In 1983, Bill Thompson took a job as a barback at Dallas Nightclub, hoping to make enough money to get through school at Austin Community College. But Thompson never left; instead he rose through the ranks. He is now the owner of the 31-year-old Austin hangout. From salsa and hip-hop to country and rock, Thompson said the 12,000-square-foot nightclub with an expansive dance floor has appealed to multiple dance genres as well as generations. “My partner [Bob Stanton] described it as an old comfortable living room. It’s home to people,” he said. Long before Dallas Nightclub existed, Steamboat Springs, a live music venue that moved to Sixth Street in 1980, occupied Dallas’ space at 7113 Burnet Road. The venue was named after the popular TV show “Dallas” and features its signature star as its logo. The nightclub business is not an easy one, Thompson said. Considering Dallas’ reign, Thompson believes it is now an icon. “People [all over the city] remember their time at Dallas,” he said. Several years ago, salsa dancing came to Dallas, and patrons can still take lessons for free on Sundays and Thursdays. The nightclub also hosts lessons for several styles of country dancing, including two-step and West Coast Swing. Kim Brushaber is a frequent patron at Dallas and typically shows up for dance lessons on Wednesdays and Fridays. She has been in Austin for 17 years and used to visit the nightclub as a college student. “I’ve ma