Austin News

The North Door, whose performance space was one of the largest on Austin’s Eastside, has closed for good after initially closing temporarily in March.

It originally opened in 2011, with capacity for 300 individuals, at the former sound stage of 501 Studios.  

Austin 360 reported that in an email to supporters North Door owners wrote, “During these very dark times that are decimating one business after another out there, it seems we are not immune to its painful sting. It’s been a long road for us over the last decade, and we’ve held on as long as possible, but it is with a very heavy heart that we must sadly announce that the North Door is permanently closing its doors.”

The venue’s owners plan to reopen with a new name in the future but that date and further details are unknown at this time.

Since the North Door first opened, there were multiple Netflix comedy series filmed there and for Showtime as well. "Game of Thrones" viewings led to a line of patrons around the building waiting to get in. The North Door presented a variety of local and touring acts, from spoken words to comedy, jazz and rock, according to the venue’s website.

It had a renovated patio, a 25-foot high-definition video projection wall and balcony seating. The venue contains two bars and a cozy cocktail lounge.

The venue also offered space for video shoot rentals, as it was part of the historical 501 studios building, which was built in 1980. It has a rounded stage and floor plan that made it easy to have general admission or specific seating for the many shows that the event space hosted throughout the years.