Just in time for the relentless summer heat, Luther’s is now fully stocked with short sleeve Dickies work shirts embroidered with the Austin Speed Shop window logo. Available in black and gray.

Austin Speed Shop flex fit caps also available in a variety of colors. Window and Picasso logo.

The newest edition of the Rodder’s Journal is now at Luther’s! Issue #48 features the California clone of the Sam Hollingsworth 1957 Chevy Nomad. With a fourteen-page spread highlighting the car’s history and unpublished historical photos, you can see first hand the journey in creating this famous custom wagon.

Also featured is Emerson Glazer’s 1933 Ford Fordor; a contradictory family-friendly ride with balls! How can something so comfortable be so bad-ass? Pick one up and read all about it… Only $14.95!

For all you Austin Speed Shop freaks out there, Luther’s has the new Mercury logo t-shirts in stock now! Made with 100% pre-shrunk cotton, these tee’s feature Jesse’s 1951 Mercury logo, as drawn by Pacheco. Pick one up before they’re gone!

House Industries….where, oh where shall we begin? When we found out that this “prolific type foundry” and design house was going to be taking over our store for the 9th Annual Lone Star Round Up weekend, we weren’t quite certain as to what they would be bringing to the table.  18 boxes of House Industries merchandise and a 300 lb wooden crate bearing the famed House logo sat in our shop in anticipation of their arrival. No one knew what to expect. We were certain of only one thing: it would leave our jaws on the floor and our eyes wanting more. Not only did they redesign our logo (did you know that there are 10 sub-species of rattlesnakes in the great state of Texas? Yeah…neither did we.), they pretty much redesigned our whole store for a bitchin’ art exhibit that went down on Friday, April 9th.

House Industries new spin on our logo. Badass....we know.

Stripping the space down to the bare basics was a necessity in hopes of displaying what these House boys are really all about: honest interest in their subject matter of choice, sincere integrity in their old-school production methods, and a classic craftsmanship amidst our ever-growing digital society where “hand-drawn” is no longer an option or even a preference. Their “duh-sign” lecture that took place at the Austin Speed Shop not only touched upon their history as a design company, but it also showcased why these guys are so great at what they do. House Industries is an amazing collaboration between countless people who not only have a dedication, but a bona fide appreciation for bare-boned, classic design elements. And if you don’t have that, then really, what’s the point?

The exhibit was kickin’, along with the rest of South Congress. Andy and Adam Cruz’s (just two of the cats that came along with this screen-printed cacophony), brought their pops Angelo Cruz down with his 1932 5-Window Ford Coupe and parked his ride outside the shop.

Angelo Cruz and his four-wheeled child.

On the sidewalk, boys and girls of all ages oooohed and awed at his seamless set of wheels while the boys from Print + Addiction hooked up the spectators inside with live, fresh screen prints bearing original House Industries designs and logos. A dear friend of ours described the House Industries following as everyone from “nerd to herd” and he was spot on in that sentiment. It was a beautiful mix of people who all had one thing in common: an honest love for design regardless of it’s form…be it hot rods, graphics, or ink thrown on some t-shirts, the feelings are all the same. We didn’t really want to close the party down when the time came, but we all had dirty dive bars to patron and pin-ups girls and sick cars to check out. It was Lone Star Round Up weekend after all…

Print + Addiction kept our screen printing appetites completely satiated.... Photo courtesy of David Dodde.

To say that there is one “brain child” behind these guys would be art-house blasphemy. They are the perfect example of a genuine meeting of the minds and we are proud of the fact that we got the chance to join in on the pow-wow.

Much, much love to everyone at House Industries. We will stuff t-shirts into oil cans for you any day of the week. Also thank you to everyone who came out to see the madness and genuine design guts that is House. See you next year…hope your Lone Star Round Up weekend was as insane as ours!

The House Industries C1932 Exhibit is on display until June 10th. All prints for sale. Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10:30 am – 7:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tons of House Industries merchandise is available  in the store including some of their best collaboration projects. Be there kids…don’t make us call your mother about it.

For more rad photos of the House Industries event and Austin Speed Shop antics check out our Facebook page.

Andy Cruz...his attention to detail makes your Senior Thesis Project look like that crappy diorama you made for Mrs. Dalton's class way back in the 2nd grade...Photo courtesy of David Dodde.

David Dodde...screen printing extraordinaire and John Mayer's biggest fan. He lived on this ladder for two days straight setting up the exhibit. What a swell guy...

House Industries is descending upon Luther’s Austin for a high octane hoedown that rides the fine line between art, commerce, haute design and true dirt-under-the-fingernails craftsmanship. Hike your eyeballs on a fresh coat of hand-rubbed House Industries original art, finely tuned over-engineered consumer products and, for one night only, Angel Cruz’s incomparable C1932 Ford five-window coupe.

