The first ad comes from St. Mary’s Bar & Grill, which existed on the strip from 1983 through 1989. The most standout part of this ad is its title “We accept your Father’s credit card.” It Pokes fun at their college audience while also slyly insinuating that Trinity students come from wealthy families.  This was a common stereotype for Trinity students across San Antonio, especially in the 80’s. With only a three dollar cover for live music and .75 cent beers, it's no surprise that college students were a part of their target audience. Creating a space where wealthy students inside the Trinity bubble could interact with locals.

The first ad I want to highlight from Tycoon Flats is their first appearance in the Trinitonian, August 26th 1983, the first edition of the newspaper for the 1983-1984 school year. Accompanied by the tagline “Trinity! While you were out, we moved in. Let’s get friendly”. Establishing a good rapport with Trinity students. The ad’s main focus was highlighting their .99 cents 12 oz margaritas; you could even get one for free with a purchase of their nachos and your Trinity I.D. With eye-catching ads and student discounts, Tycoon Flats was already creating a foundation to become a Trinity tradition for multiple years. 

The next two also come from Tycoon Flats, in later editions of the Trinitonian. The first came on September 16th with "49 reasons to Try the Tycoon Freeze," a “soft ice cream with a gentle lace of brandy.”  Some reasons that stood out the most to me were:

• Dr. Calgaard hasn’t tried it (Trinity's president at the time)

• Untouched by the F.D.A.

• Saves whales 

You could even get .50 cents off the two-dollar treat if you came up with your own reason to try it and brought it to the restaurant. As you can imagine, those reasons could be pretty outrageous, just like Tycoon Flats’ own.

The final ad was published on October 21st. An ad that I would argue is the most bizarre out of them all. A week-long celebration of the crash of ‘29, also known as the Great Depression. It is unknown why Tycoon Flats did this; their business had just opened that summer, so why the connection to the great depression? Perhaps it had to do with the restaurant's name and its slogan "Home of the White Collar Derelict." 

Regardless, the week was commemorated with outrageous deals, such as fluctuating prices and tasty rewards for mementos of failed companies. It is unclear why Tycoon Flats did this and why only once in their almost 40 years on the strip. My research partner and I assume it was not the most profitable deal, causing it to be a one-and-done adventure.