North Austin

Browse Old Austin Grouch posts about north austin, Austin nostalgia, and the city habits locals still argue about.

Use this topic hub to explore satire, memories, and cultural commentary about north austin in Austin, Texas.

6 posts · Newest first

Somewhere Near Waco, Allegedly

The final Heat Dome Diaries can't end until the cold front shows up, so I put a lawn chair at the north end of my street, faced Waco, and waited like a man expecting a contractor.

5 min read

Price Breakdown: Tuesday Night Double Feature at the Old Vulcan Video

Three dollars at the Vulcan counter on 26th and Guadalupe in 2008 bought two DVDs, zero algorithmic nudges, and a clerk who’d talk your ear off about why the aspect ratio on the new "Taxi Driver" print was criminal; the same building now houses a members-only "film wellness lounge" where $39 a month gets you access to a tablet, three "mindful viewing pods," and the faint smell of eucalyptus trying to cover up what used to be there.

6 min read

Airport Boulevard's Last Unironic Bar Just Got a Makeover

Walked into the old Airport Bar & Grill to find the sticky floors replaced with reclaimed wood and the $3.50 wells swapped for $14 "handcrafted" cocktails; the spot that kept North Austin weird with $5 live music, a tolerant bouncer, and a kitchen that closed at 2 a.m. is now gunning for a spot in Texas Monthly's "best new restaurants" list with a new name, new prices, and zero memory of the people who kept it alive for three decades.

6 min read