Deep Eddy Cabaret Changes Hands, Stays the Same

This guest article is by Lisa Taylor.

Psychiatrists have told us for years that change is one of the biggest stressors in our daily lives. There have been books written on how to cope with it. Seminars are done for corporations to help ease the fear that is usually associated with it. And most people just aren’t really comfortable with change.

As a long time Austinite, change has been something I’ve had to embrace over the years because as they say, “You can’t stop progress”.

I’ve watched from the sidelines as some of the most beloved restaurants and music venues in our fair city have closed their doors. Pearl’s Oyster Bar, Liberty Lunch, and Steamboat are a few that come to mind. And when it happens, you take a moment to remember the good times, but just a moment, because the next week there is a new sign and a new place where memories will be made.

In light of this constant change, it’s always nice to find a place where it seems as if nothing ever changes. This is exactly what you’ll find at Deep Eddy Cabaret.

If you’ve not been, Deep Eddy Cabaret sits on Lake Austin Blvd. right in front of Deep Eddy Pool. It’s nestled next to Stinson’s Bistro and across the street from Thunder Cloud Subs. If you blink while driving by, you’ll miss it. From the front entry, you can see the downtown high rises that glisten in the summer sun, but once inside you’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into a time warp.

The bar itself isn’t unlike so many other small neighborhood watering holes, except the customers who have frequented this neighborhood bar over the course of its 60 plus years in existence would tell you this place is special. And I would have to agree.

Owned since 1951 by Butch and Patti Hickman, Deep Eddy Cabaret won’t show up on any of the “up and coming bars in Austin” lists. But check under the heading of “coolest bars in Austin” and you may find it. Recently the Cabaret has changed hands, as the Hickmans have decided to retire from the hospitality business. Purchased by a father and son team, Robert and Will Bridges, it’s definitely in good hands as Will happens to have a background in the restaurant arena, being a partner in Lambert’s on Second Street.

I had the opportunity to discuss the proverbial passing of the torch with a longtime friend of the new owner, and he was able to articulate for me why this was important to Will. Brett Moore, who grew up with Will in the Tarrytown section of Austin, spoke to me of the years spent watching, as did I, as things changed in Austin. And, most notably, watching as so many of Austin’s iconic establishments seemed to disappear in the night. The desire to protect Deep Eddy Cabaret from the same sort of fate is what propelled Will to make the purchase.

There are no major plans for an overhaul. No big plans for an employee change. And no big plans for…well…much of anything. Other than some improvements on the existing beer garden, Will simply wants to keep it as it has been. A place where you can go for a cold bottle of beer on a hot summer day and perhaps start a conversation with a regular customer about the goings on in the city.

Don’t forget to stop at the ATM before you go. At Deep Eddy, you’ll only be served beer or wine, and they only accept cash.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Deep Eddy Cabaret is located at 2315 Lake Austin Blvd.

 

@theAustinot asks:

Have you been to Deep Eddy Cabaret? What is your favorite neighborhood bar in Austin?

 

Lisa Taylor is a music lover, aspiring writer, and military veteran who has served for almost 25 years in the Army. She has lived in and around Austin, Texas since 1970. Read more from Lisa on her blog.

 

Cover photo via Deep Eddy Cabaret on Facebook.