Jonabelle Timms wants to inspire you. As the founder of cosmetic studio Beauty Haus and matcha bar Zen Haus (its sister business downstairs), Timms has been attracting thousands of locals to monthly night markets in a quest to amplify artistry and the “collective” in San Antonio. Her goal? To provide locals with an opportunity to find things they can’t get anywhere else, and to spotlight creatives by giving them a space to shine.
“The greatest intention was to create something unique, bringing an experience that San Antonio hadn’t seen before,” Timms, a born-and-raised San Antonian, told MySA. She said the markets are an “act of love” to the Alamo City.
The markets, held every third Friday of the month on the first three floors of the building and the area around it, run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. — a time frame that Timms said was selected simply to escape the summer heat. But it’s also after business hours, allowing more folks the chance to swing by. Timms, who opened Beauty Haus in August 2021, describes herself as a spontaneous person who jumps on ideas as soon as they present themselves. That’s why, within weeks of being in business, the night markets began to light up St. Paul Square. It’s only grown since, especially after the opening of Zen Haus in November 2023.
“Beauty Haus is the founder and really [the] forefront of the night market, but Zen Haus is a beautiful attribute to it, because we’re able to serve beverages and almost have a unique space that people can go in and chat and meet and friends and kind of relax and look over the things that they bought at the market,” Timms told MySA.
What are night markets in San Antonio?
For variety’s sake, vendors at the night markets seldom repeat, and Timms told MySA that each month follows a new theme. In the spring, the “Haus in Bloom” markets took their name and inspiration from seasonal flowers like lavender, daffodils and magnolias. This summer, it’s all about mangos, strawberries and guava. And for each market, Zen Haus creates a special lemonade flavor to go hand-in-hand with the theme. Timms said vendors — anywhere from 40 to 50 for a given market — will often take the theme and run, cooking up flavored baked goods or selling items in a particular color…