Keep Austin Entertained

Table of Local

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Meet the Editors of this magazine: Gabriel Reynolds, Amelie Spadaccinni, Maya Graziano, Grace Ford, and Elizabeth Bircher.

Pages 5-10

Learn more about local Austin artists and art venues, as well as popular mediums such as mural art, which can be found all over Austin.

Pages 11-16

Editors Artists Festivals

Explore the many different festivals that take place in Austin throughout the year including the Trail of Lights and SXSW.

Pages 17-22

Read

Pages 23-28

Learn

Movie Theaters

Pages 29-34

Meet the Editors

Gabe Reynolds

Gabe will be writing about art galleries in Austin, as well as their importance and prominence in Austin’s rich history. Gabe enjoys traveling around the city and playing video games. He also enjoys coding, and wants to get a job in computer science or programming. Gabe also practices mixed martial arts competitively.

Amelie Spadaccini

Amelie is going to be writing about local festivals in Austin. She is going to be focusing on major events like SXSW, the Trail of Lights, and ACL. She enjoys playing roblox as well as drawing and painting because of how creative it is. Amelie wants to go to college after high school. She also enjoys collecting porcelain dolls.

Maya Graziano

Maya is excited to write about Austin music venues and musicians. She’s especially interested in learning more about music festivals like ACL. In her free time, Maya likes to go horseback riding. Her favorite class is American Sign Language. After graduating, she wants to go to Yale and eventually become a Corporate Defense Lawyer.

Grace Ford

Grace is writing about Bookstores and the history behind the components of Austin’s literature. Grace chose this topic because she loves sitting down with a good book and experiencing a whole variety of worlds and cultures. Grace also loves to run and is on the Cross Country and Track & Field team.

Elizabeth Bircher

Elizabeth is writing about local theaters and movies. She will primarily be focusing on the Alamo Drafthouse, a popular theater in Austin. She loves diving and baking. She can make that weird clover shape with her tongue. After graduating high school, she’s planning on going to college.

art of a city

By Gabriel Reynolds

Up- close photo of Felix Jaimes’ “Tu Importas” Mural. Taken by Gabriel Reynolds.

ublic art and murals are crucial to the life and variety of a town. Austin, in particular, enjoys an abundance of beautiful pieces from influential artists all over town.

I interviewed three people from the public art community about the various values of art in Austin. Muralists and exhibit coordinators alike commented on the significance of local art in the city, and the various effects it plays on their lives.

Felix Jaimes, known in the community as “Snuk One”, has painted a great amount in Austin. His most famous

artwork is a tribute to the late legendary basketball player, Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and the others who perished in the same helicopter accident. Unfortunately, making murals of public icons isn’t always received the way it’s meant to. “We got a lot of backlash,” Felix says, “people were like, ‘Oh, you guys just did that to get famous’”. He combats this by saying how his social media pages show that he has been painting public figures for a long time, not just for clout: “The week before… we painted a mural of Ice Cube, and Ice Cube is still with us, he’s

still here. It’s something that we’ve been doing.”

Despite all this, Jaimes says “The art form, for me, is something that I do to express myself, so it’s almost therapeutic.” His work brings out an emotional state of calm and focus about him. “It’s like when you go to the gym, you’re stressing all day, and you just let it out.”

It’s not just a meaningful experience for him, though. Another one of his popular projects, called “Tu Importas” or “You

is a mural meant to represent and improve mental health.

I had homeless people come out and help me, and they were being super nice… They were super thankful and grateful.

A photo of the “Beyond City to City” exhibit at the Austin Public Library’s Gallery. Photo by Gabriel Reynolds.

Photo of Felix Jaimes’ “Tu Importas” mural, taken by Gabriel Reynolds.

Matter”,

it. Nicole Parker is the exhibit coordinator for the Austin Public Library Gallery. She believes that having a gallery in an easy, public space means that the whole community can appreciate the works. “I think it’s [an] important space to have in Austin because we’re relying on community feedback and public support to keep the art space going.”

my day job and be an artist in the studio as well has always been very important to me.”

