Three Legged Goat, the wine and craft beer bar that became a fixture of downtown Pflugerville’s music and nonprofit scene, closed its doors on Oct. 29. Owner Jim McDonald, a former Pflugerville City Council member, pointed to lease-renewal issues as the reason the business shut down after eight years at 200 E. Main St., Ste. 5.
The closure was first reported by Community Impact, which noted that Three Legged Goat opened in November 2018 and exclusively served Texas beers and wines throughout its run. The bar and music venue carved out a niche in the downtown district by pouring only in-state selections, a format that set it apart from other watering holes in the area.
A Gathering Spot for Local Causes
Beyond the pours, McDonald said the venue welcomed a wide range of groups over the years, including multiple nonprofits, veteran organizations, political events and other community gatherings, with a special emphasis on supporting local artists and musicians, according to the same report. That mix of live music and civic presence helped the bar build a loyal following in a downtown corridor that city leaders have spent years trying to energize.
McDonald said the support from the community and the memories made at the bar would stay with him, and he encouraged residents to keep supporting local businesses as the search for what comes next continues. The bar had operated under the website www.threeleggedgoattx.com during its run.
Years of Growth Before the Final Chapter
Three Legged Goat’s run included several attempts to grow. In November 2019, the Pflugerville City Council approved a specific-use permit allowing the bar to expand into two adjacent units and add a deck, according to the Austin American-Statesman. That approval came about a year after the city adopted a Downtown Action Plan in October 2018, a set of steps aimed at increasing downtown vibrancy and accessibility, attracting new businesses and preserving the area’s historic character, the newspaper reported at the time.
City officials had also discussed broader improvements to downtown parking and access, including sidewalk connectivity, pedestrian crossings and a possible parking garage, per the Statesman’s 2019 coverage. More expansion plans followed in February 2023, when the business announced intentions to grow its indoor square footage from 600 to 2,200 square feet and add a commercial kitchen, Community Impact reported separately. McDonald said at the time that the project, which would unite three commercial suites, was planned to be finished by summer.
By November 2023, the bar marked five years of operation, a milestone noted in the same outlet’s coverage of the business’s growth. Three Legged Goat’s closure this fall ends that run on Main Street, leaving behind a gap in a downtown district that has spent years working to build exactly the kind of small, community-rooted business it represented.
