Scampi's Organ Palace

Scampi's Organ Palace was a locally owned restaurant in Austin, TX from 1977-1985. Known primarily as a pizzaria, they also served salads and sandwiches. It's center piece was a huge "Mighty Morton" theatre pipe organ. There was a movie screen above the organ where they primarily showed old black and white films and silent movies such as Charlie Chaplin, Three Stooges, Little Rascals, and Woody Woodpecker. According to the last owner, and one of the performing magicians, Bobby Cordell, they also had the first two films from the original Star Wars trilogy, (Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back) as well. There was a second level stage to the left of the organ where the magicians would perform. A staircase to the right of the organ led to second level seating. The restaurant was carpeted in red. "Scampi" was represented by a cymbal monkey.

History

Scampi's was originally called "Scampi's Old Organ Grinder and Pizza Emporium."

Records show "Scampi's Organ Palace" as being formed in 1977 by Chris Harsdorff and ending in February 1985. It was located at 5555 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX, 78751 (now a Goodwill). The entrance faced Koenig. According to Valerie Bennett, the last co-owner and one of the performing magicians, they got a lot of business from the DPS across the street and McCallum High School students. After a particularly awful winter combined with the rise of Showbiz Pizza and Chuck E Cheese (which would eventually acquire Showbiz), Scampi's had to close their doors. In the words of last co-owner, Bobby Cordell, "Our last night was on a New Year's Eve with a pizza and a pitcher of beer."

The Organ

The organ was a Robert Morton "Mighty Morton" theatre pipe organ built in 1925 for Loews Theater in Canton, OH. It had 900 pipes, some as high as 16 feet. It also had a whole battery of percussion INSTRUMENTS attached to it from chimes to drums as well as various other instruments, lights, gadgets and gimmicks. A 10 horsepower motor powered the bellows to create the air pressure for the organ. After Scampi's closed, it was purchased by an organ society in Florida.