On August 5th, Lovejoys, an Austin institution that has been open for over two decades, opened its doors to the public for the last time. Lovejoys has been our favorite watering hole (and really, only bar that we would ever really frequent) for the entirety of the time that we’ve been in Austin, and it closing has left a big fez-shaped hole in our hearts. That might seem dramatic, but its true, and anyone who has been to this well worn spot is sure to understand: the nights of dominoes with friends, our little art showings, seeing Waldo behind the bar, Heart & Soul Soundsystem playing reggae every Sunday – this was a place that truly felt like home. It was on 6th street which is a no mans land for most Austin locals, but Lovejoys would always be the exception, if not the rule. One of our favorite things about it was that all types of people would be there are any given night, it was truly the bar for any and everyone, but mostly the off kilter, the strange, and those of us who knew it best.

The following photos are from the final night, shot by Lau, and our friends Seth Cox and Patchen Preston. And while it was a really sad night for most of us, we also sent the ship sailing + blazing, dancing the night away and pretending it would never, ever end.

Goodbye Lovejoys. Nothing will ever take your place.

 

You can view the rest of the photos on our Flickr.

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