Dixie Chicken - The Oldest Bar on Northgate

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That good ol’ Dixie feeling.

Chicken Stories

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Decades of good times

It may have started as just a bar, all those years ago, but it has been much more than that to many aggies. For over 40 years, we’ve been on Northgate, celebrating the big wins, knocking back a few after a tough test, reminiscing and reconnecting with friends. We’ve been there for the awkward first dates, the 20 year wedding anniversaries, the nights to remember and the nights to forget!

Thank you for your stories.

1988

It was the fall of 1988, the first week of class...

I have a little story for you Aggies! A LOVE story!

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1988

I have a little story for you Aggies! A LOVE story!

I have a little story for you Aggies! A LOVE story! Whoop! . My new roommates and I decided to do a little bonding over a few games of 42. So, like all good Ags, we headed to the Dixie Chicken. We played a few games of 42, and after a little while two of my roommates got up to leave. At that same time two guys from the table next to us got up to leave. We looked at the two remaining players, they looked at us, and I don’t remember who suggested it, but we combined players and continued to play. At the end of the night, the handsome green-hazel eyed CT asked me for my number. And so it began! Whoop!

Below is my husband and I with our three children at Student Bonfire, 2015. My daughter was a Green Pot 2016, and she is a senior this year, Victoria Smith ’18. My son in the middle is a freshman this year, Andrew Smith ’21. And with the grace of God, the youngest, far right will be an Aggie class of 2024, Mario Smith, III.
Sophie Smith ’90
Mario Smith ’89

2022

Sometimes, a little Chicken time can make you smile!

A Monumentous Celebration!

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2022

A Monumentous Celebration!

One of my best friends, Shelley Gill, celebrated her 50th birthday at the Chicken! She had her pick of anywhere in the world to go and she wanted to go to the Chicken!! She’s had a rough couple of years…lost her youngest son in 2020 and her father in 2021. She’s a fighting Texas aggie and the Chicken’s biggest fan! It’s a godsend seeing her happy and celebrating life a little again on such a momentous birthday.
Megan Hanson

 

1992

A chance meeting leads to forever

An Aggie Victory Celebration

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1992

An Aggie Victory Celebration

October 3, 1992. A&M QB Jeff Granger escapes a sure sack and hits TE Greg Schorp for a first down to keep the Aggies’ final drive alive. Terry Venetoulias kicks the game-winning FG on the final play for a 19-17 win over Texas Tech. The late Homer Jacobs convinces Rusty Burson to stay in town instead of going back to Galveston and going out that night. Audra Watts Holifield and William Holifield convince Vannessa Blasingame Burson to stay in town instead of going back to Clear Lake. later that night, Rusty sees Vannessa walk in the back door of the Dixie Chicken. He grabs her by the arm and spins her around. The rest is history. They were married in 1993, and they now have two children at A&M and a third on the way.
-Rusty Burson

2020

Heavy rain and strong winds led towards disaster...

The Night The Roof Came Down

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2020

The Night The Roof Came Down

The story of our roof collapse on May 27, 2020, was featured on Texas Voices.

1976

Recent Discovery

Painting Uncovered

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Found this behind the Dixie Chicken keg cooler

1976

Painting Uncovered

Upgraded the keg cooler and in the process of switching them out, we found this gem. On the wall behind where the cooler was there’s a painting on the wall from the bar that was there before it was the Chicken. Back in the days of 65 cent Lone Stars…

1982

last beer as a free man...

Pre-wedding cold beer!

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1982

Pre-wedding cold beer!

Had my last beer as a free man at the Dixie Chicken. Walked in the front door in Midnights and Boots with my groomsmen, had a longneck, and walked out the back door and down to Church St. to my wedding. Mom chewed my ass on the church steps for being late, but all my buds knew they wouldn’t start without us and that beer was important!

– James Starr ’83

PICTURED: 12/4/82 Martha L Mahoney -81 and L James Starr III -83 still married almost 35 years later. Sired three Aggies: Luther J Starr IV ’09, Stevie Starr Hedrick ’11; and JoAnna F Starr ’12

1974

An enjoyable down-home bar

Don Anz and Don Ganter who met one day…

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1974

Don Anz and Don Ganter who met one day…

“The Dixie Chicken is a creation of two local residents, Don Anz and Don Ganter, who met one day several months ago and decided to do something. That something is a unique blend of new ideas and old objects combined to create an enjoyable down-home bar, a place to meet friends over a cold beer or soft drink and a snack.

The ice cold beer doesn’t come out of a refrigerator. It’s literally iced down — each and every long neck bottle. Soft drinks come good and cold, too, and wine will soon be added to the menu.”

2002

I met Don & his wife back about 2002ish...

From Aggieland to Jackson Hole

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2002

From Aggieland to Jackson Hole

I met Don & his wife back about 2002ish while sculpting in a Gallery in Jackson Hole, WY. He was at the back of a crowd watching me and I hear someone holler, “what year did you graduate?”! He saw my ring and after everyone cleared out he said, “ever heard of The Chicken? I own it!” I told him it was a post exam tradition and a great place to unwind! My son just turned 21 and his first beer purchase was at The Chicken! Don created a great place and a wonderful Aggie Tradition!

