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Amy's Ice Cream founder Amy Simmons and her husband Steve took their locally-grown business ethic and expanded it to commercial property. Austinville 78704 brings together several complimentary shops with deep Austin roots.

"Austin is really known for its unique businesses that are home-founded," she said.

The new complex gave Austin's famous Soup Peddler David Ansel the chance to open a storefront.

"We're able to open our doors and able to make our payroll and make our payables pretty much immediately,” he said. “That was a great start for us."

In a hot-and-cold combination, the Soup Peddler shares space with smoothie maker Juice Box.

Ansel said the Austinville project is breathing new life into the South Lamar neighborhood.

"The new businesses here are trying to revitalize this corner that seems to have been frozen in the 50s or 60s," Ansel said.

By partnering with local companies, Simmons hopes to help entrepreneurs compete in what has become a difficult economic climate.

"The idea is that we get a group of businesses that our community likes and just create a community gathering place where families and people can come have a good time," Simmons said.