THE DRAG

'The Drag' is the name for a portion of Guadalupe Street that runs along the western edge of the University of Texas campus in Austin, Texas. Although more mainstream than earlier years it is traditionally home to underground bookstores, tattoo parlors, and other eclectic shops.
The Drag began as a strip of shops which provided vital resources to UT students. Bookstores, restaurants, and clothing stores fulfilled student needs, the proximity to campus added to the popularity of the street. [1] At the start of each semester The Drag fills with students purchasing text books and school supplies.
The Drag plays into the spirit of Austin as a town of independent businesses. Most of the businesses along the street are independently owned and operated. Programs such as the Keep Austin Weird campaign support independent businesses in Austin. The popularity of Keep Austin Weird is attributed to the fact that Austinites prefer home grown products and independent business to mass produced products.[2]
Along The Drag, commercial businesses (and churches too) are found primarily on the west side of the street with campus buildings on the east side. The Hole in the Wall is a dive bar which is popular among Austinites. Texadelphia is a popular eatery along The Drag.