I remember when a venture east in Austin strictly meant going to visit my Abuela or handful of other family members that reside in East Austin. Ninety percent Latinos and ten percent lower-class Austin. You could even call East austin the 'Little Mexico' of the Austin at the time. Pawn shops, Mexican bakerys, cantinas and other Spanish-speaking businesses. Now fast forward ten years: East Astin is like a Little Brooklyn. The young and hip are riding their road bikes, zipping up their hoodies and venturing east because it's close to downtown, and thriving. Though there is a certain charm to it, the restaurants and dive bars do make it a unique and fun place to be after dark, I'm afraid it's a bit too hipster-ville for my taste.
It's merely amusing to see these two demographic classes clash as the city outgrows itself. Poor, older, local mexicans, and young, non-local, twenties, well-to-do students and hipster kids.
So what's going to happen as development in East Austin continues, will it keep it's old-city hispanic vibe, or completely transform into a new area for Austin's young and trendy? In my opinion, it will have to be a part of the city that shares it's cultures and comes to an agreement on space.
