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Hoffbrau

brief history


One of the symbol restaurants of this era in Autin is the steakhouse. And one of the most famous steak house among the Austin is the Hoffbrau, which located in 613 West 6th St Austin. In August 1934, Robert “Coleman” Hamby and his brother, Tom, converted a store into Hoffbrau with 250 bucks.The sign of Hoffbrau in 1930s Initially, Colman and Tom tried to designed the Hoffbrau as a bar, they charged  a nickel for crackers and cold-cuts. Due to the Great Depression, few people could afford to eat out, but those that could afford a nickel for a glass of beer soon found The Hoffbrau. [6]The soldiers from the nearby Bergstrom Air Force Base convinced Coleman that he should sell  something alongside the beer. Therefore they procured a two-burner flat- top grill and started cooking steaks for their customers. From then on, Hoffbrau successfully transformed from a bar to the restaurant, which served the barbecue ribs, enchiladas and sandwiches.[2] The legend of the Hoffbrau has begun.

Picture
figure 2.the sign of Hoffbrau

why the popularity?

It is often hard to quantify what makes a place memorable, successful or special, but to paraphrase an old adage, “You know it when you see it.” Some urban planners have described placemaking as the deliberate re-shaping of the built environment to facilitate social interaction and improve quality of life.[7]

Meanwhile, let's take a look on the 6th street, which Hoffbrau is located in.

Sixth Street (formerly known as Pecan Street) is lined with many historical houses and commercial buildings dating from the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. The storied old buildings now house numerous bars, a host of live entertainment venues, tattoo parlors, art galleries, casual cafes, upscale restaurants, and the elegant Driskill Hotel. Live music of every genre abounds. From jazz, blues, and country to rock, hip-hop, beat, progressive, metal, punk and derivations of these, there’s something to whet everyone’s musical pallete. Great food is a staple on Sixth Street, featuring such regional staples as chili, ribs, and Tex-Mex plus steak, seafood, cajun-cooking, and deli. [8]

Sixth Street gave the opportunity to Hoffbrau for becoming one of  the hottest restaurants in Austin.

Another factor is, food and restaurants are the most oustanding aspect of the cities people love to visit, and Austinites tend to prefer programmed events (like farmer’s markets, outdoor concerts, and food trucks) more than residents of other cities. Even though at the time of Great Depression, Hoffbrau attracted many patrons and customers to visit and consume.[9]

More than eighty years on, the Hoffbrau attracts an eclectic cross-section of Austinites, from the downtown condo dwellers to families with young children to longtime regulars.[2]



References:

[6] Official website of Hoffbrau
  http://www.originalhoffbrausteaks.com/history.html

[7]Placemaking done right: three successful approaches
  http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2014/08/19/placemaking-done-right-three-successful-approaches/

[8]sixth street(
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Street_(Austin,_Texas)

[9]The State Of the City Experience
  http://www.sasaki.com/media/files/cities_survey_final-1.pdf

figure 2.the sign of Hoffbrau
  http://www.theworldeffect.com/the-beginning-of-a-beautiful-road-trip-for-my-belly-austin-texas-usa
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