EAST AUSTIN, Texas -- Banners and posters are leading people to believe that a new chain restaurant is popping up at the corner of East 6th Street and Waller. But this supposedly grand new opening isn't exactly what it seems.
Ask just about anyone in Austin, and they'll tell you there's a certain vibe about East 6th Street that makes it so unique and enticing.
MORE | East Sixth Chili's prank is one for the books
But the area is attracting developers, filling this once-quiet neighborhood with islands of high-end condos and modern amenities.
"We have our atmosphere for a reason. We have this feeling for a reason. And if you come in and change it you're not going to have it anymore," said resident Jess Burton.
So if you throw a popular chain restaurant into the mix, you're going to generate a reaction.
While the signs promoting that a Chili’s is opening up soon may seem like the real deal, they are not.
"Almost everyone kind of got that it was a joke immediately. There were a few people like were like 'what the hell?' you know?," said Burton.
The banners and signs are all part of a prank, and whoever pulled it off spared no expense.
"They look like they're two foot by twelve foot banners. They would be about a $170 to $180 a piece, plus an install fee. So, somebody probably spent about $600 or $700 on the hoax," said Rusty Russell, owner of AustinSignCo.
The mastermind even created a Twitter and Instagram accounts for the fake restaurant.
But as clever as the prank may be, the message, and the reaction it got, points to a real problem: East Austin's gentrification.
"For some people, their grandparents live here, their great-grandparents live here. So, this is where the foundation is built. So, if you're taking that away it's like taking away history," said resident Ebonie Trice.
"It's putting that touch on 'Look what might happen here?' and 'Look what's already happening here?' basically," said visitor Kaya Debarbaro.
While many in this part of town are fine without baby back ribs, they say they do want their neighborhood back.
When Chili’s was asked what the deal was, the company replied in a tweet, "That would be weird for us to move to East Sixth. #keepaustinweird #fake news"
According to Austin 360, the former home of Uptown Sports Club does have new owners.
However, they have no plans to build a Chili's.
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