Christmas Is Saved

Lala's Little Nugget to reopen: Austin dive bar's new owners promise same Christmas spirit

Austin Photo Set: Places_Drink_Lala's_exterior1

Lala's Little Nugget will reopen on Friday, September 11.

Photo by Arden Ward

Editor's note: Representatives of Lala's Little Nugget confirmed that the bar is officially open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 pm to 2 am. The original date was set for Friday, September 11, with service scheduled for seven days a week.

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Nice try, Mr. Grinch.

After rumors began circulating that Lala's Little Nugget — the famed dive bar off Burnet Road that celebrates Christmas all year long — would be shuttering for good, the new owners of the establishment have clarified the bar's future.

Yes, it's true that Lala's closed this past week without warning. However, the holiday-themed bar will reopen soon under a new owners that are dedicated to keeping the Christmas spirit alive.

The new regime comprises a mixture of bar veterans from around town. In addition to Matt Luckie, Max Moreland (Mean Eyed Cat, Lavaca Street Bar, and Gibson Street Bar), and Anggay Tenney (The Wheel), Ryan Garrett and Mike Levine of Stubb's Bare-B-Q are also at the helm.

"We're in the business of keeping these Austin hangouts as the best versions of themselves and are not replaced with condos," Moreland said in a press release. "Lala's has been an Austin institution for a long time and we want to make sure it remains the great neighborhood bar it always has been."

Moreland assisted with the Mean Eyed Cat overhaul in 2013, which included a much-needed revamping of the space that didn't sacrifice the iconic Johnny Cash theme. Due to the success of this project and others, Moreland and Luckie were tapped by Lala's regulars Levine and Kelly Chappel when the two got wind that Lala's was poised to close after 43 years of holiday cheer.

"We saw the way the team updated Mean Eyed Cat. It still reflects the best of the place but is better, and we hoped to maintain the flavor of Lala's in a similar way," said Chappel in the release. "So regulars note: The Bloody Mary will not be changing," and neither will the beloved Christmas decorations.

However, Lala's is still due for a facelift. The new owners plan to renovate the space later this fall by expanding the interior and building an outdoor patio. The biggest change comes in the form of a new addition to the menu: barbecue from Stubb's will soon be available to Lala's patrons.

Following the reopening, Lala's will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 4 pm to 2 am.

openings

Games on the Go

This outdoorsy mountain trolley is now a vintage arcade in Austin

Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley still bears most of the markings from its past life in Tennessee.

Some classic arcade games are now on the go in Austin with the launch of the Austin Arcade Trolley. Housed in a renovated trolley car, this new mobile arcade shows off eight vintage 80s and 90s games, while keeping some of the transportation nostalgia intact, too.

Austin Arcade Trolley owner and ex-corporate salesman Trey Tschoepe said in a press release that the idea came about after attending birthday parties with his 6-year-old daughter. The parties inspired a desire to "keep Austinites young at heart." It wasn't intended as a business, but Austinites can now book it for their own events.

The vintage games include:

NBA Jam
Golden Tee
Ms. Pacman
Atari
The Simpsons
NFL Blitz
Mortal Kombat
Street Fighter II

Austin Arcade Trolley interior Even though the aesthetics are different, both halves of this bus are very retro.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

It's not just limited to those classics, though; a 55-inch screen will let guests play more than 30,000 other games. Minecraft, Roblox, and Tetris are a few of those offerings.

“Not only are we delivering nostalgic fun that accessible to all ages, but we’re also doing it in style with a vintage trolley car converted into a mobile arcade," said Tschoepe. "There’s truly nothing else like this in Texas or anywhere else.”

There certainly are other mobile arcades, but the trolley is unique not just for its vintage selection but a delightfully outdoorsy look. The back of the vehicle looks like an arcade, but the front and exterior sidestep the expected design elements — neon colors, envisionings of cyberspace — by keeping everything as-is.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley basically looks like any other mobile arcade.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The wooden interior still has some passenger benches, and the outside even displays its original affiliation: the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it was designated a "Fun Time Trolley."

Tschoepe did put some work in, even though he kept the aesthetic intact. He purchased the decommissioned car in May 2024 and spent six months implementing custom woodwork and other design updates.

Now it can fit 15 guests in the arcade section, with space for 7 more in the seating section. There's also wifi and air-conditioning, and guests are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks onboard.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley brings light to an airier side of gaming.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley is available for hourly booking every day. The case price is $375 including delivery, setup, and unlimited play within the booking time, which happens in two-hour increments. It can travel around Austin as well as to Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Dripping Springs, Bee Cave, Buda, Kyle, and Lakeway.

Tschoepe welcomes kids and adults for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, weddings, corporate and team-building events, and anywhere else it's needed.

“We’re excited to spread the fun throughout Central Texas," he said.

kids games arcade parties weddings