As Bastrop's Main Street finds its voice business come and go

Downtown Bastrop has gone through a transformation over the last 12 months, evolving from what some call its “ugly teenage years” and into a hub of stable small businesses expecting to last into the future.

The clutch of tenants and businesses in the area has undergone significant turnover with businesses closing and others filling vacancies. A dreadlock studio at 601 Chestnut St. was replaced by 601 Cyclery in February; an art gallery closed its doors last year; the Bastrop Beer Co. settled into its 1008 Main St. digs in spring; Viejo’s Tacos y Tequila called it quits earlier this year; The Hub, a shared workspace and coffee shop, held a ribbon-cutting celebration in February.

Downtown’s latest shuffle has led to the closure of Main Street Cafe due to unresolved building maintenance, the restaurant announced in a Facebook post earlier this month. That location, at 1006 Main St., is expected to house a still-unnamed restaurant and grill, said Bastrop Main Street Program Director Sarah O’Brien.

“I think there’s always an ebb and flow in downtown revitalization,” O’Brien said. “Unfortunately, in the early part of the year, we had several businesses that closed, but we’ve had a lot of positive momentum.”

Though vacancies still dot the streetscapes, the list of businesses recently added to downtown’s roster goes on: The R.A. Green Mercantile on Main Street is home to several new shops, Copper Shot Distillery moved into its new location near Chestnut Street, and Southern Edge Boutique, a women’s clothing store, opened its storefront in early 2018.

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It’s all part of becoming a mature downtown destination that can lure Texas 71 drivers off the highway and into the historic setting.

“Downtown revitalization is an evolution,” O’Brien said. “When you become a mature downtown environment that is a destination for shopping, dining and retail, and arts and history, you’re going to have a natural turnover of businesses as property values increase and rental rates go up.”

“Unfortunately, we’re going to have some businesses that are very passionate and talented, but they will just not make the transition,” she said.

Since opening his bicycle repair business in February, Matthew Brooks — owner, operator and sole proprietor of 601 Cyclery, the only bike shop in Bastrop County — has experienced the challenges of being a small business in downtown firsthand.

Brooks opened his business after three years of living in Bastrop and repairing bikes as an independent contractor. Business is good, he says. His customers hail from Austin and all parts of the county looking for a quick turnaround on bike repairs.

An Alaskan native by way of Hawaii, he can tell when a town’s on the verge of a tourism and recreation boom. When he looks at Bastrop, “I see a lot of potential. I see a lot of growth,” he said.

Among several challenges of launching a business is hiring employees, Brooks said.

“It’s a little bit of a balancing act, because in order (for the city) to grow, it has to provide the businesses. But to provide the businesses, it has to have the workforce. But the workforce isn’t here yet. So, which comes first: the chicken or the egg?” he said.

It’s a challenge shared by several small businesses, O’Brien said, adding that restaurant employees are often cycling between businesses to make up for the labor shortage.

“It’s all part of the growing up. It’s part of the ugly teenage years, and I’m hopeful that with the help of the small-business revolution and the community’s commitment to downtown and our small business community, that we are starting to grow out of those teenage years,” O’Brien said.

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