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🪩 Into the time machine
Alright, alright, alright. | Photo by @bruthanick via OpenVerse
You’ve likely heard an Austinite complain about the city changing — we’ve been doing it since 1884.
Still, there are local businesses where the Capital City feels frozen in time, where you can queue a song on a 1950s dive bar’s jukebox, do the two-step in a 1960s dance hall, and eat hamburgers in a 1970s diner.
Let’s dial it back by decade and explore Austin establishments where time stands still.
1971 | Top Notch Hamburgers
Known for its distinctly 1970s signage and appearances in films like “Varsity Blues” and “Dazed and Confused,” this curbside + dine-in eatery features the same recipes + service style it started with 54 years ago.
This is a rare sight — there’s often a line out the door at Donn’s Depot.
1978 | Donn’s Depot
The ‘70s are alive and well in this piano bar/honky tonk/dance hall, housed in an old train depot that civil engineer Bob Ogden purchased for $300 on the “outskirts of Austin.” Donn Alderman, the venue’s namesake, still performs regularly.
Zebra | 8 p.m. | ACL Live at 3TEN | $42 | Catch a show from this rock band that has performed together every year for the past five decades.
Saturday, April 26
Austin Rewind Market | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Central Machine Works | Cost of purchase | Shop a nostalgic market filled with vintage toys, retro collectables, throwback posters, and more.
Spring Walkabout 2025 | 12-5 p.m. | St. Elmo Brewing Company | Free with RSVP | Wander into 15 businesses on E. St. Elmo Road to try their food + drinks inspired by this year’s theme, “In The Garden.”
Linkin Park | 7:30 p.m. | The Moody Center | $45+ | Join the rock band as they tour with the “From Zero” album.
Sunday, April 27
Fall In Love With Nature Day | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | McKinney Falls State Park | Free with admission | Enjoy a full day of activities like archery + fishing lessons, guided birding walks, a forest bathing workshop, and live music.
Princess Day | 1:05 p.m. | Dell Diamond, Round Rock | $15+ | The ballpark will transform into a royal wonderland with free inflatables and train rides, plus kids can run the bases after the game.
Speed Dating with My Cheeky Date | 5:30-8 p.m. | Azul Rooftop | $32 | Austin singles ages 32 to 44 are invited to mix, mingle, and match with a craft cocktail in hand.
Only one public boat ramp is confirmed to be open on Lake Travis — the rest are closed due to drought conditions and low lake levels. According to data collected on Wednesday, the lake is 48% full + water levels are ~32 ft below average. (Community Impact)
Number
$26.2 million. That’s how much the city of Austin will spend to buy an eight-story office building at 3300 N. I-35. City Council approved the purchase yesterday, and officials plan to relocate part of the city’s workforce from the One Texas Center into the new, 207,000-sqft facility. (Austin Business Journal)
Open
Cady Lofts, a new housing community for Austinites exiting homelessness, is now open on East 39th Street. The four-story building features 100 furnished studio units, a library, a computer center, and an outdoor courtyard. Residents can also access services like job training, fitness classes, and personal finance workshops.
Edu
Austin ISD received an overall “C” from the Texas Education Agency’s 2023 accountability ratings, which were released after two years of delays. Within the district, 24 schools received an “A” and 30 got an “F.” Officials said half of the “F” rated schools received a “B” the year prior. (KVUE)
Travel
Waco Surf, a water park + resort ~two hours from Downtown Austin, plans to reopen its water park for the summer season on Saturday, May 10. In addition to a surf lagoon, lazy river, and beach access, the destination will debut new mini-slides for children and a revamped food and drink menu.
Sports
Put on your game face — the NFL Draft is here. Stay up to date and get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Texas Cannabis Clinic is offering $40 off your appointment with code 6AM40 now through Thursday, May 1. A TCUP card provides legal protection and doctor-supervised medical cannabis via telemedicine, and Texas Cannabis Clinic makes the process easy. Take their quick eligibility quiz + book a consultation.†*
I simply can’t stop thinking about this California Wrap from Wow Poke. I got mine at the food truck parked on Cosmic Pickle’s patio and split it with City Editor Figi. I’ll be back to try the Spicy Daiko.
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