Original Emo’s Nightclub Sold

As the new, 1,700-capacity Emo’s East in Austin, Texas, is in full swing since opening Sept. 11, the original Emo’s at downtown has been sold, but might live on.

Emo’s owner Frank Hendrix confirmed to the Austin American-Statesman he sold the club, which opened in 1992, because of rising costs to operate it. Those costs reportedly included a $4,000 monthly parking bill for tour buses as well as much needed renovations.

“Emo’s has always been cutting edge, and because of the facility, we were losing a lot of the bands,” Hendrix told the paper.

Real estate broker David Morrison, who represents the buyer, Sixth Red River LC, told the American-Statesman the new owners are interested in leasing to someone who will continue the musical legacy at the building.

“They’re very sensitive to the Austin music scene,” Morrison said. “It’s been a cool place for a lot of people and a big part of the music scene. We think it will be a chance to do something even better here.”

Meanwhile, the sale isn’t the end of the original Emo’s.

Hendrix told the paper he’s looking for a 300-capacity venue to reopen Emo’s with much of the original venue’s charm, and name.

“For all those people who like the small and crusty, we’re going to try to offer that to them again,” he said. “The chandelier and the Johnny Cash stool will fly again somewhere.”