SAN ANTONIO -- After 25 years in the same location on Josephine Street just north of downtown, the Liberty Bar is moving.

“We’re going to pack up and move house," said owner Dwight Hobart. "Lock, stock and barrel."

Liberty Bar has been at its current location for 25 years, but Hobart said the development of the Pearl Brewery caused the rent to increase. The building was known for its slanted floor, but Hobart said he could not afford to pay the rent and pay for the maintenance of the building at the same time.

“We had an unusual situation,” Hobart said. “This old building was in terrible condition. As you can see, it looks like it’s about to fall down. It isn’t going to fall down and we’ve got to great effort and expense to make certain that it doesn’t fall down.”

Hobart said the restaurant is moving to a building at 1111 South Alamo, in what used to be an old convent next to the St. Benedict’s Condominiums. He said the bar will located on the second floor and will offer the restaurant the chance more room to handle more people.

“We also hope to do more catering, both on-site and off-site,” Hobart said. “And we hope to handle more food to go, food to take out.”

Hobart said the idea of moving is still a tough one to grasp.

“I haven’t yet quite come to grips with it," he said. "It’s like any wrenching change in your life. You can’t really envision the change until the change has taken place and maybe not even then.”

Hobart said he hopes to be all moved in to his new facility at the start of 2010.