Amazon Is Creating a Texas Town With a Tex-Mex/Barbecue Restaurant, Bars, and a Gas Station Mini-Mart for SXSW

Streaming service Amazon Prime Video is setting up two food-and-drink-related events during South by Southwest this month. First, there is what the company is calling Prime, TX, a fictional city in the state, with cocktails, food, and pies. And then there will be the creation of a gas station market for the new limited series, Swarm, created by Janine Nabers and Donald Glover, with snacks.

Prime, TX is taking its cues from the service’s streaming shows. There will be three bars, the Six Saloon (from the new show Daisy Jones & the Six, based on the book of the same name about a band in the 1970s); the XXXclusive Bar (for superhero satire series The Boys, the menu is described as “risqué”); and the Tavern Bar (for the Academy of Country Music Awards, expect Southern-ish drinks). The drinks are being created by Austin service Cantaloupe Island Cocktails.

Prime, TX’s restaurant will be the Prime Cantina, in conjunction with third-party delivery company Grubhub. It’ll have a Tex-Mex and barbecue menu created by Austin company Contigo Catering. And then, for desserts, there will be the Cousins Beach Pie Stand with offerings from Austin bakery Tiny Pies. It’s stemming from the series The Summer I Turned Pretty, based on the young adult book series of the same name.

Prime, TX takes place at the Hotel San Jose at 1316 South Congress Avenue from Friday, March 10 through Sunday, March 12. Mayor Kirk Watson is even going to accept a key to the city on its first day. Its hours will be from noon to 6 p.m. that Friday and Saturday, and then from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

And then, Swarm’s event is based on Prime’s new series about a Houstonian fan, Dre (played by Dominique Fishback) becomes obsessed with a pop star Ni’Jah (played by Nirine S. Brown).

The hotel lobby will be turned into a recreation of a gas station and mini-mart where Dre shops for her favorite snacks. Attendees will get customized money to “buy” stuff from the market, including Cheetos, Cheez-Its, and sodas.

The Swarm pop-up takes place at the Austin Motel at 1220 South Congress Avenue from Friday, March 10 through Saturday, March 11. Its hours will be from noon to 3 p.m. that Monday and then from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. The show is also premiering at SXSW on Friday, March 10.

Other SXSW pop-ups include the Yellowjackets’s camp and barbecue one and Roku’s screensaver city recreation.