Threadgill’s: 81 Years of Food, Beer and Music

In 1933, 29 years after Austin sealed the deal on 31 used moonlight towers, bootlegger and entrepreneur Kenneth Threadgill opened a Gulf filling station just north of the Austin City Limits sign.

To Threadgill, it was more than just a filling station.

Bootlegger with a Beer License

Threadgill was first in line for a beer selling permit. With a stage on site, his tiny filling station became a favorite place for thirsty travelers and musicians traveling hither and thither. This continued for the next several decades and drew in the likes of Hank Willams and Lefty Frizzell.

It’s no surprise Threadgill’s was a haven for musicians because Kenneth Threadgill grew up loving and singing music. It was fairly common to see Threadgill walk out from behind the bar, grab a mic and start singing with whatever band was on stage at the time. In the late 1940s Kenneth Threadgill turned off the fuel pumps to focus on beer.

As the 1960s came around, Threadgill embraced the weirdness that would come to define Austin and welcomed those long-haired dope smoking hippies. He also worked to integrate the music scene by inviting African American artists with open arms. Under a firm “no hate” policy, rednecks and hippies sat side by side and shared vices and music.

It was during this time a broke and bluesy singer from Port Arthur, Texas named Janis Joplin developed her singing chops.

Avoiding the Wrecking Ball

Eventually, Threadgill’s closed and was nearly demolished. It was saved by nostalgic city council member Lowell Leibermann Jr. and purchased by Eddie Wilson. Wilson, a McCallum High School graduate and friend of Threadgill’s daughter Dotty, also owned Armadillo World Headquarters.

Wilson grew up with his momma’s country food. He knew what a good home cooked meal does for a person. On New Years Eve 1980, Wilson closed the Armadillo. Exactly one year later, Threadgill’s reopened as a restaurant. In 1996, Wilson opened the Threadgill’s World Headquarters down the road form the original Armadillo.

Threadgill’s Today

Today both Threadgill’s locations are open and fully operational. The original location, once on the outskirts of Austin, is now smack-dab in the middle of the city at 6416 N Lamar. It still maintains that old school vibe Kenny Threadgill cultivated from the 1930s-1960s.

Laced with vintage neon lights inside and out, the Old Number 1 is reminiscent of an old school roadside diner with a special room dedicated to Janis Joplin.

The “south” location is more downtown than S Austin these days, but the venue at 301 West Riverside still provides food and music to Austinites. It boasts a theme that shows a ton of love to the old Armadillo World Headquarters. You better believe there’s an outdoor stage, too.

Both locations are open 365 days a year.

Wilson has said in an NPR interview that he has two museums. With an establishment that has a 81 year history, that’s a good sized understatement.

The details and minutia of Threadgill’s stories, legends and shenanigans could fill several articles, and I haven’t even mentioned the food. I mean, what kind of Austinot writer would I be if I didn’t mention the food? It’s good. I like it.

Food at Threadgill’s

I’m not a foodie. I don’t exactly have a delicate pallet and my dining experiences are more visceral. I don’t care about presentation or anything like that.

All I know is that when I sit down and take that first bite off my plate at Threadgill’s, I stop. I close my eyes and the flavors of chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy take me back to my grandma’s kitchen. A place where cornbread and everything else was made from scratch along with a healthy helping of love. I’m a fast eater, but not at Threadgill’s.

The environment and food makes you want to slow down and enjoy the meal and company of your friends and family. It’s like the Sunday lunches we used to have when I was a kid. I’m used to going full throttle, fueled by caffeine and candy bars. Any restaurant that can take me back to a time when my biggest worry was whether or not I could go outside and play after I changed out of my church clothes is at the top of my list.

Go to Threadgill’s and eat some of that country food, take in the atmosphere and enjoy yourselves. The menu is great and there’s always live music. What more can you ask for?

 

@ElDavidThomas wants to know:

What’s your favorite part of the Threadgill’s experience?

 

Cover photo by luna715 via Flickr CC.

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