09.16.2024

Today’s Forecast

🔆 Glow big or go home

Move over, Vegas: Behind Austin’s iconic neon signs

The sign for Home Slice Pizza is of a winking chef holding a pizza

An online reviewer of Home Slice Pizza said this sign “brings in the patrons like moths to a flame.” | Photo via @theringrose

Move over, Vegas. Austin’s got a claim to neon that’s all its own.

From the vintage glow of South Congress Avenue to the lights that light up the night on East Cesar Chavez Street, here’s why neon means so much to Austinites + some of the most iconic signs around town.

Neon has lit Austin streets for almost a century

Austin’s oldest buildings also make for the city’s most notable neon facades. For example, the Paramount Theatre: the iconic sign was first made when the downtown building was renamed in 1930, and later replaced. Currently, its blade is lit by 1,397 LED light bulbs.

Another one of Austin’s most memorable neon signs adorns the entrance to Austin Motel. Dating back to 1938, this sign is held in place by an old ship’s mast of unknown origin.

The pool at Hotel Saint Cecilia, with a neon sign reading "SOUL" reflected in the water. — One of Voyles’ most iconic pieces illuminates the pool area of Hotel Saint Cecilia.
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Photo by Nick Simonite

The craftspeople lighting the night

Austin’s neon sign scene has spanned decades and dozens of craftspeople, but one man holds a special place in the art’s local history. Evan Voyles has been handcrafting neon signs for ~30 years — back when Austin was half the size it is now.

In east Austin, there’s another king of neon painting the town with technicolor brilliance. Local artist Abraham Mong‘s hand-pulled neon signs embellish establishments like Zeds Real Fruit Ice Cream, Other Racquet Social Club, Love Supreme, Sour Duck Market, Nixta Taqueria, Prana, and more.

Dozens of signs, some glowing, at an outdoor space with folding chairs in the foreground. — Sign Bar displays dozens of relics of Austin’s past.
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Photo by Chad Wadsworth

My heart will glow on

One Austin bar glows brighter than any other — it’s adorned with the neon signage of loved and lost ATX businesses. Aptly named Sign Bar, the watering hole is more than a destination for cold drinks and food truck eats, it’s an immersive experience that chronicles our city’s history.

7 iconic neon signs

Events

Monday, Sept. 16

Fun Facts About Austin’s Hummingbirds | Monday, Sept. 16 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Zilker Botanical Garden | Free with admission | Learn about the hummingbirds that call Austin home from presenter Jane Tillman.
Dam That Cancer Post-Paddle Party | Monday, Sept. 16 | 6-8 p.m. | LCRA Redbud Center | Free | Party with 230 fundraiser participants who paddled 21-miles on Lake Austin to benefit cancer awareness.
Ludicrous Speed Book Club: “A Winter’s Promise” | Monday, Sept. 16 | 7 p.m. | BookPeople | Free | Discuss book one of “The Mirror Visitor Quartet” with fellow Austinites, plus, the book is 10% off through September.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

Tillery Street Plant Co. Presents: Veggie Gardening 101 | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 6-8 p.m. | Central Machine Works Brewery | $10 | Infinite food glitch unlocked — learn how to grow your own produce at this class + market.
Virgo’s Groove | Tuesday, Sept. 17 | 6-9 p.m. | South Congress Hotel | Free | Celebrate the Virgos in your life with a birthday party featuring tarot readings, music, cake, and cocktails.

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Music on the Trail | Wednesday, Sept. 18 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Rainey Street Trailhead | Free | Bring your quilt to unwind near the lake and listen to tunes by local singer Natalie Price.

Plan your week

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Open

Hotel Van Zandt’s new lobby bar called Brass Poppy opened over the weekend. Its cocktails are inspired by past decades, elevated bar snacks include French onion dip with caviar, and the dessert menu boasts nostalgic favorites like cookies and milk + assorted truffles. (Eater Austin)

Ranked

The Longhorns are on top… of the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. After beating UTSA on Saturday, Texas dethroned the Georgia Bulldogs and scored the poll’s highest ranking for the first time in 16 years.

Community

Phase two of Esperanza Community, an east Austin shelter complex that supports the city’s unhoused population, broke ground on Friday. One hundred new tiny homes will be added, creating more room for those seeking a bed + vocational services. (KXAN)

Civic

“Can you hear me now?” Austin developers are now required to conduct sound assessments for their projects to inform sound-proofing measures, a recently approved change that aims to help entertainment venues, housing, and hotels co-exist in the same areas. (KUT)

Eat

While you’re planning your ACL Festival outfits, don’t forget to map out your meals. The fest’s vendor list is here, featuring 20 new options alongside longtime favorites. Don’t miss the debut of La Pachanga Eatery, which will host eight first-time vendors who serve tacos.

History

At UT Austin’s football stadium, fans set newly installed turf on fire and cut a Texas-shaped hole into it... 50 years ago during a ZZ Top concert. The 1974 show resulted in thousands of dollars in damage, and 20 years went by before another concert took the field. (Austin Monthly)

Regional

Austin-based developer ICON is bringing the world’s first 3D-printed hotel + development to Marfa. The 60-acre property will feature a pool, bathhouse, restaurant, and private residential lots. The project is expected to come online in 2026.

Sports

Which teams in the SEC have a shot at playing in the national championship game? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the SEC with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Number

22%. That’s how much auto insurance rates have increased over the last year. Stop overpaying + find a better rate when you get a free, no-obligation quote from Savvy.*

Biz

🚕 Beep beep, Waymo coming through

Uber x Waymo partnership to bring driverless rideshares to Austin

A white Waymo Engineering self-driving vehicle parked on the side of a street. The car, a Jaguar I-PACE electric SUV, is equipped with multiple sensors and cameras on the roof, indicating its autonomous capabilities. The background features a large office or commercial building, and a few people stand nearby, casually chatting or observing the vehicle.

Waymo uses GPS maps and sensor data to operates its vehicles. | Photo by ATXtoday

Come early 2025, Austinites who call an Uber could be picked up by a self-driving car, thanks to the ride share company’s new partnership with Waymo.

Waymo is an autonomous vehicle company that launched in 2009, and currently provides 100,000+ rides per week in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.

The new Uber x Waymo collaboration will debut in Austin and Atlanta, where Uber will oversee a fleet of Waymo’s fully autonomous, electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. Over time, the companies plan to bring hundreds of the cars to Austin.

When the partnership is up and running, Uber users who request an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort, or Uber Comfort Electric in Austin may be matched with a Waymo rather than a human driver.

Waymo employees can already take driverless rides in Austin, and you can join the waitlist to do the same before the 2025 rollout.

Asked

Would you use the Uber x Waymo rideshares next year?

A. Yes
B. No
C. I’m not sure

Vroom, vroom

The Buy

The Buy 9.16.24 (Affiliate)

A candle warmer. Ditch the matches and opt for this contemporary lamp that will evenly burn your candles, sans smoke.

More worth The Buy

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Morgan

From the editor

I looove neon signs and the color brown — but the two don’t mix. Did you know that neon brown doesn’t exist? Editor Figi taught me something new when she shared this with me.

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