South Austin residents have a new neighborhood spot to gather, get coffee and sip cocktails at Fortune Teller on South Congress Avenue.

The details

Business owner Thomas Bailey has transformed what was previously an open lot with a pavilion and food trucks into an all-day-and-night gathering spot.

Fortune Teller is mostly outside with seating under the original, refurbished pavilion, and Bailey said they are planting a garden to fill the space with greenery.

A restored 1920s-era cottage, formerly located behind Hill’s Cafe and slated for demolition, serves as the interior. Bailey said the space has nooks and corners for daytime coffee dates and remote work, which shifts to a “moody” atmosphere with cocktails in the evening. Sabor Tapatio, the food truck previously located in the lot, will be returning to Fortune Teller.

“We're really taking into account the neighborhood and the community that has been here for years before us,” Bailey said.

Bailey, who purchased the property from Goodnight Properties in early 2022 and broke ground on the project last year, said it has been a long and arduous journey to bring his vision to life.“I've had this community of friends and family that have special skills in either construction or in the service industry and every one of these people has come together and pitched in and spent time and effort and labor to [put] this thing together,” Bailey said. “Creating something really unique and that feels very Austin.”

What’s in a name

When Bailey first signed the lease for the property, he said he looked online for business name inspiration. He found a photo of the neon Fortune Teller sign on the side of the road in Reno, Nevada.

“I came to learn that it's a really well-known, really popular, kind of almost historic sign that's been around since the fifties,” he said. “Through the stroke of luck, I happened to be in Reno one day ... I was in the passenger seat of a car, I happened to look up from my phone and there was the sign.”

He said he contacted the family of the sign’s original palm reader, bought the sign in Nevada and drove it down to Texas. It was refurbished by Blackout Sign in San Marcos and now illuminates a portion of South Congress Avenue.

Bailey wants it to symbolize a space where people can gather with others and live in the moment.

“I just kind of think that we're gonna add a piece to this corridor that is wanted and needed and really can provide something special,” he said.

Bailey also plans to host live music events and farmers' markets at Fortune Teller.

• Opened June 30
• 5604 S. Congress Ave., Austin
• www.fortunetelleratx.com