Doug Cugini, the original founder of Hole in the Wall, died on Jan. 13 at 75 years old.
Debbie Rombach, a former bartender and manager of Hole in the Wall, announced his death via Facebook. The cause of death has not been announced.
“My (and many of yours) friend Doug Cugini died today,” Rombach posted on Facebook. “I have known him for 48 years and am happy we kept in touch even after I left Austin. Doug was a great friend, a fabulous boss and so much fun to hang with. I will miss him.”
The comments of the post were filled with old friends and Hole in the Wall frequenters celebrating Cugini’s legacy, reflecting on his vibrant presence in the community.
“I met Doug and Mrs. C (his wife) on opening night of The Hole,” Dixie Bailey Huckabee, a customer of Hole in the Wall, wrote on Facebook. “That night marked the beginning of a lifelong love for The Hole, for Doug, and for the many friends — and even a husband — that I met there. … Doug was the heart and soul of The Hole — a truly kind, funny man who brought joy to his customers and friends alike.”
Opened June 15, 1974, Cugini and his mother, Billie Cugini, transformed a dry-cleaners storefront on Guadalupe Street into a lively restaurant and bar. Filling the back room with pinball machines and a pool table, the two created an arcade-like atmosphere. Cugini never intended to host live music, but many musicians approached him, and Hole in the Wall evolved into the live music venue it is today.
“The Hole in the Wall hired me to play a lot of gigs through the years, from the late 1970s and through the ‘80s in particular,” Paul Glasse, a past performer at the venue, commented on Facebook. “Doug was always a great guy to see there — happy, friendly, and generous in spirit. He will be missed.”
Cugini and his mother cultivated a familiar and fun atmosphere. Kim Watts, an old friend of Cugini’s and a UT alumna, said Cugini and his mother cooked her friends and herself a terrific Thanksgiving meal several years in a row.
“He was amazing (at bartending) because he could successfully sling drinks behind the bar and have three separate conversations with customers that he was paying attention to,” Watts said. “He was very skilled, but it was really his warmth and his welcoming personality that brought people back over and over again.”
In 2023, Hole in the Wall received a $1.6 million grant from the city of Austin, using it to secure a 20-year lease and renovate the old building. Years later, alumni and students still frequent the establishment. Jimmy Gonzales, a longtime patron of Hole in the Wall, said the bar stayed around this long because college kids visit it and see the same thing he saw back in the ‘70s: comfort, fun and enjoyment.
“I can pass by and see the great memories of this atmosphere with my friends who are no longer on this earth,” Gonzales said. “(I remember being) back there gathering together, having fun, drinking 75-cent Coke, playing ball, listening to music. That alone is a memory that nobody can ever take away from me.”
