BRYAN, Texas — Facing the Downtown Bryan strip, you’ll find Ronin—a farm-to-table restaurant that focuses on fresh food and ingredients.
“The restaurant we are in now was abandoned for a number of years, it was built in 1912 as [Brazos] county’s original ice-house, a lot of great history and a lot of great character,” Ronin owner Amanda Light said.
Now, Ronin is among the local businesses that could benefit from a new project. The city of Bryan is working to fund a Visitor's Center for a new Cultural Arts District. It will be located at the abandoned Kimball Feed Store. But with growth comes some growing pains.
“Downtown Bryan is a neat place to be, a great place to visit but now, there’s just no parking. Parking is a big issue,” Bryan resident Ed Wren said.
But as revitalization rolls on, Ronin's owner told15ABC’s Chris Talley more development is needed.
“An Arts District would be a huge compliment to everything the city is already doing. There is already a lot of character and individuality within the City of Bryan, a lot of great family-owned businesses and stories that are operating all throughout the downtown,” Light said.
The City of Bryan is currently discussing the future of this project, 15ABC will be sure to keep you updated on air and online as this story progresses.