She’s hosted many impactful exhibitions with inspirational artists, but she told me about one in particular, an African American photographer, who had his art on display in the gallery in February. It was called All Kinds of Black in Tech. “They had a photography exhibit that the collectors had organized,” she says. “They put together what He talks about the community and how they are affected by his presence while he was painting it: “I see people taking pictures in front of my murals all the time. Anytime I’m painting a mural, people come up to me, it could even be a homeless person.”

Before becoming the coordinator at the library, she was an artist and worked in a museum.

He shows that his artwork isn’t just something for property owners to ask and pay him for-they can make a difference. His skill is significant beyond the visuals and money- it brings the locals together and brings a positive and longlasting message to people who need

She wanted to contribute in a more professional way to the community that she loved. “Finding a job within the cultural sector, or in the art sector was very important… to be able to do something that I love and have it be 7

I love having the gallery in a public space, free and open to the public. Anyone and everyone is welcome at the library.

- Nicole Parker

Another photo of the Beyond City to City exhibit.

was really the first time he had shown his work in that type of setting, a professional art gallery setting.”

With over 100 people showing up, a DJ, and a photo booth, the exhibition was a hit. “We did a panel talk with the collectors and some of the people that were in the portraits displayed on the walls,” she said. “[I]t was very successful. We had a lot of great input from the public.”

In the end, she was

successful in providing exposure for this artist and for his industry. “They want to come back in February next year as well to do an exhibit because they were very happy with how it all went.”

cities historically.”

Brittany Johnson is another fantastic muralist that I had the pleasure of meeting. She embarked in the mural scene in 2018. “Painting murals really just made me feel alive,” She says. “After some time, it became also my job. I make money from it now. It’s the best of both worlds because I get to make money doing what I love.”

She predominantly paints people, and comments on the significance of putting love into her work: “I hope that it shows through the people that I’m painting, and I really want to capture the personality and soul of who I paint.”

She also finds murals to be a valuable tool for creating relationships and improving the people who experience them.

“I think it brings people together, I think the art really changes people’s lives.” She says. “It’s changed my life. I think it shows opportunity, you know?”

The trend among the opinions of these fantastic artists is clear-public art is pivotal to the liveliness and well-being of a city.

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Parker also talks about the importance overall of galleries in a city like Austin. “I think it’s necessary and it’s important to have galleries in the city,” she says. “I think it draws people in, and the cultural sector is really big on boosting the economy in 8

Photo by Brittany Johnson of one of her beautiful murals (also made with and artist called Everyday Research), titled “Moon Magic“

Behind the Scenes

Trail of Lights display, Courtesy of the Trail of Lights website.

How the coordinators behind your favorite events were able to set them up: interviews from volunteers of South by Southwest and the Trail of Lights president.

The Kite Festival in Downtown Austin. Courtesy of Wikipedia

ustin proudly boasts many events, like the Kite Festival, Austin City Limits, and more. Take a look behind the scenes of South by Southwest and the Trail of Lights from the perspectives of volunteers and event coordinators.

The Trail of Lights is an ever-popular Christmastime event. Occurring from December 8th-23rd at Zilker Park, the Trail of Lights will be celebrating its 59th anniversary this winter. Though it may seem like a simple task, thousands of people walk through the Trail of Lights every day during the festival. Nicholas C. Miller, the current president of the Trail of Lights, has some insight into just what goes on behind the scenes. Although the event takes place in the wintertime, the Trail of Lights Foundation (who hosts the event) will start planning for that year’s Trail of Lights as soon as springtime.

“It’s [a] year-round [commitment]. Right now, our next meeting … will probably be in the next couple of weeks.” Miller explains. Setting up the year’s Trail

of Lights takes much more than just stringing lights. It also involves selling signage, finding vendors, and more.

