Austin’s dedicated women’s sports bar will close on Aug. 30, 1972 Women’s Sports Pub co-founders Debra Hallum and Marlene du Plessis announced on Instagram. The closure comes months after the founders announced that the pub will have to relocate due to construction for Austin’s light rail project.

Dig deeper: While the location on The Drag is closing, 1972’s owners assured fans that it won’t be the end of the pub’s story. The owners welcome potential collaborators to reach out with new ideas on how to continue the pub’s mission.

The background: The sports pub opened in spring 2025 on Guadalupe Street next to The University of Texas at Austin campus. 1972 Women’s Sports Pub predominantly streams women’s sports, offering a communal spot for fans to gather, eat and drink. The pub features a full bar and food menu with bites like burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads and loaded fries.

In mid May, the owners shared that the pub’s building is one of the properties being acquired through eminent domain for the transit project.

• 2530 Guadalupe St., Austin

Check out nine events for locals to attend in Austin in September and early October. Activities include visiting a pop-up cafe dedicated to “The Golden Girls” at Wanderlust Wine Co., attending Austin Bat Fest or visiting Meanwhile Brewing Co. for the brewery’s annual Lagers and Literature book fair.

This list is not comprehensive, and all events are subject to change. 

'The Golden Girls' Kitchen
From Atlanta to Austin, Disney Entertainment and Bucket Listers are opening a pop-up restaurant that will serve up breakfast, lunch, desserts and drinks with nods to the show’s characters and storylines. Tickets will include a welcome drink and 90-minute seating. 

• Opening Aug. 20
• $21.85+
• Wanderlust Wine Co., 610 N. I-35, Austin

• Sept. 6, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Free (attendance)
• 3901 Promontory Point Drive, Austin

School is in session on Manor Road. Co-owners Christina and Edgar Torres are serving up elevated bar food, local brews and specialty cocktails at School House Pub, a local eatery part of the Mi Madre’s and Techo Mezcaleria & Agave Bar family. 

A family affair: Husband and wife duo Edgar and Christina Torres met at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. Years later, the pair moved to Austin, Edgar Torres’ hometown, where his parents have been running Mi Madre’s since 1990. 

The backstory: Before owning School House Pub, Edgar and Christina Torres opened Zandunga Mexican Bistro in East Austin, serving Mexican food with a modern flare. The restaurant closed after two years, spurring the couple to transition from fine dining to a new concept. 

The couple officially opened School House Pub in 2013 next to Mi Madre’s.

From the oven: Menu highlights include the fish and chips, Asian crunch salad, mac and cheese, burgers, house made pretzels, Italian grilled cheese and the chicken gyro with onion rings. 

• 2207 Manor Road, Austin

Texas’ audit of hundreds of proposed data centers will likely wrap up by the end of the year, grid officials said Aug. 20.

The overview: Up to 300 proposals will be audited to ensure they meet certain criteria before the data centers can begin connecting to the state electric grid. If all the plans are approved, these facilities alone could use about 200 gigawatts of electricity—more than twice Texas’ 91-gigawatt peak demand record, which was set on July 22.

How we got here: On Aug. 3, Gov. Greg Abbott directed ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission of Texas to audit proposed data centers regarding their water and electricity use; tax exemptions; impacts on residents; and facility ownership.

More details: Only large loads, or facilities that are expected to use at least 75 megawatts of electricity, will be fully audited. However, ERCOT will also survey proposed data centers that would use 25 megawatts of electricity or more.

ERCOT plans to release reports detailing the results of the audit and surveys on Dec. 10, officials said.