2019

Kid on a mission...

First Aggie Baseball game

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2019

First Aggie Baseball game

My husband (’04) and I (’05) loved Aggieland so much, we moved back to College Station in 2015 to raise our family. Now that they’re old enough, we are trying to take the kids to all the Aggieland classics. So, of course we started with lunch at the Dixie Chicken before catching their first Aggie Baseball game! My youngest was so excited to see the famous rattlesnake and was on a mission to see it as soon as we walked in.

– Katie Brading ’05

2016

My grandfather is my best friend...

From the Navy to TAMU

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2016

From the Navy to TAMU

Got a story for yah, Ags!…

It was the scenic route that took me to the only place I would want to transition from the military to civilian life at. My grandfather is my best friend and FTA class of 1945. I have been attached to him at the hip since I can remember. Whether it was at home, tending to the cattle and fences on the ranch, or one of his various project construction sites…he had an Aggie tale for me. My favorite probably being how he lost (and retrieved) his Aggie Ring by way of a pregnant cow in his veterinary days.

After a lifetime of these tales from my best friend/grandfather, I knew that if I was going to turn the page on a chapter as special to me as my 5 years in the US Navy was, it could only be because nearly 70 years after he left campus, I would be going to campus. He left FROM campus to go off to WWII and I came TO campus from OEF.

Now, school was never my strong suit, no matter how many times I “studied” all night at The Chicken; but due to my loyalty to Texas A&M and my grandfather, I was determined to graduate. Finally, in August of last year, graduation arrived. My sister came all the way in from Paris (not France) and my brother came in from Miami, FL to celebrate.

With the memories of decades carved in the very fiber of this place, I thought it only fitting that we celebrate at the Chicken to share with them some of my own Aggie tales I had gathered over “4 years and some change”, and reminisce of the stories our grandfather told us of this town that planted the special love of Aggieland within our hearts at a young age. Here’s to many more nights throughout many more decades…at The Chicken.

My grandfather couldn’t make it in town for graduation due to physical limitations at age 94 but I still wanted to include a photo of he and I at my little graduation lunch with just my grandparents and I in my hometown of Clarksville, TX. (He’s not wearing his ring because it was stolen about 10 years ago in a break-in at their house…but I swear he’s an Ag haha)

John Kelty ’16

PICTURED:
(Me, sister Laura, brother Brent)
(grandfather James F Kelty, Me)

2009

College Choices

Straight to the Dixie Chicken…

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2009

Straight to the Dixie Chicken…

Every summer my dad and I would take a trip to Galveston together and after my sophomore year of high school we were heading back home to Dallas and my dad said “why don’t we go check out college station?” knowing that I wanted to attend A&M. So we jumped off 45 and headed to Aggieland. But instead of going straight to campus or on a campus tour we went straight to the Dixie Chicken. Had a burger and dad had a beer (of course) and we hung around talking with the bartenders on staff. When we finally walked out of the chicken, probably 3 hours later, we both were blown away at how friendly everyone was and how when asked about Aggieland and Texas A&M their faces would light up, you could just see how much they loved this place and how different the environment was. I knew right then and there I wanted to be a Fightin’ Texas Aggie. I didn’t need a campus tour, I just needed a visit to the Dixie Chicken! ????�

Today it is still my favorite place to go on a Friday night. My husband and I have played many games of dominoes in there and it will forever hold a place in my heart.

(Also worked at Chicken Oil for about a year in 2010-2011)

Brittany Coker ‘14

1983

We’ve been married 35 years this year

In 1983 I met my future wife at the Dixie Chicken…

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1983

In 1983 I met my future wife at the Dixie Chicken…

One perfect summer afternoon in 1983 I met my future wife at the Dixie Chicken. She was sitting a few tables over playing 42, wearing a low cut summer dress with her perfect legs and big blue eyes. I decided I just had to meet her.

I talked my Corps buddy James to go with me to meet her. On the way over James stumbled and knocked the stove and stove pipe over into me. Resulting in me dumping a half-pitcher of Lone Star onto her barefoot. Classic smooth moves for two Ag major cadets.

Fast forward to Fall 1983. We were steady dating, she was a good catch because she could talk JD into a free pitcher with her big blue eyes. One night, she was sitting on my lap while I played 42 with my Corps Zip buddies Dondo, Terry, and Old Man ( Jay). I carved our initials into the tabletop inside a heart.

My nickname was Gramps. I got caught as a freshman one bitter cold morning in Fall 1980 wearing thermal underwear under my uniform at formation. Just like an old Grandpa.

My steady girl and I got married a few years later and raised a family. A couple years ago she went to The Chicken and found “ our table”. And it stunk, like three decades of spilled beer. And bought it. $$$$$. One of the best presents I was ever surprised with. We’ve been married 35 years this year.

The top is worn smooth. I calculated a minimum of 20 domino games a day, for at least 320 days a year, for over 35 years. That table was worn slick with over 200,000 domino games. The tables were old in 1983.

I cut the legs off and hung it on my wall. Our initials are in the lower left corner. My nickname is on the lower right side. Amazing they didn’t get worn off.

Love you sweetheart!

– Louis Peter