Nightlife Veterans Team Up to Bring Buzzy New Bar to the Heights

Nightlife Veterans Team Up to Bring Buzzy New Bar to the Heights

photo by Chris Nguyen

THE OWNERS BEHIND two of the Heights' most beloved nightlife destinations are teaming up to bring the neighborhood a new hangout.


Starduster Lounge opens later this month, from White Oak Music Hall cofounder Will Thomas and Benjy Mason of Johnny's Gold Brick and Winnie's. The eclectic project is located at 3921 N. Main St., the former home to Spanish Flowers restaurant, and is designed to recall Texas in the '70s, with touches of cowboy and Tejano culture. The 1940s building has been reimagined as a wacky Tex-Western lounge, pulling inspiration from its past lives as a Latin music venue and Mexican restaurant. Expect vintage fixtures, hand-painted tiles, architectural details like archways, and a mural of a desert by local artist Carissa Marx-Beaty.

The space will be inviting to those who wish to kick back with a brewski and those who want to sip on a high-end cocktail alike. According to a release, a peek at the drink menu reveals a mix of agave spirits and whiskey, plus a tight list of fun and approachable cocktails from local bartender Justin Ware. (The Freezer Cosmo with hibiscus and lemongrass vodka sounds delish.)

As for food, there will be a rotating lineup of Houston food trucks to be parked outside.

Starduster Lounge bows late January and will be open until 2am nightly.

Food

Jacob Hilton, a.k.a. Travid Halton, at home in his kitchen, where he enjoys cooking as a form of therapy.

PINK FLOYD'S THE Wall. Sinatra’s In the Wee Small Hours. Beyonce’s Lemonade. Three divergent examples of the album as a cathartic, psychological, conceptual work, meant to be experienced in a single sitting. Houston singer-songwriter Jacob Hilton, 37, who records as Travid Halton, a portmanteau of his mother and father’s names, might balk at being mentioned in such company. (This is a thoroughly unpretentious man, who describes himself as an “archaeologist turned singer-songwriter.”)

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How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

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