La BBQ

Pioneering la Barbecue owner and noted photographer LeAnn Mueller dies at 51

LeAnn Mueller opened the award-winning restaurant with her wife, Ali Chem, in South Austin in 2012.

Courtesy KVUE

The owner of award-winning Austin restaurant, la Barbecue, has died.

LeAnn Mueller was born on February 20, 1972, in Taylor into the Mueller family, which is well known for its barbecue. Her grandfather started Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, which was later passed down to her father. The restaurant took home a prestigious James Beard Award in 2006.

This inspired Mueller to open her own award-winning restaurant, la Barbecue, with her wife, Ali Chem, in South Austin in 2012.

Before she ran la Barbecue, Mueller spent time in New York where she worked as a photographer. She worked with big-name celebrities, including Jay Z, Willie Nelson, and Leon Bridges. Her work was also showcased in several publications, such as Rolling Stone and Texas Monthly.

Mueller later returned to Austin where she met her wife, Clem – a bartender in downtown Austin at the time and now the co-owner of la Barbecue. Since opening, "barbecue enthusiasts line up around the block to dine at the east side brick-and-mortar" of la Barbecue.

Friends and family spoke about how Mueller "was incredibly generous, undeniably fiery and deeply funny." They said she would "give you the shirt off her back, and that shirt would likely be a bold print, short-sleeve button down."

Funeral arrangements are pending. Mueller was 51 years old.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

Tastes Like Profit

Tasteful Austin ice cream shop starts crowdfunding to scoop up new cities

Lick Honest Ice Creams/Instagram

Lick Honest Ice Creams already has shops in four Texas cities, but it wants more.

We're not sure how many licks it takes to get to a popular Austin ice cream shop into new markets, but a crowdfunding campaign gives fans a chance to find out.

Lick Honest Ice Creams, known for interesting, mature flavors (without getting too serious), has launched a campaign via MicroVentures that will allow onlookers a chance to support the business with small investments of $100 or more. Ice cream never goes out of style, and the company is hoping to appeal not just to repeat customers, but anyone who thinks the sweet treat has growth potential.

Although this could be a long-term holding, the root idea is to eventually trade back the stake for a financial gain once the company has grown. In less than two days (since the campaign launched on September 28), Lick has already sold stakes worth more than $66,000 from 90 investors.

“This isn’t just an investment in terms of capital," said CEO Anthony Sobotik in a news release. "It’s an opportunity to own a piece of your favorite ice cream shop, shared memories, and a piece of Lick’s future. By investing, you’re supporting our dream and commitment to spread the Lick experience further, enabling Lick to support family-owned farms in a more significant way, and ensuring more people can truly know what they’re licking."

The ice cream shop has been in Austin since its inception in 2012, and now operates three stores in the area, plus stores in San Antonio, Houston, and College Station. The total store count is currently at eight, with a ninth coming to Houston's Autry Park "soon," according to the website. The release states intentions to use the crowdfunding to "build more scoop shops and expand into new markets," but does not specify which cities the brand is eyeing, or even if they are in Texas or farther away.

Some of the flavors pay homage to their Texas roots, like "Caramel Salt Lick," "Hill Country Honey & Vanilla Bean," and "Texas Sheet Cake." It is easy to see where ingredients come from, as suppliers are listed on the menu. Seasonal flavors right now include creative twists like "Back Porch Iced Tea" and "Fig & Fromage," sticking to Lick's script of interesting and local ingredients. The menu also includes a small number of dairy-free flavors.

“From our first scoop shop opening in 2011 to where Lick is now, it’s been an extraordinary journey. We’ve now served over a million scoops, and with each one, we’ve shared our commitment to and love for thoughtfully crafted, ethically, and sustainably-sourced and produced ice cream,” said Sobotik.

“But beyond just charming your taste buds, our flavors tell stories," he continued. "Those are the stories of favorite dishes, the family and friends we shared them with, and the farmers we work with. It’s a special connection that ice cream grants us, and it’s what really makes this our story, not just Lick’s story.”

More information and links to contribute to the campaign are available at microventures.com.

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