Take A Trip Down Memory Lane to Amarillo’s SRO Club

It was the early nineties and I remember the phone call. My best friend told me about this club I needed to attend. I had never been to a club. I was newly in college. All I knew was I needed to go.

She told me that we couldn't go until 2 am but don't worry it will be so worth it. Now I grew up pretty sheltered once I moved to Canyon from Chicago. We didn't make many trips to Amarillo so I had no idea about this club. Yes, I was new to college life so I was learning.

I was also being introduced to alternative music. I was in the radio program at Amarillo College so FM90 was new to me. I loved the music I was learning about. Oh, but wait there was more. I was going to get a crash course when I got to SRO.

The music. The people. This was awesome. I could only be in the club from 2 am until 4 am but those two hours were great. I would run into everyone I knew when I got to the club. I would run into new friends as well. I met my future ex-husband at SRO. I still don't hold that against the club.

Everyone who has been to SRO has a story. Everyone has a favorite song to dance to. I remember more dancing there than anywhere I went to after that. There is even a Facebook page full of memories.

Every time the page welcomes new members I see at least one name I know. The days of SRO were simpler times. There are some photos but not a lot. I mean that was before everyone had a camera in their pocket. I am kind of glad things were in the moment then.

As much as I would love a lot of photos from back then I am also relieved that there is not a lot of evidence.

I never got to legally drink at SRO. I never got to be promoted to being able to enter the club before 2 a.m. They closed down in 1993 way before I turned 21. The club turned into a strip club and then years later it was torn down.

I remember when the building came down. I felt like I lost a part of my youth. Because I did.

If you entered those doors to SRO then you know about the cages. Those still live on. They are at Starlight Ranch now according to Kenny Nagunst. He was an employee at SRO and had the keys and the cages.

Before the days of SRO, this location on I40 near Western was also called Fritz's, the namesake of owner Fritz Blanke. That was way before my time. A coworker told me she loved it during that time. I loved SRO. That was my memory.

SRO where Downtown Julie Brown from MTV came and had a crazy night. In little ol' Amarillo Texas.

Were you there that night? Do you have memories of SRO? Or do you have very fuzzy memories of SRO? Either way those were definitely the days.