buyer beware

Houston buyers warned against phony Hamilton tickets ahead of show's big return

Beware of Hamilton tickets that are too expensive or too good to be true.

Photo by Joan Marcus

February’s highly anticipated return of the biggest phenomenon on Broadway to Houston isn’t without its hiccups. Hamilton, the award-winning, game changing hip-hip historical musical runs at the Hobby Center from February 20 to March 22 with tickets now on sale.

However producer Memorial Hermann Broadway at the Hobby Center reports that there are numerous third-party sellers advertising tickets they do not actually have, at highly inflated prices.

To that end, those interested in tickets are encouraged to purchase at BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com or TheHobbyCenter.org, and Ticketmaster.com, as those sites are the only official and authorized primary Hamilton tickets sellers.

The Hobby Center warns that if buyers see tickets for hundreds or thousands of dollars, there is no guarantee those tickets are genuine.

While it is legal to re-sell tickets in Texas, tickets purchased from other sources may be more expensive, invalid, speculative or ineligible for assistance, a press release notes. The center also advises against buying from secondary sites and third-party sellers, which includes bogus Facebook event pages.

As a buyer beware, the Hobby Center has furnished these Hamilton ticket buying tips.

To purchase tickets, go to the official website at BroadwayAtTheHobbyCenter.com, TheHobbyCenter.org, or Ticketmaster.com.
Avoid unofficial venue/ticket/show sites with ticket links. Don’t be fooled by secondary sites that imply affiliation with the Hobby Center by using photos of the venue, seating charts and images or information about upcoming shows.
Make note that the official website for the Hobby Center is TheHobbyCenter.org where you can find current and accurate information.
Check that the show/date/venue you are being offered is actually scheduled.
Check the official seating map of the venue at TheHobbyCenter.org to be sure seating locations actually exist.
If you hear a show is “sold-out,” first check with the venue to confirm that is the case.
You shouldn’t pay more than face-value, but re-sale is legal. Research to see if you’re paying too much.
If you see an offer that seems too good to be true, it probably is. There are plenty of bogus sites.
If you purchase tickets, don’t post photos of them online, as it is possible to copy a photo to re-sell.
Fans may recall that the Broadway behemoth was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Hamilton last hit the Broadway in Houston stage in April 2018. As CultureMap previously reported, the musical based on the life story of the first U.S Treasury Secretary, the face on the ten-dollar bill, and sometimes forgotten founding father —Alexander Hamilton — deserves its multitude of Tony Awards.

Tens of thousands of fans have jam-packed New York City’s Broadway and local theaters to catch Lin-Manuel Miranda’s masterpiece, which centers on Hamilton and his colorful foil, Aaron Burr — and indeed, the story of a burgeoning America.

The musical has won Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

openings theater

Mags Move In

Shuttered Houston magazine stand finds new home at Austin coffee shop

Tomo Mags bus outside of brick-and-mortar Austin store

Photo courtesy of the Downtown Austin Alliance

Tomo Mags is driving into a new era.

Austin's roaming newsstand Tomo Mags — which sells books out of a signature blue bus — is moving up in the world. Its new brick-and-mortar bookstore and partner coffee shop, Cielito Lindo, are celebrating their grand opening Thursday, January 22, at 411 Brazos Street, #101. A ribbon-cutting ceremony from 10-11 am with the Downtown Austin Alliance and the Austin Chamber of Commerce will mark the occasion.

Tomo Mags started in 2015 in Houston, on a decommissioned school bus. Founder Vico Puentes hit the ground running — or driving — visiting shopping centers, galleries, universities, cafés, and more. It toted artsy independent magazines about fashion, photography, design, erotica, and even some comparatively normie selections like The Economist and New York Magazine.

The journey so far has included an earlier stationary space that later closed (and another one that reopened), a pause for several years, and a "bittersweet" move to Austin in 2025.

Tomo Mags Austin interior The collection has a lot more room to expand in this new space.Photo courtesy of the Downtown Austin Alliance

The new shop offers more of the same: a wide selection of magazines and art books alongside studio tools like pens and notebooks, merch, and fashionable accessories. It's been in a soft-opening phase since mid-December. Cielito Lindo, which opened in a coffee pot-shaped trailer in Manor in spring 2025, also kicked off its soft opening in the space a few days. Both the Tomo bus and Cielito's trailer will continue operating.

Even though both businesses are relatively new to Austin, Puentes has deep personal connections with the city.

“Before opening TOMO mags, I worked in downtown Austin for the last six years, and I’ve seen such an incredible evolution in what it feels like for the people who work and live here, as well as the visitors passing through,” said Puentes in a press release.

Tomo Mags Austin interior Cafe tables are great for flipping through new finds with Cielito Lindo's signature horchata latte.Photo courtesy of the Downtown Austin Alliance

Driving around town to make sales may sound like a fast-paced existence, but Puentes hopes visitors to Tomo can slow down when they visit, enjoying the physical experience and maybe even creating a personal art archive over time. Part of that includes getting to know the artists filling the shelves.

"With TOMO mags, our goal is to create a place people can come back to regularly to slow down, find inspiration, and leave with something special, or a gift that actually feels thoughtful," he said. "We’re already meeting people from all over the world, and we’re proud to host them and share recommendations that help them experience Austin beyond just downtown, while also spotlighting the creative community and local businesses that make this city so special.”

magazines design openings bookstore