One of Texas barbecue’s most respected names is planting a bigger flag in Austin. The Original Black’s Barbecue is set to open at the former Trudy’s Texas Star location on West 30th Street, giving the long-vacant building a second act that most of the neighborhood wasn’t expecting.
Black’s acquired the property at 409 W. 30th Street, and the new location will approximately double the dining space from the restaurant’s current Austin footprint. Company leadership is describing the move as a step toward a more permanent location in Austin, with a rough two-year timeline while renovations and permitting work through the process.
The new spot is planned as a family-friendly operation with a children’s play area, meat smokers on location, and a liquor license. The full Black’s menu will make the move, meaning brisket, homemade sausage, marshmallow sweet potatoes, chunky potato salad, peach cobbler, and banana pudding are all coming to West 30th.
The family business has been operating since 1932, when it opened its original Lockhart location, and has since expanded to Austin, San Marcos, and New Braunfels. The current Austin outpost at 3110 Guadalupe St. will continue operating in the meantime. Hours there run 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday with extended hours on weekends.
The West 30th space sat quiet for years after Trudy’s closed, and the neighborhood has been watching to see what would move in. Now it has a new tennant and its about smell like smoked post oak.