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Hut's Hamburgers In Downtown Austin Closes Forever This Weekend

Nathan Bernier/KUT
Crowds of people waiting for a table outside Hut's Hamburgers on Friday afternoon. The restaurant is closing Sunday evening after 80 years in business.

After 80 years in business, Hut's Hamburgers in downtown Austin will close forever at the end of this weekend.

The restaurant was started in 1939 by Homer "Hut" Hutson, not be confused with the current owner, Mike "Hutch" Hutchinson.

"Everybody gets that mixed up. It's just one of life's ironies," Hutchinson says.

Hutchinson, 65, has been at Hut's Hamburgers for 38 years and says he's ready to retire. Plus, rising property taxes and a shortage of qualified labor have put strains on the business. 

"My landlord's been more than fair with me. I have no issue with my landlord," he says.

Anyone looking to grab a burger before they close on Sunday should try to come in groups of four or less, Hutchinson says, and consider coming during what tend to be less busy hours, between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

But the rush of last minute crowds might change that. It's also possible they'll run out of burgers on Sunday.

"I can't predict. We're selling more burgers now than we ever have, and we're going to do our best to have one for everyone who comes in," he says.

Hut's Hamburgers at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, which opened last year, will remain open

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on Twitter @KUTnathan.
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