Austin, deep in the heart of Texas, bills itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World”. It hosts internationally-recognised events like South by Southwest (SXSW) and Austin City Limits, and has been home to some fucking legendary musicians including Willie Nelson, Janis Joplin, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. It’s home to tech giants and startups, boasts a kick-ass food scene (BBQ and Tex-Mex, anyone??), and sports what some call a quirky, unique vibe among Texas cities. Seems like the perfect spot for the first Texas chapter of the Tough Guy Book Club! TGBC is a network of men’s book clubs held in pubs around the world. We’re committed to putting decent conversation back in the pub, and getting men to read more, talk more, and have more friends.
Austin chapter president Evan Machnic first heard about TGBC on a friend and coworker’s Instagram feed. “In Austin, we have all sorts of live music and plenty of things to do,” said Evan, “but based on my conversations with other guys, there just weren’t a lot of options for men’s groups. TGBC felt like something that filled that void.”
What book was it that peaked Evan’s interest? “Y’all were reading The Martian, and that got me interested in the book and also the club,” recalled Evan, speaking about the TGBC book from May 2020. “I knew I wanted to read the books that the club was reading and discuss them, but there wasn’t a chapter near me.” So, Evan stepped up. He started a local chapter and introduced TGBC to Texas. “From the first night, we had 6 guys, and everyone was really thankful that I’d gotten this going,” said Evan. It’s just a couple months in, and the Austin chapter is already growing with new members at the second meet finding out about the club from the tried and tested poster in the pub toilet. Some chapters start with only one or two goons for a couple of months, so Austinites have clearly been waiting for TGBC to come along.
The Austin goons meet at the Oz. Tap House, a pub that’s as unique as the city around it…Pour your own drinks by the ounce, indoor and outdoor seating, farm-to-market food, and craft burgers. And on the first Wednesday of each month, a rowdy discussion about books. “Discussions are respectful but energetic,” Evan added. “There’s a lot of excitement here, and a lot of interest! We could definitely handle another couple chapters in the area.”
If you are in Austin, Texas, come along to the Oz. Tap House on the first Wednesday of every month at 7pm and join the conversation; or stop in and see the goons at our nearby chapter in Georgetown, TX.
