The Signs Of Austin

Güero's Taco Bar
1412 S Congress Ave
A South Congress staple, Güero’s originally opened on E. Oltorf in 1986, occupying the current Curra’s Grill building. Cathy and Rob Lippincott moved Güero’s to its current location in 1993. Their new spot remains one of the oldest buildings in South Austin, which operated as Central Feed and Seed since the 1920s. When the Lippincotts moved, South Congress had become run-down, and Güero’s became a big part of the area’s revitalization. Rob Lippincott passed away in 2022, and his daughters, Lyle and Bette, continue to run the family-owned business. A boutique hotel is under construction on land owned by the family behind the restaurant.

Posted on March 31, 2024 under South Congress
The Continental Club
1315 S Congress Ave
Morin Scott opened the Continental Club in 1957 as a private supper club. In the late 1970s it was bought by the former owners of the One-Knite club, and the owners of Liberty Lunch briefly ran the club in the 1980s. Current owner Steve Wertheimer took over in 1987, having learned the ropes of the music business at the old Rome Inn (now Texas French Bread) on West Campus. Wertheimer recently opened C-Boy’s Heart & Soul in the former home of the long-time dive bar Trophy’s on South Congress. The Continental Club sign was restored by Gary Martin and Ben Livingston.

Posted on January 21, 2016 under South Congress
Curra's Grill
614 E Oltorf St
The East Oltorf location of Curra’s Grill, a converted convenience store, is rich in local Tex-Mex history. The building was the former home of Guero’s Taco Bar before they moved into their South Congress location. Curra’s interior Mexican food recipes and avocado margaritas kept the new space popular when the Garcia family took over in 1995. They tried opening a few other locations, most notably in a strip mall on Parmer Lane and in the current Frisco’s on Burnet Road, but were never able to match the funky charm of the original location.

Posted on January 05, 2016 under South Congress
Magnolia Cafe
1920 S Congress Ave
The Magnolia Cafe story actually begins with Ken Carpenter and the original Omelettry restaurant on Burnet Road. Carpenter opened a second location of the Omelettry on Lake Austin Boulevard in 1979 with Patricia and Kent Cole. After the Coles’ divorce a few years later, Patricia started Kerbey Lane in 1980, and Kent took over the operation of Omelettry West. Kent later renamed it the Magnolia Cafe and added a south location in 1988. Their sign on South Congress was a joint collaboration between local sign painter Gary Martin and neon artist Evan Voyles.

Posted on December 09, 2015 under South Congress
Don-Mar Motor Court
2109 S Congress Ave
Sometimes change is good. The Don-Mar Motor Court was built in 1935 by Don and Mary Roberts but had seen much better days by the time it was leveled in 2008. At one time there were plans to turn the property into the Don-Mar Condominiums and incorporate the old sign, but those plans never materialized. The site is now home to Ben’s Workshop, an auto repair shop that has been in Austin since 1979. The old Don-Mar sign was purchased by Don Lougheed in 2013 and is on display at his RV dealership in Buda.

Posted on October 23, 2015 under South Congress
Austin Motel
1220 S Congress Ave
The Austin Motel’s land was purchased by German immigrants in 1888, and their children built the motel 50 years later to capitalize on the automobile boom. It has been in continuous operation since 1938, and run by three generations of the Thompson family since 1961. Their rooms are known for having their own unique theme, and the neon sign is the original one that was erected in the 30s.

Posted on August 22, 2015 under South Congress

Güero's Taco Bar

The Continental Club

Curra's Grill

Magnolia Cafe

Don-Mar Motor Court

Austin Motel