“We are lucky enough to have a multi-year contract with HEB, and they’re our big title sponsor. I mean, they give around $250,000 a year towards the Trail. And we’ll try to line up smaller sponsors, and sell signage. So, trying to sell [signage], that starts to happen in the spring, to get everything prepared for the next year. And meanwhile, the producers are doing all the actual nail-and-hammer step stuff,” Miller says. “We have a contract with the city to put on the event and that gives us the park for that amount of time.”

This wintertime event doesn’t just involve hot chocolate and lights. Believe it or not, the Trail of Lights Foundation was responsible for distributing vaccines during the pandemic throughout the city. “Because we were situated in such a way with our foundation having a contractual relationship with the city … whenever the pandemic came, and the city needed to distribute vaccines to a lot of people very quickly, they asked us to do it. And so, we were kind of the

thoroughfare for all the funds and the planning for the vaccine sites. So, the Trail of Lights was actually running all the vaccine sites all over the city.” Miller explains. The foundation has also aided the city during natural disasters. “When we had the freeze a couple years ago, it was a big problem, a lot of people were out of water because of frozen pipes and that kind of thing. We made these water distribution sites, and we ran all of those as well. So, we would take money from the city and then put together these water distribution sites, and we would get the staff to work on that production.” All of this goes to show just how involved setting up an event is, and how broad their outreach is.

South by Southwest is an event that has existed since 1987, and ever since, has become a hallmark of Austin. It’s hard to explore the city without running into one of the many sub-events hosted by South by Southwest. South by proudly hosts attractions related to music, art, film, comedy, technology, and more. There truly is something for everyone at this all-encompassing springtime event. Malcolm and Victoria, current South by Southwest volunteers, shared their experience volunteering at the event. “We’re both local Austinites and we wanted to just do something for our community and continue to try and be a good steward of our city Sixth Street during SXSW in 2012. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.

because a lot of people come here internationally,” Victoria said. “We also want to do it from a social perspective so we can come and meet people like you, and speak to people, and make some new friends and it provides you with dispatch. So, as part of the benefit is you get a badge for one of the venues, depending on how many hours you work and volunteer, you get a badge for music, film or platinum badge,” Malcolm added. Being a volunteer also allows the volunteers to attend the festival, no charge, in their free time. “Anytime we’re not working, the badge is active. So, after we’re volunteering, we can go to venues and participate in that,” Malcolm says.

Malcolm was able to give more insight into what someone’s job could look like when they volunteer. “Here in the convention center, volunteers mainly operate at the doors. On some days where there’s a badge, you have to be scanned. We’ll stand and scan people to make sure they have a valid badge. And then some people count, so they count the number of people that are entering the venue to see how many people have attended for their statistics. There’s also the help desk. So you work in the help desk, people ask for information about where exhibitors are, where sessions occur and things like that.”

However, South by has not

always involved badges and tickets.

Eddie Peery, who was a volunteer for SXSW around the year 2012, has good insight into how the event has evolved. “Personally, I miss what South by was kind of when I played it a few years ago. It was way more interesting, more focused, not as much wristband stuff, it was a community thing.” Peery says. Peery was part of a band called the Long Gone Daddies and was visiting Austin to perform his music. “Our second show we ever played in Austin was during SXSW and we had no idea what SXSW was”. He was able to volunteer at SXSW because of the restaurant he worked at. “I was actually working with Freebirds at the time, and Freebirds had a stage … down on South Congress.”

For Peery, his volunteering experience involved selling drinks to people that came by. “We actually set up a tent at the side of St. David’s on South Congress, and we would do food, cocktails, beer, everything. And we had some really awesome artists that played at our stage as well,” Peery says. Although Peery was just a volunteer at SXSW, he was still able to have the South by Southwest experience. Peery explains that he was able to

meet

Laura Jane Grace from Against Me!, Bill Murray, Billy Joe Green, and Jonny Twobags from Social Distortion. When asked what he would say to someone who wanted to volunteer at SXSW, Peery said, “Just take it all in and just enjoy it, and don’t overthink it,” Malcolm shared a similar sentiment. He said, “Just enjoy it, you know, if you want to do it. Just come and make the most of it. Enjoy your opportunity to do that”.

festival.

