An icon of Austin's punk rock and vegan pizza scene, The Parlor, will serve its final slice and host its last gig on April 30, after failing to secure funds to buy their building. The family-operated joint famous for its unique pizza and status as a local music hub is closing down following the death of their landlord and subsequent sale of the property located at 4301 Guadalupe Street.
The Parlor was unable to gather the $600,000 downpayment needed to purchase the property outright from the landlord's heirs, priced at $3 million. According to Eater Austin, owner Deborah Gill, alongside her children, could not manage the hefty downpayment and were holding onto a slim hope that the landlords would reduce the price, but to no avail. Unfortunately, they also came up short in their efforts to raise $100,000 through a GoFundMe campaign aimed at supporting their staff and settling business loans.
In a sad turn of events, Deborah Gill, who previously ran a club in Arizona and played in ska bands, and had founded The Parlor, was also recently reported to have suffered brain damage from a car accident. The Parlor, which has weathered overhead pressures and the pandemic, had "unwavering intentions to ensure our team was payed [sic] a livable wage," David vonOhlerking who is a family member and co-owner explained in the fundraiser’s description, as per the Austin Chronicle. He shared that the staff's severance and his mother's capacity to avoid bankruptcy were among the reasons for the call for community support. The GoFundMe campaign had raised approximately $14,000 as of publication.
Despite the imminent closure, the music and memories will cap off with a bang as The Parlor's calendar is packed with performances until doors close permanently. "People cheering and talking about it and stuff has been probably the biggest help," vonOhlerking told the Austin Chronicle. While their fundraising was not enough to save the establishment, the community's response has offered a glimmer of hope and support in these final moments for the iconic Austin spot.
