Austin Floor Covering & City Tile Company
1303 S. Congress, 512/442-6726
The sign just opposite the door says "Thank you for not smoking, we'd rather die of natural causes," but when you meet co-owner Buddy Piper, there he is, gruff and genial, cigarette in hand. But there's nothing that can hide the smell of new carpet in this carpet, wooden floor, ceramic tile, and formica Mecca. After all, this place, extant since 1937, has been around way longer than Buddy has.