I feel like I got better experiences just volunteering than actually attending the

Not my thing.

Deep in the heart of Te as An Austin Music Exclusive

By: Maya Graziano

F F

or as long as we’ve been around Austin has earned its title of Music Capital of the World. But now the music industry is expanding and changing, but just how much is it changing and can Austin keep up to remain a popular music destination?

As our population grows, Austin grows with it. Certain aspects of the city change and modernize to adapt to the new trends or norms in society. This article will address the Music experience in Austin from many different perspectives. I talked to Friends Bar Manager, Tommy Burghardt, who has been working in the Austin music industry for 10 years. Burghardt started out as a doorman for the bar, worked his way up, and ended up

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becoming the manager. I also talked to South By SouthWest photographer, Melissa Bordeau, who has worked with the South by crew for various events ranging from all over Austin. Bordeau has only worked with

SXSW for 3 years, but she describes it as a dream job. Lastly, I talked to Luis Ramirez, an upcoming musician who recently split from his band to pursue a solo career in Music. Ramirez is an original songwriter who writes, sings, and performs Latin Pop music.

Austin is constantly growing, from our population to our attractions this city is very well known. Music is an everchanging industry that is very popular amongst tourists. The reason Austin is such a popular place to visit is because it has a plethora of music within its city. Downtown is filled with local restaurants that have bands and musicians who play in an intimate setting where listeners can just sit, eat their food,

Man playing guitar at local venue Friends Bar. Photo courtesy of Tommy Burghardt.

and enjoy the music around them. If that’s not your thing we have several concert venues where local or widespread artists play. In addition to concerts ATX is known for its two major music festivals; ACL, which is a festival in Austin that occurs during the fall, and SXSW, which is a festival that occurs in the spring. When I asked Bordeaux what SXSW had to offer she said, “[SXSW] introduces you to artists who haven’t blown up yet and you get the opportunity to see them in this smaller more intimate setting and maybe a year later their blowing up and selling out seating at concerts.” Bordeaux describes attending the festival

I just love how

as eye opening, and it broadened her taste for types of music. SXSW doesn’t just bring artists to Austin, but it lets the artists who already live here play in a very professional setting. The festival provides such a huge opportunity for aspiring musicians to experience new things, meet important people like producers, directors, sponsors etc, be introduced to other artists, and expand their knowledge about new paying gigs. This is what the music industry is about. It’s not just about playing music and getting paid, it’s about meeting new people, and learning new things. Austin’s variety in its music scene

Jackie Venson performing at a SXSW venue in Austin.

Photo by Melissa Bordeau

Austin’s music industry is such a community, you know, how bands are constantly building each other up and supporting each other

caters to the taste of many different people. Because of the range of music venues, musicians, and concerts, it shouldn’t be hard to find something you enjoy. People think about so many different things when they consider what it is that makes listening to music enjoyable. Whether that’s location, styIe, musician, or cost. I asked two different people what they enjoyed about Austin’s Music scene and this is what they said. Austin’s music scene is “casual” says Manager Tommy Burghardt of Friends Bar. “[It] appealed to me because it’s sort of the last low to no cover,

shows all the time, people can just walk down the street, see a band they like and then go see them without having to buy tickets in advance kinda place.” Our music industry is known to be a strong supportive community. Even though our city has exploded in size, we haven’t lost our small town appeal. As Burghardt describes, “I just love how Austin’s music industry is such a community, you know, how bands are constantly building each other up and supporting each other”. The current variety in the music industry diversifies the interests locals share. Because Austin is expanding, it can now account for those new interests and provide venues that cater to them.

Friends Bar is a great example of this, because it is a predominantly blues style venue, so when people want to listen to blues music, they know that Friends Bar would be the place to go! So many venues in Austin are like that. They focus more on a specific

genre of music that attracts its own scene, rather than having 5 different bands play, one who plays rock, the other pop, jazz etc.

This is also how Austin differs from other music industries, while other industries focus on providing to the universal music scene, Austin focuses on individual music scenes.

