Former Red Lobster

It wasn't a red, it was a Red Lobster! (Picture by author, 6/20)

The current COVID-19 pandemic has done a number on local restaurants, and one of the victims appears to be the local Red Lobster at 1200 University Drive East. Opened in spring 2008 at the corner of Lincoln and University Drive East and replacing their 1983 location at Lincoln and Texas Avenue, the Red Lobster updated their logo in the early 2010s (2013) to their 2009 logo instead of the one they've had since the mid-1990s.

The restaurant was reported in late June 2020 to be locked out for non-payment of rent, and while some barriers have been put up to prevent vandalism/theft, I don't see the restaurant reopening. Also I apologize for the quality of the photos, it was taken when the sun was at a low angle, and I had to do some weird things to the photos to make them viewable.

All of the handicapped spaces were converted to to-go spots. I'm not sure this was actually legal.

GMRI Inc. is the corporate name of the original Red Lobster/Olive Garden group, descended from the original Red Lobster Inns of America, Inc. and named after the General Mills Restaurant group...though Red Lobster was spun off several years ago.

UPDATE 05-04-2022: According to KBTX, Austin-based Trudy's Authentic Tex-Mex is coming to the spot, confirming after two years that Red Lobster is gone for good. Parts of the original post have been touched up.
UPDATE 10-06-2023: Rumor is that Trudy's has unfortunately fallen through.
UPDATE 04-23-2024: Reports that Tyler-based Javi's will be opening in the spot.

Dry Bean Saloon

We now get to Dry Bean Saloon (305 University), which only says Dry Bean on the facade now for reasons unknown.

I can't give a whole lot of information on the building itself other than the fact that estimates say it was built in the mid-1950s, and that does seem to be backed up by aerials; however, I can't find any business records prior to 1968 (even accounting for Sulphur Springs Road). The 1000 sq. ft. building is thin and narrow, with the building only 13 feet wide. Looking in the archives, the first recorded tenant is University Cycles (later moved to 105 Boyett, though they appear to have had a different location before that time and after moving out), then in 1969 becoming Hobby World (aka Hobby World of Texas). (Were "real" hobby shops that rare in 1969?), then Andre's Bicycle Shop in 1973. This operated throughout the 1970s with even a refrigerator shop operating inside the store for a while (small refrigerators! They know the store is cramped, and dorm restrictions wouldn't allow for a full-size unit). After that, it seems to have gone vacant until around 1988, when it was Sticky Chin's Ice Cream Parlor (owned by Don Ganter of Dixie Chicken), but around 1990 it was closed and reopened as the Dry Bean Saloon (which ultimately, by the late 2010s, got a sign that read "Dry Bean").


UPDATE 01-04-2021: Removed [Series: University Drive] (aborted) and filled in more details on the building's earlier years.

UPDATE 10-12-2025: Put in an updated version that I wrote a while ago but never somehow published it. Along with other posts that once used the [University Drive] label, it has been replaced with the new [FM 60] label.

Former Zapatos Cantina

Before Zapatos Cantina, this was DoubleDave's PizzaWorks. (Photo from Project HOLD)
The first reference for this building, built circa 1974, was Aggieland Casuals, a clothing store for men and women, owned by the same owners of the nearby Aggieland Flowers.¹ In October 1976, the store closed and just one month later Record Collection (listed as "Pyramid Audio" in phone books) opened. In January 1980 Record Collection began a closing sale but were still advertising a few months later in the Battalion as prices decreased to deep discounts. All indications were that it remained vacant until summer 1985 when DoubleDave's Pizzaworks moved in (which had a location on Southgate). This operated until 1999 when it moved a few spaces down. In 2000, Zapatos Cantina opened. Zapatos Cantina, which was a Northgate hangout known for years known for "trash can lid nachos". There's a few other reviews of the old establishment, and even that review predates 2009 (when smoking was banned in bars).

At some point after Bill's at 215 University closed (no 213 University, just an open-air area between the two buildings), Zapatos expanded to that location, until spring 2013, when Zapatos closed. This was almost certainly because of Chimy's Cerveceria opening and providing more space and likely better overall for a similar menu and theme.

Afterwards, the building remained empty for a few years, with only serving briefly (around the middle of the 2010s) as a leasing office for Aspen Heights off of Holleman Drive South, and in fall 2018 opened as The Draconian Lounge.

1. Previous versions of this post mentions it was "Don's Barber Shop" but new research indicates that it was 215 University Drive that was once "Bill & Don's Barber Shop". As of this writing, the page has not yet been updated.

UPDATE 07-29-2025: New update with some better dates and new tenants. Previous updates archived.