A former resident finds Austin isn’t what it used to be after he visits what he remembers as a beloved local landmark. The details are a bit more complicated.
TikTok user @gloszzoutdoors posted a video about his experience at Oasis Texas Brewing on Oct. 18. Oasis Texas Brewing, he says, has become the latest symbol of “Californication,” with its $10 minimums and $37 drink tabs.
“Used to be a cool place,” the TikToker says. “You could sit here in the evening, you know, have a nice view over there. Fire here. You felt like you were in a real Texas area. Now it’s gotten too California-cated, you know?”
The receipt he shows Oasis initially charges $8.33 per person (not $10), but then it discounts $16.66 from the bill. After the two drinks and the built-in 20% tip, the final total is $37.19. Which honestly doesn’t seem too steep for a night out on the lake in Austin.
The Oasis Vs. Oasis Texas Brewing Company
The TikToker, however, feels scammed. “You go to a restaurant or bar and you come out hoodwinked,” he wrote in the comments. “Lemme add on this fee, lemme add on this tax. A $16 drink comes out to be $21 after all taxes and fees.”
In the comments section, some said his visit alone indicates he’s not a local. Others mistakenly thought he was complaining about the Oasis restaurant next door, which was established in 1982. Oasis Texas Brewing Company, which is nearby, opened in 2014.
“I’ve been here 80 years,” said one man. “It was always a tourist-only spot! Locals don’t visit!”
A second person agreed. “The view is the only positive,” they wrote.
Another commenter pointed out the obvious confusion. “That’s the Oasis Texas Brewing Company, which is located next door to the Oasis restaurant,” he writes. “Two separate businesses and not related. The Oasis restaurant is an Austin landmark for over 40 years.”
Is ‘Californication’ to Blame?
Located on the edge of Lake Travis, both the restaurant and the brewhouse offer spectacular views year-round. However, among locals, the prevailing opinion isn’t favorable.
“The view is the only positive in that whole complex,” wrote one person.
Others said they don’t believe in the “Californication” idea. “I wouldn’t call that Californiacated,” one person said. “They’re doing what every busy business is doing. Wait until next year everything will be expensive.”
“It got more touristy,” argued another commenter. “I don’t think California had anything to do with it. I never go there.”
The Facts About Texas Migration Patterns
The truth of what this TikToker is saying is fuzzier than he thinks. Let’s look at the facts. In one migration report, California sent more people to Texas than any other state, with roughly 102,000 moving there.
California accounted for 35% of the state’s net migration that particular year. Within the Austin city limits, California accounts for about 11% of inbound migrants, per the Austin Chamber of Commerce. This netted roughly 10,000 new residents in recent years.
The much-discussed median home price in Austin jumped from $193,500 in 2010 to $318,000 by 2019, an 84% increase. And of course, Apple, Google, Facebook, Oracle, and Tesla have established themselves in the city to significant effect.
However, despite this “Californication” narrative, the majority of Austin’s new residents (50.3%) actually come from elsewhere in the state. In 2019, 53% of the new Austinites came from within Texas, while California transplants made up just 7%. But it is the perception of this small percentage’s relative strength that carries the narrative heft.
In fact, the California migration story has already faded, with domestic migration falling off a cliff over the last two years and Hispanic and Black residents leaving the city. Austin’s population growth is, in fact, slowing down.
The California transplant scapegoating is convenient, but Austin’s transformation is driven more by broader economic trends. This includes tech industry happenings that extend across the country and internationally.
All Hip Hop reached out to @gloszzoutdoors for additional information.
