An eastside institution that once played host to blues legends like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, W. C. Handy and B. B. King, the Victory Grill was recently named an official historic landmark by the City of Austin. It's already listed among the National Registry of Historic Places, among other recognitions.

Next month, the hallowed halls of Austin's oldest existing blues joint—opened back in 1945 to cater to black and white soldiers returning from WWII—will undergo a massive renovation project costing "hundreds of thousands of dollars," including the addition of a daily cafe service to the existing restaurant and bar. According to KVUE, current manager Eva Lindsey plans to keep the Victory open throughout the week:

“From that point on, I intend to be open everyday with food and music, food and music,” Lindsey said. “We will entertain you and feed you.”

In the past year, Victory Grill has been the site of everything from debaucherous SXSW parties hosted by VICE Magazine and local label launches, to Brazilian folk festivals and cabaret performances.

Below, a feature on the Victory that we came across on YouTube:

Photo by queendolly on flickr