There are three things Texas is known for. Being Texas, being Texas, and barbecue. Shortly before my most recent trip to Austin last week, I heard about a unique BBQ experience that was just a short trip outside the city. What stood as the gas station/convenience store in 1974’s slasher hit, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, now serves up juicy, smoked barbecued meats in real life. It is simply called “The Gas Station”, but has no gas for sale. Horror movies, plus BBQ? I’M IN!
Being a massive fan of horror, and Mr. Texas Chainsaw himself, Leatherface, who rates in my top 10 antiheroes, I grabbed a couple of my beardos, threw them in my invisible low rider, George, and cruised the back road TX-304 through Bastrop, passing by out-of-place-looking modern shopping centers separating long stretches of farmland and empty fields. The same country road Sally Hardesty and four others took on that fateful day in the film.
As we rolled up, the outside looks almost exactly the same, save for renovations and new paint. The building had been run down and barren for decades, but was refurbished in 2016 by a retired Ohio business man that took 2 ½ years, with a painstaking attention to detail, complete with the Coca-Cola “We Slaughter Barbecue” sign on the roof. Even the stool and wash bucket are out front, as well as the red and blue patio chairs featured in the films’ storefront.
There are also replicas of the Sawyer family tow truck, and the travel van on display for additional ambiance. Both are the same make, model, and year as in the film.
Right next to where the Coke machine is in the film (notable for the “low angle short shorts” scene), there is an all metal, custom made bench with “Saw of Fame” plaques commemorating those involved in the franchise that have passed. In “Saw-morium”?
We took a walk around the grounds, which now has mini-cabins and a campsite. So I guess technically, The Gas Station could be called a “BnBBQ”? Bad puns aside, the cabins looked new, and the grounds were manicured. It definitely doesn’t look like a cannibalistic chainsaw-wielding serial killer tends to the landscaping. The nightly rates are cheap too. Tuesday through Thursday, each 3 person cabin is $79 per night. Friday through Sunday they are $129. Each cabin has a large flat screen TV and DVD player. Closed on Mondays.
Even though we never see the inside of the roadside pitstop in the film, the interior of The Gas Station has been completely renovated to house an actual store. Not a convenience store as one might expect, though. Aside from a couple of 6ft plastic picnic tables for customers to eat on, it is mostly a horror merch and memorabilia store. Basically, it looks like the horror corner of Hot Topic without the assortment of Manic Panic punk rock hair dyes. On display is everything from hats to t-shirts, masks, DVDs, and 36in dolls of any and every modern day horror icon. Merchandise featuring Myers, Vorhees, Krueger, and of course, Texas’ own son of horror, Leatherface, is available for purchase.
You can even purchase signed photos of actors involved with the film. And if you have a spare $1500 on you, you can purchase Bill Moseley’s screen worn shirt from Texas Chainsaw 3D.
After our self guided mini-tour of the place, we sat down to stuff our own starving “Leatherfaces” with BBQ.Of course, The Gas Station doesn’t serve people, or even joke about it, though this sign posted on the wall giving a nod to the Sawyer family tradition made me pause and chuckle.
Their meat menu is limited, but respectable, offering sausage and brisket only, plus an assortment of country sides of course (cole slaw, potato salad, etc). I have to say, I was a bit disappointed they didn’t serve ribs on the bone. A bit garish if they had, yes, but definitely would be within the theme of the films. Maybe that is too much of a macabre touch for the families that stop by for smoked meats and a coke?
The experience isn’t spooky at all like one might expect (or in my case, hope). The bbq is juicy and delicious, and the selection of horror merch is overwhelming with some fascinating memorabilia. It is a brilliantly just-right family friendly experience, while giving a tasty salute to a very gritty, graphic, gory piece of infamous horror movie history.
