Coffee ride venue closes in north SA

After serving this part of San Antonio since 2007, the La Taza Java Coffee House closed its doors at the end of May. The lease was up and its owner Corrina Perez made the decision to close shop. It was a community meeting place for those of various interests including artists, authors, musicians, motivation speakers, cinematographers, and various social groups. It also served as a meeting place for business people to meet and conduct business over a cup of joe.

Amongst these groups were cyclists who rode from its parking lot that provided easy access to Timber Oak St. that in turn provided safe routes to McAllister Park and Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park. Once a rider reached McAllister Park, then a slew of choices lied ahead including a connection to the Salado Creek Greenway. The Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park bergs have been popular for cyclists for well over a decade.

La Taza Java Coffee Shop—SRR file photo

The rides faded as time passed. The ride groups would come and go. During 2008 and 2009, Air Force officers assigned to the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine's radiochemistry program accepted the challenges of unpaved dirt trails in McAllister Park that led to the rugged trails of Mud Creek. After a workout, they returned to the coffee house for orders that ranged from dripped coffee to expresso shots along with pastries. Due to BRAC, the base was closed and the military officers were transferred to other assignments.

Other cyclists have met at the coffee venue over the years to begin their rides. There were evening rides that usually started at 6 p.m. that trekked through Hill Country Village and Hollywood Park. Since 2017, the coffee house began closing at 5 p.m., and then eventually at 3 p.m., thus knocking it out as a start venue. Cyclists then moved their venue to the parking lot located behind the Clock Tower medical office complex at Winding Way and U.S. 281.

Occasionally, a handful of cyclists met for Saturday morning rides. Those rides were canceled due to the onslaught of COVID-19.

The idea of serving up java to cyclists is no secret. In Alamo Heights, Bike World and Local Coffee share the same venue—even with a wide opening that connects the bike shop and the coffee shop. In 2012, the Art of Java operated from the location of Thousand Oaks and U.S. 281 and served as a meeting place for cyclists. It closed in early 2013 when its owner Mike Sanders joined an engineering concern.

For a start location for cyclists, there will be none as easy as it had been from the parking lot of La Taza Java. The only venue that will eventually offer a direct access to the Hill Country Village—Hollywood Park routes is The Hoppy Monk, a bar. They have sponsored Tuesday night rides at various levels into the two bergs.

—SRR News Services