Legacy Business Month

Graphic: Paige Sipes Graphic Design

Leg•a•cy Busi•ness noun || 1. A beloved local establishment open for 20 years or more that anchors a community and epitomizes classic cool.

From iconic music venues to Tex-Mex staples, legacy businesses are essential to Austin's culture. This past October, Preservation Austin launched our first-ever Legacy Business Month, inviting Austinites to show their love for some of Austin’s most cherished institutions and champion them for generations to come.

Sign up for our newsletter at the bottom of this page to get the latest updates on Legacy Business Month 2024!

Celebrating iconic Austin businesses throughout October

SUPPORTED BY THE NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION’S NATIONAL PRESERVATION TRUST FUND AND THE CITY OF AUSTIN PLANNING DEPARTMENT, HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

2023 Legacy Business Month Participating Businesses

BOOKPEOPLE • 603 N. Lamar Blvd.
BROKEN SPOKE • 3201 S. Lamar Blvd.
CAROUSEL LOUNGE • 1110 E. 52nd St.
CISCO’S • 1511 E. 6th St.
DEEP EDDY CABARET • 2315 Lake Austin Blvd.
THE DRISKILL HOTEL • 604 Brazos St.
GREEN & WHITE GROCERY • 1201 E. 7th St.
THE HERB BAR • 200 W. Mary St.
THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE • 713 Congress Ave.
PETER PAN MINI-GOLF • 1207 Barton Springs Rd.
PLAYLAND SKATE CENTER • 8822 McCann Dr.
QUALITY SEAFOOD MARKET • 5621 Airport Blvd.
WATERLOO RECORDS & VIDEO • 600A N. Lamar Blvd.

Passport Pickup Locations

BOOKPEOPLE • 603 N. Lamar Blvd.
ZILKER TAPROOM • 1701 E. 6th St.

OPEN MAP

Are you a Legacy Business owner interested in participating in our 2024 Passport?

Email Policy & Outreach Planner Meghan King for information on how to submit your business!

2023 Legacy Business Month Passport

Our passports guide Austinites through our city’s iconic local businesses, encouraging them to celebrate and support the institutions that define so much of Austin’s culture. This inaugural Legacy Business Month Passport features 13 local businesses across Austin

SEE COMPLETE LIST OF PARTICIPATING BUSINESSES BELOW

Pick up your free Legacy Business Month Passport from BookPeople or Zilker Taproom starting October 1 and register at the link above to stay up-to-date

1

Join us on October 5 for our KICK-OFF PARTY at Zilker Taproom, featuring a limited edition Legacy Business Month beer from Zilker Brewing Company, custom prints by GRZ Monsters, and music by Queer Vinyl Collective

2

KICK-OFF PARTY

Visit participating businesses, show your support with a purchase, and get your passport stamped

3

Join us on October 30 for our CLOSING PARTY at The Historic Victory Grill and be entered to win prizes for most stamps collected!

4

CLOSING PARTY

What is a legacy business?

Preservation Austin defines a Legacy Business as a locally-owned and operated business that is at least 20 years old. This year’s program celebrates restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, and retail establishments. Additional considerations include whether a business:

Has contributed to the history and/or the identity of a particular neighborhood, community, or the city as a whole
Is owned by generations of the same family
Has operated under singular ownership for 20+ years
Operates out of its original location or has operated out of the same location for 20+ years

Why are they important?

Legacy businesses have made significant contributions to Austin's cultural, economic, and historic landscape.

The city’s explosive growth has made protections and support for legacy businesses more important than ever, which is why Preservation Austin adopted Legacy Businesses as an Advocacy Priority in 2022. In the last several years, so many beloved businesses have shuttered, with others expected to follow in the near future.

Cities such as San Francisco and San Antonio have adopted ground-breaking legacy business programs to protect and support their cities’ identities. Following their example, Preservation Austin aims to identify, uplift, and generate support for new policies and tools to sustain legacy businesses citywide and ensure they remain vital cultural landmarks for generations to come.

Sign the petition to save Peter Pan Mini-Golf!

According to local news sources, the future of Peter Pan currently rests in the hands of an unknown trustee who will be appointed to oversee the family trusts that control the land that Peter Pan occupies. While the owners are hoping to re-sign their current lease, the future for Peter Pan Mini-Golf remains uncertain. Historic landmark designation would protect this business for years to come.

Sign the petition to let the City of Austin know you support designating Peter Pan as a historic landmark and show them some love with a visit during Legacy Business Month!

SIGN THE PETITION