House Industries kicks off the exhibition with a short duh-sign lecture at the Austin Speed Shop, where they’ll break down their 17-year history of clutchless paradigm speed shifts. Angelo Cruz will also recount his gas pump-jockey dreams and how they manifested themselves into his C1932 Ford coupe. After skipping around a few oil puddles and sheet metal shavings, attendees can adjust their chin-stroke grease goatees for the short ride over to Luther’s on SoCo for the 7:30 exhibition opening.

“I just said that I liked Angelo’s ’32 coupe, but pretty soon these guys from House were talkin’ about paintin’ a sign on the side of my shop and making my logo look like a snake,” said Luther‘s and Austin Speed Shop owner Cory Moore. “Can you mix graphic design, fonts and hot rods? I dunno, but we’re sure gonna find out.”

ABOUT HOUSE INDUSTRIES:
House Industries is an oasis of typography and design that stands out in a cultural continuum of endless electronic effluvia. Art from their sketchpads, pencils, pens, brushes and bezier curves flow through ported and polished intake runners for optimal fuel delivery and combustion. Methodical machining and balancing ensure smooth streetable power delivery without sacrificing explosive power at high rpm. More information is available here: http://www.houseind.com/about.

ABOUT ANGELO CRUZ:
Angelo Cruz’s early hot-rodding career was spent developing expertise in restoring and modifying Corvettes. He worked on several successful show cars, including Harley Earl’s S.O. 10323 roadster, before transitioning into a career of freehand pinstriping and lettering.

Lecture: Friday, April 9, 2010, 6:00 p.m. at Austin Speed Shop, 1414 S Lamar Blvd

Opening: Friday, April 9, 2010, 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Luthers, 1200 South Congress Ave., Austin, Texas

Information taken from http://www.houseind.com.

Now that we’ve survived SXSW 2010, we can finally let you guys in on the grand ole’ time we had during one of the most chaotic and vast music gatherings in the U. S. of A. To say our Hootenanny with The Stronghold went well would be a saddening understatement. Before I say anything, we have to give an immense amount of love to Shannon Moore and Michael Cassell from The Stronghold for putting this together for us. They came in and made the space their home away from home for a few days, and we’re still in awe of the amazing acts they brought to our store. Friends were made, drinks were passed around, and most importantly we got a taste of how they do things Stronghold-style. For some reason this year, there seemed to be a manic aura pervading through the city of Austin and it was most apparent (at least for us) all along South Congress. We accepted this manic nature and it only added to the eagerness and excitement of everyone that took part…it was sincerely palpable. Impromptu performances was the new standard of the weekend. It was sad to see the stage go on Sunday morning, but it made us even more anxious to do it all over again next year. We’ve made it through our second SXSW, and it wouldn’t be without the support of countless people. To all of friends (new and old) thanks for coming out and making it a glorious weekend.

Much love to those who came through our store and graciously made it their own:

Shannon Moore, Michael Cassell, and Ryan Gray from The Stronghold in Venice, California, All of our talented and beautiful performers - Jason Yates, Yogi, Mick Kelleher, Raul Pacheco of Ozomatli, Papa Mali, The Makepeace Brothers (especially for somehow getting a huge crowd of spectators to do the twist…amazing), Shane Alexander, Chris Joyner, Pawn Shop Kings, Ultra Love, Johnny Rossa, Paul Chesne, Keaton Simons, Tom Freund and friends, Scott Mellis, Amy Cook, The Coolness, The Vicious Guns, Restavrant, Kim Manning and Lantz Lazwell of Wahnderlust, Guido Corleone, The Elevaters, Leah Sutton and last but not least Wave Array who closed us out for the weekend….to anyone we’ve might of forgotten, You Know We Love You, and next time you’re in town…the drinks are on us!

Speaking of performers…these guys are good for the soul. Restavrant at Luther’s – SXSW 2010

More thanks goes out to our badass sponsors – Rob Koening from Red Wing Boots and Melissa Diner and Taylor Choi from Zodiac Shoes…these ladies kept themselves busy as they cruised around slinging boots to lovely, talented ladies. They’ve always had a strong connection to women in music and they stayed true to that this SXSW. See more of their adventures here.

Also to Jason Young, Mike Upton, and Dave and Pete Stoddard, the brains and talent behind Brixton, one of our favorite brands at the store….also, thanks for taking me to see The Spits! Much love to our sales rep Ian Gundlach from Brixton as well…the boy hooked it up! Check out their blog as well for some of their own SXSW adventures. Joe Iggy at The Lovewright Co., Julie with Dean Accessories, Weiss Eubanks at Foundry International Printing, Todd Young and Brian Awitian (you boys know why), John Joyo at the Austin Speed Shop, The Peelies – we now have a severe infatuation with French-Canadian girls, our dear neighbors and comrades at Blackmail Boutique, and of course to everyone who came out and shared in this whirlwind with us. You guys made this go down in the most proper way. Much love to everyone! See you next year…

If you happened to snap any pics of the debauchery, hook us up with some and send them to luther@thelutherstore.com!

