By Moses Leos III
From rustic wood paneling, to the old rusted tin roof, much of what was Railroad BBQ is pure gold for the owners of Down South Railhouse.
And while repairs are underway for Kyle’s new business – a family friendly bar, dance hall, music venue and food truck hub – maintaining the character of an iconic Center Street mainstay was paramount.
“There will be some people that will look at [the building] as an eyesore,” Colleen Naumann, co-owner of Down South Railhouse, said. “We love it. There are obviously some things that will be repaired, but we aren’t going to take away from the character.”
Naumann and her husband, Brad, along with Charlie Benner and Tamera Noble-Farris, envisioned the Railhouse concept seven years ago.
Originally, the four sought to open their business in Austin. However, issues with the city forced them to look elsewhere.
Kyle was soon targeted because of its rapid growth; the group eventually had two locations they considered.
But both locations fell through, which Naumann said was a “blessing in disguise.” After minimal success searching elsewhere, Naumann got in touch with the city in August 2014.
The group was then informed of the vacant Railroad BBQ location. Naumann said the transition wasn’t a challenge, as the group was already working with the city.
They also talked with a principal of Center Railroad LLC. The group informed him of its plans to make some changes, but to leave the building intact. It includes using signage from Railroad BBQ as décor for the new business.
According to Benner, it’s a primary reason why Center Railroad LLC sold them the property. Other prospective clients wanted to bulldoze the building.
“That’s one thing we’ve taken a lot of pride in. We want to preserve the integrity and character of the building and this area,” Benner said. “We’re the first thing you’ll see when coming in to Kyle.”
Thus far, renovations on the building have cost just under $250,000. That includes adding a ceiling to the structure, which will cover insulation that was exposed.
But what the business will offer goes beyond the building’s barbecue roots.
The group plans to use “every square inch” of the 1.667-acre property. They plan to hire roughly 20 people to accomplish this.
The business will feature a newly built bar, along with a dedicated dance hall with a stage and lounge area in the building’s interior.
Behind the building will be an area for food trailers, live music, a sand volleyball court and children’s play area.
Naumann said the focus would go toward allowing local food trailers to set up. The group plans to have three food trailers on site, and plans to rotate them regularly.
“There are so many (food trailers) in Austin, and it hasn’t made its way down here fully yet,” Naumann said. “Once it does, it’s going to keep a lot of local businesses…it will generate money and relationships.”
Live music will also be a part of the facility. The group will host karaoke, open mic nights, local and big bands. In addition, they will have a “picking pit,” which would allow patrons to bring their acoustic guitars and play.
Ultimately, ensuring the stage is filled is the priority.
“I don’t want the stage upfront to be empty any night of the week,” Naumann said.
The primary focus is to bring a family friendly bar and hangout spot that could bring the community together.
Naumann hopes her business can cater to all demographics and age groups.
Whether or not the bar sells drinks until 2 a.m. depends on the community. Naumann said the group plans to get public feedback on bar hours.
But ensuring all people of all ages enjoy their locale is the goal.
“You want a meal off a taco truck? We’ve got that. You want to play darts, volleyball, washers or horseshoes? We’ve got that,” Benner said. “You name it, we are going to try to facilitate it in one location, so you don’t have to go everywhere, and you can bring your kids.”