Part of the charm of Austin’s music industry are the several artists that contribute to it. As Austin grows the experience of being a musician changes. As part of the entertainment aspect of the music industry, I wanted to include what it is like being a musician who works in the music industry in Austin.

As a part of its music scene it is important to understand the effort that goes into being an Austin musician. I talked to Luis Ramirez, a local musician who specializes in Latin pop music. He describes being a musician in Austin as “rewarding, challenging, and definitely not easy” He has been playing professionally for about 10 years, not including time during the pandemic.He says that Austin started out closed off from Spanish, Latin, and multicultural music in general. “I first started back in 2010 and there were certain

Lizzo performing at a SXSW venue.

Photo by Melissa Bordeau

venues that wouldn’t allow Spanish speaking performers to perform Latin or Spanish music at all, everything had to be in English”. He says that as time went on he noticed that audiences shared a larger acceptance of varieties in music, and not just Latin, but queer music too. Music venues broadened their availability for Latin artists to play, which made it easier for him to get his music out there and have people hear his work. The thing he loves most about music, he says, is that “music is a way that I can really express myself and make sense of experiences I’ve had” He says that he loves how he “can create [his] art and share it with the world”. Ramirez also works as a Spanish teacher at LASA highschool, and he shares his love for Latin music with his

students. Many have said that Mr. Ramirez inspired them to start listening to Latin music, and now they have a newfound love for it. “ Mr. Ramirez introduced me to the late Latin artist Selena, and now she’s all I listen to. She has become someone that I aspire to be!”says a student at LASA highschool. Music can touch so many people and bring them together. It is such a historically important aspect of the social community that surrounds Austin, so many locals couldn’t imagine this city without it!

Music courses through the veins of Austin. It has been a part of ATX for as long

as ATX has been around. We started with music, and it won’t ever leave until we do! Over the years Austin is prone to change, but I hope that Music will remain the heart and soul of this beautiful city. If you are ever visiting and are looking for something to do, check out all of the music venues and local musicians that are in Austin.

Gathering at Friends Bar. Photo courtesy of Tommy Burghardt

Do everything that you can day by day to really put your Artistry out there.

Indoor Live Music Syphonies and

“ I find listening to singers in a resturant [to be] really entertaining and inspirational, as they aren’t really well known or popular. It feels more wholesome”

- Madison Cassels

Orchestras

“I saw the Austin Symphony Orchestra at LASA a few weeks ago, it was a great experience!”

-Amir Regan

Types of Music in

28% Of People Prefer Indoor Live Music

12% Of People Prefer Symphonies and Orchestras

Music Concerts and Festivals Outdoor Live Music

“Music Concerts are really fun because there's a lot of energy in the crowd and I feel like they are the most exciting type of event to attend.”

-Grace Ford

“I went to see Kendrick Lamar and the Wu-Tang Clan, the crowds cheered and sang along, the energy was electric and the experience is unforgettable!”

-Andrew Lucchesi

the Austin Area

52% Of People Prefer Music Concerts and Festivals

8% Of People Prefer Outdoor Live Music

By Maya Graziano

A Look into the Literary Life of Local Bookstores

Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and there’s no sign that that’s going to change anytime soon. As Austin grows, many businesses have had to adjust and adapt in order to stay open. Bookstores are an important part of any community, and they have faced many challenges over the past few years. From the challenges of operating during and after the pandemic to rising real estate prices, bookstore owners and managers have had to be innovative and adjust to overcome these challenges. Learn firsthand about the challenges bookstores face from bookstore owners and managers from all over Austin. There are many local bookstores in Austin, and each one is unique. Reverie Books is a bookstore in South Austin that opened in late 2021. Its main goal is to serve the community around it and to represent marginalized voices. “Because it’s so small, I can curate it very tightly…

I can pick and choose what it is to put in there really carefully. And it gives it a unique feel, because you don’t necessarily see all of the things you’d see in other places.” said Thais Perkins, owner of Reverie Books. Perkins tries to curate the selection of books according to the needs of the South Austin community around her store.

