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San Antonio’s 93-year-old Esquire Tavern has new owner
By Sanford Nowlin at San Antonio Current (alt-weekly)
· July 8, 2026
· 1 min read
Downtown’s historic Esquire Tavern has changed hands, and the new owner is a familiar face: longtime operator and beverage director Stephan Mendez. Mendez took ownership of both the Commerce Street landmark — home to Texas’ longest wooden bar top — and its basement haunt Downstairs from architect...
Key takeaway Hill bought and restored the […] The post San Antonio ’s 93-year-old Esquire Tavern has new owner appeared first on San Antonio Current.
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Original reporting by San Antonio Current (alt-weekly) . The San Antonio surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
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Category: local ·
Published: July 8, 2026 ·
Source: San Antonio Current (alt-weekly) ·
Reading time: 1 min
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Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? Downtown’s historic Esquire Tavern has changed hands, and the new owner is a familiar face: longtime operator and beverage director Stephan Mendez. Mendez took ownership of both the Commerce Street landmark — home to Texas’ longest wooden bar top — and its basement haunt Downstairs from architect...
When was this published? This article was first published on July 8, 2026 by San Antonio Current (alt-weekly) and curated for The San Antonio readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by Sanford Nowlin at San Antonio Current (alt-weekly). To learn more about how The San Antonio selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The San Antonio, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
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