Gosh.
It’s Sunday morning, and I feel I should write something.
Should I mention that The Hunt Store had far better french fries on Friday night than last night?
I think I’ll write about Edson’s Kerrcrafters. One of my favorite buildings in Kerrville. The old showroom is on the left, on the corner of Water and G Streets. The warehouse is on the right.
To get you oriented, though, here are two overviews of approximately where these buildings are:
OK, so I went a little overboard with the visual aids today.
After stopping by Kerrville Kayak & Canoe on Broadway and G the other day, I drove down G to Water to turn right, or north, as I usually go. I decided this time I would get out and take some photos. It was high time to inspect this place that I’d so often admired. One of the disadvantages to driving is that one often says, “I should look at that more closely next time I…” and then there’s no next time.
If you look on Yelp, Facebook, or Google Maps, you’ll find a listing for Kerrcrafters but nary a hint of commercial viability. That’s because it’s not. Word is–from Karen and her sister, who said that Kerrcrafters probably made the cabinets in their childhood home–that the company also made the cabinets for jewelry maker James Avery, until Avery started to make their own fixtures.
I just love the shape of the showroom, on the corner, and the desert sand color it and the warehouse sibling building have.
I had taken the first photo from caddy-corner and also across G Street, and walking back to my idling car across Water Street in front of Wilson’s Ice House, a bar that’s open from 10am till only 12 Midnight (when others stay open later), I was addressed by a man sitting on the porch glider who was nursing a now-probably-warm beer purchased an hour ago at 10:15am. This was Thursday.
“Whatchya takin’ pictures of?”
“Oh…” I started–he was partially obscured by the establishment’s prison-like bars around the porch and the palm tree bushes next to the seating–“I was taking pictures of that building. I love its design.”
“Yeah. That’s supposed to become a restaurant.”
“Oh! Really?… That’s cool. Know what kind of food?”
“I think fine dining. They’re developing this whole side of town.”
“Cool.” I really need to come up with a more intelligent response to helpful field research. “Nice to know. It’s a shame to let that building go to waste.”
We said our goodbyes–he may not have remembered me by Noon–and I decided to drive down Water toward the warehouse.
It was across from River Trail Cottages, which I learned from the Hill Country Community Journal has renovated a former motor court and is expecting robust business. From their website’s gallery, this could give Marfa, TX, a run for its hipster money. Frankly, for your money, you might want to go up toward Ingram and check out Casita Blu, whose gallery doesn’t show the very cool “glamper” I stayed in once for $78/night.
I’ve been told there are old-timers around here who reject change and the notion of change.
But the change that seems to be taking hold is when it beckons the past into the present to be honored and enjoyed.