ATX Ahead

With billion-dollar deals going around, what’s up with the ABJ’s coverage of dive bars, little shops and gritty restaurants? They’re just as important to this city as Google, Dell or any of the big dogs. In fact, the big dogs came to sit on these porches, so Austin had better not lose these long-timers.

Golf courses are out and huge swimming holes are in. Get a rundown of four wild projects being planned that are as much water parks as neighborhoods. And what’s up with that serious proposal to build a snow ski resort in the suburbs?

Our real estate party appears to be over, and now the question is how bad will the hangover be? In this episode, Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope covers all sectors, offers his insight, and projections for the road ahead in real estate.

Is now a good time to buy? Where are the new homes popping up? Can anyone hope to buy a new home for less than $200,000? ABJ Editor Colin Pope analyzes residential real estate.

Fantastic fundings flew to fledgling firms in February. A handful of Austin startups snagged amounts usually disbursed to hundreds of companies over several months. Catch up on the hottest startups this city has perhaps ever seen in this episode as ABJ Editor Colin Pope recaps the big numbers.

He saved Austin favorite Toy Joy and also helms other icons Wild About Music and Austin Rocks Texas, while splitting time between retail & tech ventures. In our season-opening episode, Fred Schmidt stops by to chat with ABJ Staff Writer Sahar Chmais about his successes and failures over the years, and what makes Austin unique in the retail landscape.

Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope wraps up the year with the focus on Williamson County, and why not? The ABJ covers five counties around Austin, and Williamson County dominated our story count this past year. Colin highlights the massive mixed-use development coming to Cedar Park, with an iconic national sporting good store set to open just its second location in Texas.

Sprouts will soon outgrow Whole Foods here, new grocers are on the way, and can anyone beat H-E-B? Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope discusses the fun tidbits about Austin’s changing grocery scene and more in this episode.

Elon Musk can't stop building here. Austin's going to have a place to catch a wave to go surfing. People are yanking their homes and businesses from Austin city limits like crazy, and what's up, or down with crime in Austin? ABJ Editor Colin Pope discusses that and more in this episode.

Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope dives into the reality of Austin and San Antonio melting together. What will the towns between look like? What can we expect, transportation-wise? Will the two cities share an NFL team? And what about this idea of laying down a hikeable and bikeable greenbelt that stretches from downtown Austin to downtown San Antonio?

We survived another Texas summer heatwave, and as the calendar is set to turn over to fall, the business headlines remain red hot. In this download, Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope recaps the last month and looks ahead to how things might play out for a number of Austin icons.

When you add all it all up — X, Tesla, SpaceX, Boring Company and Neuralink — it’s hard to deny that no one has had as big of an impact on the Austin area as Elon Musk. In this episode, Austin Business Journal Editor Colin Pope looks into Musk's growing Austin empire and recaps our top stories in July.

Get a load of the perks and benefits offered by this year’s winners. Some are grand — like shipping employees up to Colorado in July so they can escape the Texas heat. Others come with little or no cost. In any case, good ideas abound to improve where you work. ABJ Editor Colin Pope recaps the best benefits and the top stories from the past month.

Jacksonville, Florida bumped Austin out of the Top 10 list of largest cities in America, as many folks are exiting Travis County for Georgetown, Leander, Kyle and points beyond. Despite a few relocations, Austin remains one of America's most desirable cities according to another major survey. In this episode, ABJ Editor Colin Pope  delivers the download on Austin's ups and downs in the r...

Austin has a new most-influential employer, and he’s forcing huge changes to a part of the Austin area that has steered clear of the boom until now. Dive into that, plus ABJ’s most-read stories in the month of April. Despite Tesla dropping the biggest layoffs bombshell in local history, a little BBQ joint suddenly shutting down amassed more attention.

There's a simple answer in this download: Don't confuse The Austin Business Journal with the Chamber of Commerce. Business leaders and executives expect the facts, and  as ABJ Editor Colin Pope explains, when the local economy is challenging, it's up to the ABJ staff to tell the truth.

It's a cliche because it's true: The only thing constant is change. And while many of Austin's iconic businesses have escaped extinction, or been reincarnated elsewhere, many others face an uncertain fate. In this download, ABJ Editor Colin Pope leads a conversation with reporters Sahar Chmais and Mike Christen who've been closely covering the future and fate of numerous Austin...

The new year is still fresh, and the outlook in Austin depends on whom you ask. In our opening download of the year, ABJ Editor Colin Pope compiles the latest surveys of business owners and compares the stats with the word on the street to offer predictions on the year ahead.

ABJ Senior Staff Writer Justin Sayers joins Editor Colin Pope to debrief after an action-packed edition of the annual Williamson County Growth Summit. It's clear that the building boom in manufacturing facilities won't slow anytime soon. In fact, it may accelerate, and that could cause infrastructure issues. Case in point: Consumer packaged goods company Afia is currently still on a sept...

We once took for granted that cherished Austin icons like Peter Pan Mini-Golf would be there for our children, and our children's children, for generations to come. But the future of Peter Pan Mini-Golf and places like it are now in question with a premium on real estate. In this episode, ABJ Editor Colin Pope connects with Reporter Sahar Chmais to learn more about Austin's iconic places...

This podcast explores the future of Austin, and the challenges we face. There's no question we're experiencing growing pains. But at the same time, Austin is looking ahead to the future, the next generation and making bold bets to make our city, and our region better for all. In this episode, ABJ's Will Anderson explores the powerful partnership between MD Anderson Cancer Center and...

Rising rates, a housing crunch, and commercial real estate concerns have put the brakes on the exponential growth we've experienced over the past decade. Are we done, or is this just a pause prior to another era of expansion? To find out, ABJ Managing Editor Will Anderson calls on Ed Latson, CEO of the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association, who will soon transition to the same leadership...

Our top story in August was the 2023 list of Austin's wealthiest zip codes, with some surprises we'll discuss. ABJ Managing Editor Will Anderson shares his pick with Editor Colin Pope for the story that should've grabbed more attention. Plus, nominations are open for one of the favorite surveys of 2024. All of these topics have a direct impact on the future of Austin, and the challe...

If you're looking for another rehash of topics troubling our growing region- this ISN'T the podcast to download. In this episode, ABJ Managing Editor Will Anderson takes a fresh look at what may be the key to improving Austin's housing market. Will welcomes Greg Anderson (no relation) from the Austin Planning Commission.

Longtime locals including ABJ Editor Colin Pope have seen this coming for the past decade, and now it's a reality reflected in the rankings. In the respected U.S. News & World Report  "Best Places to Live" rankings for 2023, Austin plummeted to 40th. Still the most desirable major metro in Texas, but no longer the darling of the survey. In this episode, Colin joins ABJ Managing...