The rumors are true: After 12 years of dishing out its signature smoked fare in the area, the Original Black’s Barbecue at 3110 Guadalupe St. in Austin is preparing to put that location on the back burner for good.
Why? Before fans get too fired up, there’s more to the story. Instead of extinguishing the pit entirely, the Lockhart-based chain announced that it plans to relocate to a new spot. Here’s what to know about the barbecue bastion’s new digs, and when the move could be set in motion.
According to a Friday video-post to social media, the eatery confirmed it’s takeover of Trudy’s — a beloved Tex-Mex spot nestled into a neighborhood at 409 W. 30th St. in Austin. The restaurant opened in 1977 and served Austinites for nearly half a century before ultimately shutting down in January last year.
“The original Trudy’s here on 30th Street now belongs to the Original Black’s Barbecue,” Barrett Black, the director of operations at Black’s Barbecue, said in the Friday video announcement. “This is where we will call our home permanently in Austin. We own this land and we are so excited to be here and be here for a very long time, just north of UT.”
However, barbecue lovers don’t need to kiss Black’s beloved Guadalupe bastion goodbye just yet. The joint reportedly isn’t scheduled to shut down until its lease has expired and its new Trudy’s location is ready to open — and that could be up to two years from now, according to a MySA report.
Still, Black said he’s “very excited about it” in a chat with the publication. “We may decide to keep the Guadalupe location going for a different concept but for now there would only be one Black’s BBQ in the neighborhood.”