The Best Wurst trailer on 6h Street and San Jacinto is where people have been coming for 17 years to get sizzling sausage.
Best Wurst's spot is right where the growing Parkside restaurant, now in its third year, wants to expand with outdoor seating. That is sparking a legal battle between businesses. How ugly things got depends on which owner you talk to.
“I think there's been a lot of animosity coming from Parkside. They've leveraged all sorts some claims against us and tried to run up our legal bills,” Jon Notarthomas, owner of Best Wurst said. “I desperately wanted to be good neighbors with them, and it's been a wasted effort.”
Shawn Cirkiel, owner of Parkside, said. “There was definitely a disagreement, but like many things, it kind of all came together at the end. A lot of people worked really hard to find a solution for all of us to kind of exist and be happy.”
Wednesday the city of Austin announced that it renewed Best Wurst’s permit. But the trailer must move off the sidewalk and on to the street, about 20 footsteps away. Parkside's owner Shawn Cirkiel says he even reserved them a parking spot.
Notarthomas responded, “Oh, they're putting cones out there? Let me tell you who went and rented the cones this week. I'll give you the bill if you want. But no the Cirkiels and Parkside offered nothing.”
One thing is certain; Parkside will have its outdoor seating and 6th Street scenery, and that scenery will include Best Wurst.
“It will be Jon and the Best Wurst and he'll have his own space down here, so we're really excited,” Cirkiel said.
Notarthomas said he has had to pay about $15,000 in legal bills and is worried that he will have another similar fight on his hands. A new business is planning to move in near where his cart is now situated. He said he has also already experienced problems parking because people park their vehicles in his spot.
The city plans to mark the parking spot more clearly, with new signage.
