AstroWorld Dreams

Enter the AfterWorld: Houston man dreams of opening AstroWorld-themed pub and eatery

For many Houstonians, after AstroWorld closed its doors in 2005 it seemed that a piece of Houston was gone forever. But with the magic of Kickstarter, there could be a way to relive the past.

A crowdsourcing campaign started by Cody Hahn is hoping to open an AstroWorld-themed pub and eatery dubbed AfterWorld, filled with memorabilia from the beloved theme park.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the Hahn family has owned numerous pieces of many AstroWorld memorabilia since they were auctioned off after the theme park closed down. After selling a few pieces through Ebay, in which one item sold for up to $8,000, the idea for the pub was born.

A crowdsourcing campaign started by Cody Hahn is hoping to open an AstroWorld-themed pub and eatery dubbed AfterWorld, filled with memorabilia from the beloved theme park.

“Instead of selling off the pieces to private individuals where no one would ever see them again, they felt it was better to take all of the pieces and bring them back in one place for the world to enjoy,” Johnny Steverson, the AfterWorld media representative told Culturemap.

The planned pub will have several items from the amusement park. Some of the collection includes signs from rides, statues, and even seats from the gondola ride, which they hope to turn into novelty booths for people to enjoy, according to Steverson.

“Our goal is to create an awesome ambience for Houstonians to enjoy,” said Steverson.

In the video posted on the Kickstarter website, Hahn describes the dream location off of Kirby in Rice Village, and shows several of the items and his ideas for how they will be displayed in the pub.

Hahn, armed with seven years of restaurant work experience, hopes to use his skills to open a pub with fresh food, drinks, and great customer service. AfterWorld also plans to have several theme-park inspired dishes on the menu such as funnel cakes, onion rings, and fried pickles.

The initial campaign aims to reach its $7,500 goal by June 2, which they will then use to launch a bigger campaign with the goal of $250,000 — the anticipated total cost to fully fund AfterWorld. So far, AfterWorld has raised $1,150 towards the goal of turning AfterWorld into more than just a memory.

The sign from a ride from Astroworld, which Cody Hahn hopes to convert into a water fountain at the pub and eatery.

Photo by Cody Hahn

The sign from a ride from Astroworld, which Cody Hahn hopes to convert into a water fountain at the pub and eatery.

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Editor's note: It's time to look back at the hottest Houston headlines of the week. We begin with a big change to car registration in 2025, followed by two sudden restaurant closures, plus our favorite new restaurants of the year. Get the details below, then find some fun things to do to wrap up 2024 here.

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2. Downtown Italian restaurant and Upper Kirby wine bar suddenly close. The end of the year always brings a surprise closure or two, and this year it was Sambuca and Cru Wine Bar.

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4. Our 12 favorite new restaurants to open in Houston this year. 2024 was an incredible year for Houston dining, and these 12 new establishments come out on top as our favorites among all newcomers.

Bar Bludorn bar interior Bar Bludorn is one of our favorite newcomers this year. Photo by Claudia Casbarian

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