Lowcountry's closure marks a shift in Southtown

Zoom in: The small bar in an old house is distinctly San Antonio and was one of the first spots I gravitated toward time and time again after I moved here.

• The bartenders make great drinks at some of the best prices around for the quality. My time in this city feels tied to sitting on the back patio, listening to live music and catching a view of the Tower of the Americas.
• I stopped in last week feeling indecisive on what to order. The bartender picked up on my vibe and said, "I got you." He delivered the perfect drink — a naked and famous — for $13, the high end of what I'd usually pay for a cocktail here. I wouldn't have known to ask for it.

The big picture: An NBA arena surrounded by apartment complexes and new development is headed for Hemisfair, a half-mile from Lowcountry. The area could grow more expensive.

• When Lowcountry announced its closure, owners wrote on Instagram, "Landlords gonna landlord."

The bottom line: Bars come and go all the time, but this loss hits especially hard for a lot of San Antonians who like an unpretentious hangout with solid drinks for reasonable prices.