City of San Antonio calls East Side bar Twin Sisters Cantina a "nuisance," orders demolition

The East Side’s Twin Sisters Cantina will be torn down following an order from the city deeming the environment around the business “dangerous,” the San Antonio Express-News reports.

City officials and the police have responded to more than 300 calls in recent years reporting disturbances, shootings and other criminal activity at the bar, the Express-News reports. Co-owner Israel Isaiah Castro told the daily he already planned to close the business, located at 1701 S. Hackberry St., due to recent troubles.

“It was never my intention to own a place that was that dangerous. I wanted something a lot nicer for the community … in the end, it turned into something I could not stop or control,” Castro said. “I’ve had my life almost taken there a few times.”

The city's Dangerous Assessment Response Team visited the establishment and took photos that showed poor condition inside and outside, including blood on the ground, trash and poor construction, the Express-News reports.

On Feb. 10, the Building Standards Board — a group of citizens who hear appeals from building owners who are in alleged violation of property maintenance codes — ordered the structure demolished because it was a "dangerous premise" and "public nuisance,” according to the story.

Twin Sisters Cantina has a history of being closed down by authorities.

In March 2020, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission shuttered the tavern due to permit issues and alleged public safety violations, including narcotics sales and consumption of alcohol during prohibited hours.

The demolition of the building will occur after the tenant is formally evicted, something expected in March, the Express-News reports.

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