Another one bites the dust in Austin's feverish real estate environment, as local haunt Easy Tiger is slated to shut its East Austin location doors for good. Rising rent and a series of unfavorable weather conditions have forced the homegrown beer garden and bakery to capitulate to financial pressures. The last call for patrons will be at the end of April, the company confirmed, as reported by MySA.
David Norman, Easy Tiger's co-founder and head baker, broke the news, stating, "Due to a combination of challenging weather conditions and increased costs, we cannot see a path forward for Easy Tiger at this location." The hospitality veteran voiced intentions to rehome staff from the impacted venue to the chain's remaining two spots, on South Lamar Boulevard and in the Linc off North Interstate 35. While the East Austin outpost's demise was confirmed, Norman assured that the bakery's production would endure unaffected—given the shuttered locale lacked an in-house bakery operation, according to information provided to KVUE.
Meanwhile, real estate group Weitzman is already circling, advertising the erstwhile beer garden's spot for potential new tenants. "We formally began marketing the space late last week," revealed Ian Pierce, Weitzman's senior vice president of communications. While no deals have been inked, the firm's sights are set on welcoming a restaurant successor with open arms. The forthcoming vacancy at 1501 E. Seventh St. has had the Reddit community waxing nostalgic, with users reminiscing Easy Tiger's heyday before perceived corporate infectivity diluted its charm, as per MySA.
Comments on the subreddit r/Austin ranged from laments over lost happy hours to grievances about the evolution—some would say devolution—of Easy Tiger's atmosphere and offerings. "The original Easy Tiger on 6th pre-corporate acquisition was incredible. All locations post-acquisition and expansion have been a disappointment. Not surprising that this one didn’t hang on," posted u/fe7nn3r. Such sentiments echoed across the virtual space, as patrons shared their experiences of changing vibes and price hikes at the once-beloved community staple, said in posts from the MySA report.
