2/3/24 – this blog has been corrected
Are you curious about what’s happening to 267 E. Jefferson St.? The City of Van Alstyne owns this building previously occupied by the Van Alstyne Historical Museum. The city is hearing proposals to determine who will occupy/own the old museum location. The city had had 2 proposals from Kimber Creek Gift Store & Wine Bar and Cooley Bay Winery presented at the city council meetings for businesses who would like to occupy/own 267 E. Jefferson Street.
Kimber Creek Gift Store & Wine Bar
On January 9th, Kimber Creek made a presentation before the city council discussing their business proposal for what they envision if they occupied the space. Kimber Creek would like to open a Gift Store and Wine Bar in downtown Van Alstyne. Kimber Creek currently has a retail store in Bowie, Texas that opened in 2017. Their store in Bowie was destroyed by a tornado in May of 2020 in which the roof was taken off and the front collapsed. They rebuilt their store, added a wine bar and reopened in August 2022.
They envision their Van Alstyne Store to be a charming gift store with the sophistication of a carefully selected wine collection. They want Kimber Creek to not just be a place to enjoy exceptional wines and discover the perfect gift for family and friends, but also an experience that captures the spirit of community, celebration and exploration. They want to create a hub for the community where people can come together to commemorate life’s special moments, unearth one-of-a-kind treasures, and create lasting memories.
Their wine bar will boast an exceptional collection of wines from local vineyards and renowned international winemakers. You will be able to elevate your wine tasting with charcuterie boards. It will be a cozy and welcoming place to hang out with your friends or enjoy a glass of wine. They envision having space perfect for any occasion with intimate corners to communal tables.
They envision the gift shop to be a place where you can shop locally crafted art, jewelry, and seasonal decor that will compliment any home. They want their meticulously chosen items to bring a sense of joy and awe to their customers. They hope to make it a fantastic place to shop local for gifts and wine.
You can read through their entire proposal by clicking here for the the City of Van Alstyne Website.
Cooley Bay Winery
On January 30th, Cooley Bay Winery made a presentation before the city council discussing their proposal for what they envision if they occupied the space. Cooley Bay Winery would like to turn 267 E. Jefferson Street into a cozy and relaxed space with a speakeasy type of vibe. They want to preserve the character of the building and to have comfortable areas to sit in small groups as well as plenty of table seating and bar seating. They want to repurpose their current space on Collin McKinney Parkway into an event/production space. They want to transfer the storage of their wines to the downtown location, freeing up space in Collin McKinney Parkway location for wine-making.
The downtown location would allow them to expand their list of wines and serve small plates, boards, flat-breads and sweets. They would renovate the exterior facade to remove the old awning & posts and replace with black and white striped awning. They would paint the facade an off-white color and paint the window frames black or possibly replace with full-height black windows. They envision opening this location by August 2024 if they are chosen. They would be open to expanding their hours, currently they are open Thursday through Sunday.
You can read through their entire proposal by clicking here for the City of Van Alstyne website.
Fun Facts about 267 E. Jefferson Street
Did you know that the building was previously a domino parlor? What is a domino parlor? If you are like me, you might never have heard of such a place. I found this great article that explains the history of a domino parlor: https://roscoehardtimes.blogspot.com/2011/01/down-memory-lane-remembering-roscoes.html from Roscoe, TX. For a penny or a nickle, you could play a game of domino’s “matching ends”. Tables were set-up with domino’s and bead counters for keeping score. 4 players to a table and you’d play partners with the player across from you. Domino parlors were typically a gathering place for men.
Next Steps
The City of Van Alstyne did not indicate if there were other businesses that they were going to consider or if it was just between these two businesses. Nor did the city discuss in their council meeting when they would make a decision. As soon as I hear the next steps on what’s happening to 267 E. Jefferson St, I’ll update this blog and let you know.
Correction to Blog 2/3/24: The mayor said that the city does not want to be a landlord and they are selling the building. They want to see the concepts of what the business who would be buying the building would do if they were to become the new owners. Sorry for the incorrect information previously given!!
To Read an Update On What Happened – Did Anyone Purchase the Building Yet? Read my new blog post at: https://livinginvanalstyne.com/2024/09/05/update-on-old-history-museum-building/
7 Responses
Kimber Creek seems much more appealing with different types of wine. I do not particularly care for Cooley Bay or their hours (closing at 9 pm on weekends). I love the idea of a wine bar downtown. I think the gift shop would be a bonus.
Love the Kimber Creek idea as they will have international wine selection.
What the mayor attempted to convey is that the city does intend to sell the building but will consider more than just the selling price. The city wants to see a compelling concept for how the building will be used and how it will then bring people into downtown Van Alstyne. The city does not want to be a landlord for this building.
Hi Mayor Jim, Oh my goodness! I didn’t understand that at all from either city council meeting! I’m so sorry that I wrote this incorrectly, I will update my blog post. Thank you for clarifying and letting me know! Katricia
My vote goes to Cooley Bay, stay local as they have done a lot within the community already!
While new business is nice, I love the idea of keeping it local for Cooley Bay…I just wish they would have the option of a Miller Lite or some sort of beer for some of the guys so more dates can be had vs always a ladies night! I know guys who would go but they are not into wine.