It’s strange to think that only last year around this time, we barely opened our doors to the beautiful residents of Austin and the SXSW 2009 crew that took over the city for one of the best Interactive, Film, and Music festivals that the U.S. of A. has to offer…and look at us now. It’s been a full year…and what a year it’s been. The immense amount of support that you guys have layed upon us is not only badass and much appreciated, but makes us even more stoked to conquer yet another week of SXSW.

And this year we are doing it with some severe style courtesy of our dear friends at The Stronghold. Together we’re presenting a PRE 1960′s Motorcycle and Hot Rod Hootenanny! Music from 1-5 pm and drinks will be flowing while Zodiac Shoes, Red Wing Boots and of course, Stronghold Denim show off some fresh gear. If you’re lucky enough to live in the amazing city of Austin, stroll down to South Congress and join in our grand festivities…think of it as a good time with good people and even better music, but also we want to say THANK YOU for allowing us to rock another SXSW down here at Luther’s. We’re have a good feeling that there will be many, many more to come…

And for you unlucky souls who were not lucky enough to make it down this year, we’ll be posting pics of all the debauchery you might have missed.

Throttle was the very first hot rod magazine to reach the masses. Introduced in 1941, it covered the burgeoning dry lakes and circle tracks scenes, ending publication with the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the onslaught of World War II. Original copies of the magazine are extremely rare and even more valuable. Our buddy Todd Young and his friend Thom Taylor made the glorious decision to resurrect the brand in the form of Throttle 1941. This project is being done on the side of their day jobs and is driven by a genuine appreciation of hot rods and Kustom Kulture. The nostalgia associated with the magazine is given a contemporary kick with modernized design elements that still manage to hold onto to that old-school sensibility. Throttle merch celebrates the authenticity and originality that was Throttle magazine, featuring 100% cotton high quality tees with first class art and printing. Don’t forget to snag a copy of Throttle – The Complete Collection published by The Rodder’s Journal that chronicles all twelve issues of the magazine in their entirety. Here’s some of what we got from Throttle 1941…available in the store and online.

Some of you guys may already know, but some of the sickest stuff we carry in our store comes straight from a lovely lady and lad residing right here in town. Kristin Gunn and Rob Gasper started their line South Austin Originals in 2002 and they’ve been keeping our Austin lovers (whether they’re from near or afar) looking sharp with their badass line of t-shirts, tanks, hats, and patches. The masses ate this shit up over the Christmas season and we’re stoked to let you guys know that we’ve got everything back in stock.

South Austin Originals captures the spirit of South Austin, Texas, with the smoke and flame and heat that comes with the growl of a Rat Rod or the earshaking rumble of custom choppers cruising South Congress. SAO represents the relaxed South Austin vibe that we all love and refuse to lose to the corporate style that so often kills the creative spirit of real people we all know and love.

Here’s a small taste of some of the stuff we’ve got waiting for you at Luther’s….feel free to snag some of it from our online store if you’re not lucky enough to live here in town.

Ladies….please don’t fret. We’ve got the goods for you too with their tanks and tees.

Not only does Ms. Gunn keep herself busy by providing you a badass shirt to put on your back…she also keeps your tattoos looking clean with her Black Cat Tattoo Aftercare (which are more than pleased to carry at Luther’s too). Developed by Tattoo artists, a chemist and a family herbalist, they use only the finest ingredients and are 100% cruelty free. Say goodbye to 2 week healing times. When used properly, Black Cat Tattoo Healing Products will help you heal in a matter of days. Made in the USA! Black Cat Tattoo Care still makes all of their own products daily at their warehouse in South Austin, Texas. This may not be the easiest way, but it is the ONLY way to ensure that you are getting fresh herbal remedies that are not concocted in a laboratory overseas.

And did we mention that she’s got a couple of nice tattoos herself? Nice enough to snag some magazine covers.

Just so you know, all of these covers are showcasing the work of Chris Gunn at Southside Tattoo located at 1313 South Congress, just down the street from us and by Austin’s own Continental Club. Drop by and you shall not be disappointed by these guys and their work. They’ll hook it up.

Speaking of the Continental Club and talented fellas…Rob “Robzar” Gasper does some amazing poster art for them that is more than worth checking out. You can gander at his work on Alejandro Escovedo‘s website and buy some while you’re at it.

We wanna give a special thanks to all of our buddies (new ones and old) who dropped the store last Friday for our Wolverine event. The alcohol was consumed, the food was devoured, but most importantly, everyone got a chance to check out the new 1000 Mile Collection by Wolverine. We featured the 1000 Mile Boot which we’ve been carrying for that past couple months, but we we’re lucky enough to get other styles from the 1000 Mile Collection too. We’ll be carrying the Ascot, the Darby, the Montgomery and the Burton throughout the holidays…we highly suggest you to swing by the store and take a look if you couldn’t make it out last Friday. Check out some pics.