Few businesses have stood the test of time—and rising rent prices—in our rapidly changing city. Shops and eateries were closing their doors long before 2020 due to Austin’s cost of living, but the pandemic brought about a veritable mass graveyard of shuttered restaurants, stores, and companies.
Somehow, though, through rising prices, a changing neighborhood, and even the chaos that was Covid, one little shop in South Austin managed to survive it all.
It might have been magic.
The Herb Bar is a holistic haven that, until just weeks ago, had been in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood for nearly 40 years. It first opened its doors in 1986 and has been passed down from woman to woman, like some alchemical spell or old remedy, for decades.
A fresh start for The Herb Bar
Recently, the current owner, Megen Mundy, made the bold, scary, and necessary decision to move this old South Austin gem to the Cherrywood neighborhood, where they’re now open for business.
We had the pleasure of taking a tour of the new space, and though the old location in its centuries-old, ivy-covered building was iconic, this new, bright, airy, and (much more) spacious building is an absolute delight.
“We love Bouldin so much, but it’s a changing neighborhood,” Mundy says, as she pours us both a cup of Glow Up tea.
“It’s not really full of the hippies and musicians that it used to be.”
Mundy took over The Herb Bar from previous owner Twila Willis about three years ago, and within just a few days of her taking over the shop, they got a new landlord and the rent skyrocketed.
“I also always felt like we were limited in such a small space,” adds Mundy. “I wanted us to make more of our own products, but we were limited there.”
Room to create and gather
Said products include teas and tinctures, candles, and incense. They also sell things like tarot cards, books on spirituality and witchcraft, candles, salt lamps, herbs, sage, crystals, spells and spellbooks, jewelry, and more. It is a modern witches’ haven; a new age Austinite’s gift shop.
And in the location, they certainly have space to create their products, and more.
The new building, located at 3200 Merrie Lynn Ave. in Cherrywood, is a charming, old, blue house with a bright, sunny yellow door. The inside is full of natural light, multiple rooms, a beautiful, wooden bar for tea and drinks, a backroom full of herbal remedies and tinctures; it even has an office for Mundy and her associates; and perhaps most magical of all, a bathroom– with reliable plumbing– for employees and customers alike.
“The old building was so charming but people don’t realize, it was literally held up by duct tape behind the scenes,” Mundy laughs. “So there is something nice about being in a building where all of the sockets and plumbing actually work!”
Behind the main building is a spacious, lush yard, where Mundy plans to host night markets and events, and in the yard is a separate studio space including a kitchen, where Mundy’s team can finally create as they wish.
Growing into the neighborhood
“My big focus has always been wanting to make our own products and get them into other places. So we’re just really excited to grow the business,” she says.
Since The Herb Bar only just opened its doors for business, and is still trying to let customers know that they have moved locations, they’re viewing May as a month to settle in and feel out the vibe of the new neighborhood, before jumping back into hosting events.
“(Cherrywood) kind of reminds me of the neighborhood where the old shop used to be,” she says, noting the multiple quirky and unique businesses in the area, the fresh energy, the constant activity going on, and the young crowd of hippies and hipsters alike.
Right now, Mundy and her team are scheming up a night market/grand opening party for sometime in June, with an exact date to be announced.
“We’re just excited to be here, honestly. It’s such a great neighborhood,” she says. To learn more about The Herb Bar, visit their newly revamped website or follow them on Instagram for the latest news and events.
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