Vintage Books and Wine is

a bookstore and wine bar combined that opened in late 2022. “There also usually aren’t lots of spaces to encourage people to get comfortable and stay… We have lounge seating and leather sofas and lounge chairs, and we really tried to create an environment that encourages people to come hang out and stay and linger,” said Jean Buckner, owner of Vintage Books and Wine.

Photo of Vintage Books and Wine. Photo Courtesy of Vintage Books and Wine.

Vintage Books and Wine is very focused on the experience of going to a bookstore and has created an inviting atmosphere for people to enjoy while they’re there.

Austin Books and Comics is an Austin bookstore that has been around since 1977 and is a local Austin staple. “We [Austin Books and Comics] have the largest inventory of comics and graphic novels for hundreds of miles. We’ve been around for 45 years, so people that have been here for a long time know us and they tell the new people who move here,” said Ty Denton, general manager of Austin Books and Comics. All of these bookstores are part of what makes Austin unique, but running a small business is very difficult.

Throughout the year, bookstores try to connect with the community and local authors by hosting special events. “We have events like our LGBTQIA+ nights and Ladies nights to create and maintain safe spaces for those that need it,” said Denton. This helps elevate the voices of underrepresented groups and gives them a place to gather. Events like these can also be used to put a spotlight on Austin authors. For example, Vintage Books and Wine has a local author series that runs most Thursday evenings.

Local bookstores spread the word about their businesses in several ways, but one of the most common and effective ways is by using social media. “We’re on all the

major [social media platforms] and this is how we get the word out on our sales, events, and signings,” said Denton.

Buckner also said that social media was the main driver of awareness about her bookstore, Vintage Books and Wine. Another outreach strategy these bookstores use is creating partnerships with other companies. “We work with other local businesses like Alamo Draft House and the Austin Public Library as

are fairly purchased and give the profits from the books they sell back to independent bookstores. Partnering with companies like bookshop.org allows these bookstores to support a cause they believe in and improve their publicity all at once. All of these strategies help the bookstores gain more publicity and attract more customers.

well as universities and schools to maximize the potential outreach,” said Denton. “We use social media actively. And I have a newsletter on the website and we have partner affiliations with bookshop.org,” said Perkins while explaining how they advertise Reverie Books. Bookshop.org is a nonprofit alternative to Amazon where the books they sell

When the COVID pandemic first hit in March of 2020, everyone went into lockdown. This had a huge impact on in-person businesses, like bookstores. “We took this time to then install a new point of sale program into our store that would also allow people to see and order from our inventory [online] for the first time ever,” said Denton about what adjustments they had to make because of the pandemic. Some bookstores, like Vintage Books and Wine and Reverie Books, opened during or right after the pandemic and had to think through what their plan would be if there was another pandemic or lockdown. “We had to have a backup plan to see if, when push comes to shove, if we have another lockdown, how much outdoor space do we have? What kind of protocols will be put in place to maintain the health and safety of our staff and employees and customers?” said Buckner.

The story of Austin right now is small businesses being driven out and out further and further... because the rents are too high.

Many people have moved to Austin in recent years which has caused real estate prices to rise, increased competition between businesses, and has caused a shift in the community’s interests. Local bookstores have had to adjust to the influx of people and businesses. Some people, like Denton, enjoy meeting the new people who move to Austin from other places. Others are struggling to make ends meet with the combination of rising prices and the low profitability of bookstores. In fact, because of the challenges of keeping a bookstore open in Austin, Thais Perkins, owner of Reverie

Books, is looking to turn her bookstore into a non-profit organization. Others have found ways to increase their profits while still being able to function as a bookstore. “Because we serve food and beverages, that helps us out a lot from a revenue standpoint. So I don’t stress as much as I would if we only sold books and that was our only revenue stream,” said Buckner. Buckner spoke about how having a bookstore that also sold other products like alcohol and food has lessened the financial burden of owning a bookstore.

As Austin has grown, real estate prices have gotten more expensive as well. This has proven to be one of the greatest challenges for many businesses in the Austin area.

