Boarded-Up Bars During Texas Relays Raise Eyebrows

The self-proclaimed "Mayor of Sixth Street" Bob Woody closed down and boarded up two of his many downtown businesses, the Blind Pig and Shakespeare's Pub, the second weekend in April. A source tells us the owners and some staff members were on a post-SXSW trip to San Francisco, but it also happened to be the same weekend as the Texas Relays competition, after which many of the competitors and fans head to Sixth Street to celebrate.

Some people, including Victory Grill manager Clifford Gillard and some of the staff members of KAZI FM, think the closures were racially motivated and are trying to get City Hall to hold a community forum to discuss racial issues surrounding the annual event. They've also started a Facebook group called RACE and the Relays as a platform for further discussion. Two years ago, there was a similar outcry when Highland Mall decided to close early during Relays weekend.

· Questions Raised About 6th Street Businesses Closing During Texas Relays [KVUE]
[Photo: KVUE]