Antone’s Famous Po’Boys Spreads Wings to Partnership with Antone’s Nightclub at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

New partnership is a pivotal moment for two monumental Texas brands  

Antone’s Famous Po’Boys, the iconic Houston sandwich brand that conquered Texas, is now taking flight to worldwide destinations thanks to a new collaboration with a fabled Austin music venue. 

Antone’s Nightclub, the legendary Austin blues and R&B showcase marking its 50th anniversary this year with an ambitious slate of live performances, recently opened a live music venue at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – a testament to its place as the leading ambassador for Austin’s rich live music culture and history. The new venue reflects the signature look and feel of Antone’s current 305 E. 5th Street location, and features a diverse menu inspired by blues history, including sandwiches from the renowned Houston-based po’boy purveyor.  

While Antone’s Famous Po’Boys has been a presence as a grab-and-go kiosk at the Austin airport since 2021, it now also has a familiar home within Antone’s Nightclub which has been proud to serve the distinctive po’boys throughout its blues-drenched music history in Austin.  

The two Antone’s share a name and a family legacy. Antone’s Famous Po’Boys was founded in Houston in 1962 by Lebanese immigrant Jalal Antone. Originally opened as a gourmet import store, Antone’s made its name selling New Orleans-style po’boys with a clever Texas twist: the addition of a signature chow chow relish.  

In 1975, Jalal’s nephew, Clifford Antone (who once worked for Antone’s in Houston), opened a club that was instrumental in shaping Austin as the “live music capital of the world”; and thanks to its emphasis on musicians such as B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimmy Reed, Antone’s Nightclub earned its own status as Texas’s “Home of the Blues.”  

“We both recognize the value of what we do as iconic businesses that have grown over time but stayed true to themselves as unique, beloved brands,” said Craig Lieberman, CEO of Antone’s Famous Po’Boys. “One brand helps the other. Now travelers can take Antone’s home – for themselves and for friends and family who miss their favorite Texas po’boy sandwiches. It’s a tremendous opportunity for us.”  

ABOUT ANTONE’S NIGHTCLUB:

Founded in 1975 by the late Clifford Antone, Antone’s is known as the Austin club that has “helped put the Live Music Capital Of The World on the map” (Austin American Statesman). Over the past 50 years, the iconic venue has served as a ‘home away from home’ for a Mount Rushmore of legends, including B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Ray Charles and James Brown. Antone’s has continued to define the present and shape the future of blues music, bolstering the careers of internationally-renowned talents such as Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Schneider and nurturing a new generation of trailblazing Austin artists including Antone’s co-owner Gary Clark Jr., Jackie Venson and many others. 

ABOUT ANTONES FAMOUS PO BOYS:

Antone’s Famous Po’ Boys was founded in 1962 in Houston, Texas by Jalal Antone, a Lebanese immigrant, originally called “Antone’s Import Company” where he initially focused on selling imported gourmet foods and spices ; however, the po’boy sandwich quickly became the signature item, with the Import shop gaining renown for its New Orleans-style po’boys with a unique Texas twist, including their signature chow chow relish, served on fresh baked local bread. The handmade Sandwiches are made daily in Houston and distributed to in over 600 supermarkets, sports venues and foodservice outlets throughout Texas. 

Photos courtesy of Antone’s Nightclub