“The story of Austin right now is small businesses being driven out and out further and further… because the rents are too high,” said Perkins. Buckner

said that finding a good and affordable location to put her bookstore in was the hardest part of opening her bookstore. It was even more complex for her because she had to find a building that had the correct zoning that allowed for the sale of alcohol and food. “The problem is not competing with other local bookstores, the problem is competing with Amazon and Barnes and Noble,” said Perkins. Buckner explained what she believes is the appeal of a small bookstore over a larger chain: “So, my thought process is, if you’re going to a big box store… then you likely know what you want and you’re just going to pick it up and go. So hopefully, when people come [to our bookstore] they’re getting the enjoyment of learning what’s new, what has recently been published, what new authors have been writing.” Despite this, more and more local and independent businesses are being replaced by larger companies and chain stores. “A lot of these small independently owned businesses seem to be getting pushed out by a lot of the larger chain restaurants and businesses that are franchised or financially supported by large corporations. And, so that makes it hard, especially when you’re talking about real estate for small independent owners who are self-financed, to be able to compete with them,”

Photo of Reverie Books, a local Austin bookstore. Photo from reveriebooks.com. Courtesy of Reverie Books.

said Buckner. Many people’s dream is to be able to expand their business to multiple locations, but many people seem to also believe there is a certain charm to stores with only one location. “No, the joy in this comes from me having my feet on the ground. It’s a community endeavor. It’s not really seeking to establish a network of stores.” said Perkins when asked if she would like to expand to multiple locations in the future. Buckner expressed a similar sentiment, stating ,“I think I want to stay in one location. I’m doing this more for the love of bookselling than really having a really significant cash flow opportunity. So, I think if we were to try to franchise I would be nervous of losing some of our character and our fun”.

Owning a bookstore means getting to meet all different kinds of people and having to immerse yourself in the community. For many, this is one of the best parts of owning a bookstore. “The people, the connection. Just what I was talking about. I love being surrounded by books.” said Perkins. “My favorite thing about owning a bookstore would be engaging with the community, the people that you meet at the store every day, they are so much fun, the people who are traveling out of town, or people who live in the neighborhood,” said Buckner.

Owning a bookstore is certainly hard work, but many people believe the hard work pays off, if you do it correctly. Some current owners of bookstores passed on some advice about what they would recommend to do or think about if you are looking to open a bookstore.

“My advice would be to get as creative as you can because books will bring people in, and that’s always the heart and soul of your store. But as many people have probably told you, and as you’ve probably figured out, the margins on selling books are just not very high,” said Buckner. “Don’t do

it for the money. Know why it is you’re doing it. And know what you want its meaning to be.” said Perkins. Both Buckner and Perkins talked about how book prices are set by the publisher, making it very difficult for bookstores to generate a profit as they already have a fixed price at which they must sell their books.

Austin is constantly growing and changing, but local bookstores remain an important part of the city. Local bookstores have had to deal with the pandemic, rising real estate prices, and a city that never seeks to stop growing. This is especially difficult since they do not have the funding of bigger businesses. It is important that we support our local bookstores in order to preserve a very important part of Austin’s culture.

Don’t do it for the money. Know why it is you’re doing it. And know what you want its meaning to be.

Photo of Austin Books and Comics. Photo by Grace Ford.

Bookish History of

1839 Austin, Texas was Founded

Outdoor space at Vintage Books and Wine, a local Austin bookstore. Courtesy of Vintage Books and Wine.

1926 Austin Public Library was Founded

When the Austin Public Library first opened they had 500 books. They now have twenty library branches.

1994 Literacy First was Founded

The B est of Austin

The Texas Book Festival honors Texas authors, promotes reading with young audiences, and benefits public libraries.

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Literacy First is a non-profit organization founded to try and raise the low literacy rates in low-income schools in Texas.

1995 Texas Book Festival was Founded

Vintage Books and Wine, a local Austin bookstore. Courtesy of Vintage Books and Wine.

