, she said visiting Swig corporate employees, who visited Half Price Books a few days prior to announce the opening, listened to her concerns.

“I explained how the cars had been blocking our ramp… so when they had their grand opening, they had a lot more people out directing traffic, and it went a little bit more smoothly,” the manager said.

Lucas Hendricks, managing partner of ZL Ventures, confirmed that Swig has implemented cones, signage and staff to direct traffic. He also said he is “honestly unaware of what adverse effects our drive-thru line is causing for the other businesses,” including not knowing about the Half Price Books ramp sign.

“In the six months we’ve had this location leased, I’ve never seen anyone use the ramp,” Hendricks wrote in an email to Spectrum News 1. “Ultimately, I think our drive-thru is operating efficiently.”

Hendricks said the path of Swig’s drive-thru line received approval from the City of Austin, complies with property management requirements and doesn’t block fire lanes or parking stalls.

Hendricks also raised concerns about other businesses/tenants in the Woodland Center, alleging instances of stolen or damaged property, verbal abuse toward young Swig employees by non-Swig delivery drivers and unauthorized employee parking in the back lot.

“A lot of the other tenants in this building were frustrated when we first moved in due to the required changes that needed to be made on their end,” Hendricks said. “Those changes weren’t based on anything we were doing wrong.”

The Anderson Mill Swig will continue refining operations while following city and property management rules, Hendricks said, but will not “apologize for having a lot of customers.”

“What the neighboring tenants aren’t mentioning is how much more brand awareness and ultimately business they’ve gotten since we opened,” Hendricks said. “With the exception of UPS, most of our neighboring tenants weren’t seeing much traffic, and now this parking lot is booming.”