The Signs Of Austin

Austin Public Library
2200 Hancock Dr
The Yarborough Branch of the Austin Public Library was originally the Americana Theater, which was built in 1965 by Trans-Texas Theaters owner Earl Podolnick. It was designed by local architect William B. Saunders and thrived as a single-screen theater throughout the 60s and 70s. It saw a steady decline in the 80s, was closed down in 1988, and purchased by the City of Austin in 1993 with plans of turning it into a library. Several temporary libraries had existed in the area, including a branch in the Allandale Shopping Center and the former Atheist Center on Hancock Drive. The building and sign serve as a model of adaptive reuse.

Posted on December 17, 2015 under Burnet
Lala's Little Nugget
2207 Justin Ln
It’s Christmas year-round at Lala’s. Opened in a neighborhood strip mall in 1972, Frances Lala kept her Christmas decorations up because she felt that the bar was too bare without them. At the age of 83, Lala can still be found behind the bar making her famous Bloody Marys, and their jukebox is one of the best in town. The bar was temporarily shut down in August of 2015 but was quickly re-opened by the owners of the Mean Eyed Cat and Lavaca Street Bar.

Posted on October 15, 2015 under Burnet
Top Notch Hamburgers
7525 Burnet Rd
Originally opened as Burkhart’s Motor Dining in 1964, Ray and Frances Stanish bought the restaurant in 1971 and re-opened it as Top Notch. They ran it for close to 40 years, only recently selling it in 2008. Although the fried chicken at Top Notch is hard to beat, it’s probably most famous for being the setting of Richard Linklater’s 1993 film Dazed and Confused.

Posted on August 22, 2015 under Burnet

Austin Public Library

Lala's Little Nugget

Top Notch Hamburgers