One of San Antonio’s favorite craft beer bars is tapping out of Southtown. The Filling Station, a 14-year fixture of the King William District, will shutter March 21, according to an employee.
The news first surfaced on the r/sanantonio subreddit. Reportedly, owners Stacie and Jon Rowe opted not to renew the lease on the former Texaco gas station. Still, San Antonians shouldn’t completely panic. Station Cafe, the couple’s sandwich shop, will remain open.
The Filling Station first got its start as an early incarnation of Station Cafe in 2006, serving pizza, salads, and housemade desserts made in a cramped 400-square-foot space. The sandwich specials became so popular that lines soon snaked around the block.
In 2011, the Rowes moved the restaurant next door to 108 King William. It still serves pizza, but sandwiches like the spicy Turkey Chupacabra and the Station Muffaletta are its biggest draw — earning it plaudits like a recent Tastemaker Awards nomination for making the city’s best sandwich.
The next-door bar, meanwhile, started drawing its own crowd, especially among San Antonio’s cycling community. Southtown neighbors made it a regular haunt for pints and a snacky menu of slices and giant hot dogs.
But since the COVID-19 pandemic, San Antonio’s craft beer business has been cratering, resulting in the closures of many of the city’s independent brewers. Before its shutter announcement, The Filling Station was one of the few local bars focused on beer.
The Filling Station Tap Room at 701 S. St. Mary’s St. will operate with regular hours until its closing day. Fans can grab a brew Mondays through Thursdays and Saturdays, 5 pm-midnight, and Fridays, 2 pm-midnight.