Why the Newest Bar in Houston Isn’t a Bar

A sudsy education center for the “beer curious,” Premium Draught tore the butcher paper from its windows and started pouring this week at 733 Studewood, the former Kaboom Books spot. The store shares a Heights strip center with the high-usage Antidote — and also shares the intersection of Studewood and East 7th 1/2 8th with the recently opened Sonoma Wine Bar. Premium Draught owner Johnny Orr realized he might have to rethink his plans to build the usual sit-and-stay-awhile bar. “After taking a look at the demographics of the surrounding neighborhood,” he tells Swamplot, “we opted to pursue this beer for carry-out business model instead. Parking in this town and in the immediate neighborhood around the store is minimal. As the White Oak corridor continues to develop we wanted to try and avoid the type of mess that has occurred on Washington. . . . The Heights did not need late night bar traffic clogging the streets.”

Photo: Allyn West

9 Comment

  • @Bill Shirley: Fixed now. Thanks!

  • Parking is minimal? There are block of easy street parking all around it. Granted you have to (gasp!) *walk* for three minutes.

  • I would like to think that the point is that you can walk, or ride a bicycle there and not have to fsck with parking at all, and your neighbors will thank you. I have been there 3 times since they opened (don’t judge) and walked over every time.

    I love my neighborhood because it is walkable even during summer although a lot of locals do drive and the tourists do make it unbearable. My neighbors were complaining about the pedestrian traffic the other day. Maybe I am missing the point of having a neighborhood such as the Heights. I can walk to a grocery store, restaurant, church (if we believed in one of the denominations) schools, library, shopping, you get the idea.

    If you do not like the neighborhood you live in do something about it, turn off the tv, sell the house, sell the car, sell the kids, find someone else.
    BTW support your local brewer!

  • Didn’t I used to do laundry there?

  • #328

    Tourists? From where exactly?

  • Woodlands, Sugarland, Kingwood, Galveston, etc., believe me, they are all over White Oak Drive and 19th St. on Saturdays, checking out our petting zoo of unique food and beverage spots. Stop by Revival, Onion Creek, Zelko or Liberty Kitchen and ask around. I like to call them “suburban tourists”.

  • Yay its open. Now to pick up a draught and head over to Happy Fatz (byob) for a clucker!

  • Roy, Webster the word people have some clever definition about one who tours for pleasure or culture.

    I on the other hand am not that clever. If you do not live or work in the Heights you are probably a tourist. If you have to drive to your destination 5-12 blocks away you are probably a tourist.