THE AUSTIN INDIE SPIRIT (#2}

9/5/2024

THE AUSTIN INDIE SPIRIT (#2}

[Ed. Note- This is post #2 in this new series on Austin, Texas]

A house on North Loop in Austin, TX with an unusual mix of from yard art!

As you may know, daughter MEGHAN (LONGHORN) resides in Austin, Texas. Her residence is in a neighbourhood called NORTH LOOP.

It is an eclectic neighbourhood of modest residences (many of them bungalows) and cool indie shops.

BREAKAWAY RECORDS (L} and EPOCH COFFEE (R)
North Loop, Austin, TX

While I was Texas in July, Meghan was keen to tell me about 3 places in her neighborhood. Two of them are almost beside each other in the same plaza as pictured above.

She extolled the selection at BREAKAWAY RECORDS as it gave me an additional spot to my mainstay, WATERLOO RECORDS, to scrounge for indie vinyl. She also raved about EPOCH COFFEE. [Ed. Note- More about those two spots in future entries in this series although they both factored in today’s post.]

MEGS, an avid movie hound was also excited about a video co-op that had opened just down North Loop Drive.

One afternoon I made it into BREAKAWAY RECORDS and had a great hour or so working my way through their indie vinyl.

As I was checking out, a young man entered the store carrying a folder and asked to see the manager. I paid little attention as store clerk and musician Sean was telling me about a cool bar called The Equipment Room on S. Congress.

I then went next door to EPOCH for my second visit of the trip there. While waiting for my cold brew the same young gentleman entered and got in line behind me.

While we were waiting he said “I don’t want you think I was eavesdropping in the record store but The Equipment Room is a great bar for music lovers.”

I then asked him what he was “pitching” to the stores.

And so the story begins…

Meet RYAN TEEL

Turns out Ryan was approaching area businesses to see if they would support a party being hosted for the 1 Year Anniversary of WE ❤️ VIDEO!

Another ridiculous coincidence in my life as this was the Movie Co-Op MEGS was telling me about!

I bought Ryan a beverage and we sat outside and chatted about this endeavour.

Turns out RYAN and spouse MACY are both lawyers. He is a plaintiff injury lawyer by day and she is counsel for a regulatory agency in Austin.

At night they are also both movie mavens!

RYAN explained that during the pandemic, the last major indie movie rental store closed leaving a void in the Austin cinephile community.

So Ryan and MACY sprung into action with others. They formed a non profit, raised a significant sum of money and purchased the inventory of the defunct store/ chain. They then rented a space on North Loop and opened the co-op (my wording) called WE LUV VIDEO or also with the emoji – WE ❤️ VIDEO

In the evenings they oversee a volunteer staff that administers a massive movie collection of over 100,000 movies/ tv shows and the like!

MACY and RYAN later that evening at WE ❤️ VIDEO

They have about half of their inventory onsite and the balance at two other locations. Members pay a monthly fee to take out a movie a day. There are other plans.

The store is open in the evenings.

They also salvaged 25 seats from a movie theatre reno and have them at the back of the store where they do screenings. RYAN sent me this picture that shows the amazing enthusiasm they have helped create.

Anyway, RYAN is now an avid member of our little group.

Strangely when I went to pick out a song for this post I realized that of the 3 LPs I purchased at BREAKAWAY that day, 2 of them were by shoegaze faves from San Francisco called…wait for it…FILM SCHOOL!

Sometimes there are things you can’t make up.

One of the two LPs is titled “We Weren’t Here”. I have selected opening track “Superperfection” for its MY BLOODY VALENTINE feel.