Bay Area Brewing Co. invites Texans to support local brews this Small Business Saturday

A limited-edition pint glass showcasing artwork by artist Savannah Garza is now on sale, with each purchase helping raise money for the Texas Craft Brewers Guild

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — At Bay Area Brewing Co. in Rockport, customers come for a cold beer — and often end up meeting Spur, the brewery’s one-spurred rooster who struts through the bar like he runs the place. He’s become a familiar sight for regulars and a symbol of the community spirit the owners say defines the business.

“He goes up in his oak tree every night. He’s part of the family here,” said co-owner Will Amaya. “Everybody that comes knows him. He’s real popular.”

This Small Business Saturday, the brewery is joining a statewide effort to support Texas craft breweries. Each year, participating breweries sell a limited-edition pint glass, with at least one dollar from every purchase going to the Texas Craft Brewers Guild — a nonprofit that advocates for small, independent brewers.

“Being a part of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild aligns you with a network of other breweries,” Will said. “There’s education, advocacy — it really supports Texas small craft breweries.”

This year’s pint glass features artwork selected from statewide submissions.

“The glass was designed by a local artist, Savannah Garza, and her design was chosen for this season’s Small Business Saturday glass,” Will Amaya said.

For owners Diedra and Will Amaya, running a brewery has never just been about beer. They say it’s about building a sense of belonging — and keeping small businesses alive in the Coastal Bend.

“One of the biggest things for us when we opened was being a community business,” said Diedra. “We got involved with the Texas Craft Brewers Guild right away and made it a priority for Will to become a regional coordinator for South Texas.”

With every pour and every visit, the Amayas say customers are contributing to something larger — supporting local jobs, local artists and local brewers.

This Small Business Saturday, they hope Texans will raise a glass not just for the beer, but for the small businesses behind it — each one as unique as Spur himself.