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Spellman's

Submitted by clex on Thu, 03/23/2006 - 5:40pm. Bars | Scenes

Spellman's was a small (very), old (very), rustic (very, very) beer bar off of West 5th St. It was one of the first places that I recall that had near constant live music from local songwriters and pickers. Townes, Blaze, Jubal, etc. I didn't appreciate them at the time beyond the good background music for afternoon beers and evening (mostly feeble) attempts at meeting someone new of the opposite sex.

I recall the guy that introduced me to the afternoon gang at Spellman's saying "These are good people. I've loaned them money when they asked." That impressed me most because we were so broke back then that even the thought of having money to loan was inconceivable.

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I was at Spellmans from the beginning

Submitted by jschmidt78704 on Sat, 05/08/2010 - 6:45am.

I owned the pillow business with Tony in the other half of the building and saw David Spellman and chef Victor almost every day. Coming to work in the morning was an adventure because I never knew who or what would be sprawled out on the floor or in that dank and beer laden furniture. Victor seemed to have hopes that Spellmans would be a restaurant but beer sales ruled. Actually the food was pretty good.

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Spellmans

Submitted by ChipKidd on Sun, 11/04/2007 - 7:06am.

We were discussing "old" Austin bars the other day and Spellmans came up. My wife and I spent a lot of time and money (actually, it probably wasn't a lot of money by today's standards) there particularly on Sunday afternoons, shooting pool and play Space Invaders. The game was a table top version and you sat across from your opponent, each taking turns. It was a fun way to spend the time: drinking beer in a laid back place with someone you love, doing something you enjoyed. This would have been around 1978 - 1980.

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Chip this is Jerry (Zac & Wes' dad)

Submitted by jschmidt78704 on Sat, 05/08/2010 - 6:47am.

I had no idea that you were a Spellmans guy. I & Tony had the pillow business adjacent to Spellmans.

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remembering spellman's

Submitted by phylliskrantzman on Fri, 10/19/2007 - 10:27pm.

I had some great times at spellmans. i remember when no one had money but we had great times. i saw butch at spellman's. and other musicians - really good musicians

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The Train Tracks

Submitted by mdedman on Wed, 08/10/2011 - 10:26pm.

My band Ruby Cain played at Spellman's every Saturday for a month in 1978. I was 18 years old. We had to scrounge a truck to haul our gear and sound system. We played for nickles and dimes...I remember counting them out and dividing the proceeds. The Jukebox was great. A mural of a passenger plane on the wall behind the band. Right next to the railroad tracks. When one went by I would run up to it and get real close. I rode my moped to see Lucinda Williams there in 1980.
Man, I'm all eat up with the nostalgia!!!

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