Sources: https://www.literacyfirst.org/history/ https://mayasmart.com/austin-literacy-nonprofits/

Come and Watch It An Exclusive on The Alamo Drafthouse

By Elizabeth Bircher

TThe Alamo Drafthouse

Cinema is a staple in local film and film viewing. At one point, it was just a onescreen operation, now they have over 250.

The Alamo Drafthouse was founded in 1997 by Tim and Karrie League. The original location was 409 Colorado Street in Austin. It was a place to enjoy food and beer while simultaneously watching movies. There are five locations in Austin: Lakeline, Mueller, Slaughter Lane, South Lamar, and Village. Currently, the company has over 40 locations and it’s still expanding. The theaters started in Texas but are now spreading throughout the United States.

Inside a theater at the Alamo Drafthouse Mueller location. Courtesy of creative commons

The Alamo Drafthouse’s name is distinctive. The first word in it, “Alamo”, was chosen due to multiple reasons. The first factor is that while they were naming the company, the yellow pages were still used. The yellow pages were telephone directories with the phone numbers of companies listed in alphabetical order. The company decided to start its name with an A to take advantage of this. As the Senior Film Programmer John Smith explained, “It was to your advantage back then to have your business start with the letter A because you’d be at the top of the yellow pages”. Consequently, this helped them gain more business. When they were opening the original location, the owners had gotten a large neon sign that only had room for about five letters on it. They chose the word Alamo because the original location’s building had a facade that looked like the Alamo. The second word in the name, “Drafthouse”, which means a place where beer is served, came from the purpose of the theater, enjoying beer

and food while watching movies.

As more and more theaters start to serve food and drink, the Alamo Drafthouse is trying to set itself apart from them. They are “having a lot more variety and trying to have high quality,” Smith said. They have to keep the standard for their food above other cinemas. Serving food to this many

Alamo Drafthouse sign outside of the original location. Courtesy of creative commons

It was to your advantage back then to have your business start with the letter A because you’d be at the top of the yellow pages

people is a challenge with the limited space available. With an average restaurant sized kitchen, sometimes they have to serve up to 1000 people at a time. Very busy nights at the theater have to be planned carefully to ensure that the kitchen does not get

overloaded with orders. There are many different reasons why someone would decide to visit the theater. One attendee said that they “live in the neighborhood so just walking here is pretty convenient”. The Mueller location is surrounded by many residential areas which brings a lot of business from people that live close by. Another Alamo Drafthouse attendee, Bre, appreciated the theater for many different reasons. “I think there’s a sense of community at the Alamo Drafthouse that other theaters don’t have, comfy chairs like I said, and obviously being able to eat and drink

during the movie is a big plus too,” she said. For many, the luxury of being waited while getting to

Alamo Drafthouse Village location.

Photo by Elizabeth Bircher

I think there’s a sense of community at the Alamo Drafthouse that other theaters don’t have

by Elizabeth Bircher

watch a movie is the biggest pull factor. There are also restaurants and bars at some of the locations. The ones in Austin are the Glass Half Full Taproom, Barrel O’ Fun, 400 Rabbits, and The Highball. I spoke to an Alamo attendee and he told me that he “did go to the Barrel O’ Fun today before the movie and it was fun.”

Other than just being a theater, the Alamo Drafthouse also hosts Fantastic Fest. This is a film festival started in 2005 that focuses on many different

genres such as horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, and more. Many guests come to Austin to speak at this event. It lasts 8 days and is held annually in September.

Film has always played an important part in people’s lives. Smith explained how important the theater is when he said “We have the ability to give people really

cool experiences that they’ll take with them and remember for a long, long time”. It can give people a new perspective on things that they may have never been able to see on their own. This unique opportunity is different than any other.

Home Movies at

47%

“It feels cozier to sit at home and you can sit with a ton of blankets” - Spandana Palyam, Grade 9

By Elizabeth Bircher

Theaters Or in

“It's a better viewing experience and the speakers and screen are way better than at home” - Jeffery Zheng, Grade 9