This story has been updated.
The historic Pearl Stable, which once was home to draft horses and more recently community and social events, will be converted into a 1,000-seat music venue set to open in spring 2023.
The 128-year-old building will showcase local musicians and national touring acts, officials said at a press conference Tuesday morning. Plans were also announced for a German-style outdoor biergarten.
“This place always had something to do with music in San Antonio,” said Elizabeth Fauerso, CEO of Pearl Commercial, the arm that oversees the former brewery’s food, beverage and entertainment. “We carry with us this really special acknowledgement of how important San Antonio music is in the landscape of music in Texas and in the whole country.”
The Stable was designed by architect Otto Kraemer and constructed in 1894 to house the brewery’s team of horses. In 2006, the structure was restored and converted into an event venue. Since then, it has hosted countless luncheons, fundraisers and special events.
“We’re taking this special space and honoring the history of it, and then transforming it into what will be one of the most beautiful places to hear and play music,” Fauerso said.
In July 2020, Pearl officials closed the Stable as a private venue, saying they would “reimagine the next chapter of the Stable with the intention of reopening as a new concept.” The Stable’s revamp comes as the former brewery is developing a green space between the Stable and the Full Goods Building in what had been a parking lot.
The redesign of the Stable will feature a new stage but keep some original contents, including the wood ceiling, and will feature hand-painted murals and wooden floors. The Stable will also be equipped with a greenroom for performers, and bars and pre-function areas surrounding the performance hall, Pearl officials said Tuesday.
San Antonio-born rockabilly artist Rosie Flores, who performed her song “Bandera Highway” for the crowd gathered for the press conference outside the Stable building, said she cannot wait for the day she can return and perform in the hall.
The outdoor biergarten will contain long tables and benches and will offer traditional Texan and German Hill Country fare like kolaches, bratwurst, pretzels, craft beer and more.
Dallas-based WoodHouse will operate what officials said would become a “world-class” music venue. WoodHouse principal Brandt Wood has developed entertainment and hospitality venues in Dallas and a music festival in Tennessee.
“With San Antonio and the region’s rich music history and Pearl’s now legendary status as a cultural mecca, the time has come for a music venue of this size and caliber,” Wood stated in a press release. “Stable Hall ushers in a rising tide of music in San Antonio, and we are honored to lead it.”
Pearl officials said music genres will be a diverse assortment of Latin, blues, alt-country, Americana, R&B, pop, indie and singer-songwriters.
Reporter Raquel Torres contributed to this article.
