Seguin — June 2018

G u a d a l u p e C o u n t y l i v i n g

June 2018

Celebrating Dad

Getting the Acoustics right

Bill Gibbons’ path to building the best guitar

Saving Your Soles

One shoe at a time

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Vol. 5, No. 1 Seguin magazine is published 12 times a year by the Seguin Gazette.

GENERAL MANAGER

Elizabeth Engelhardt

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Sisters35.jpg

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/ DESIGN EDITOR

Hannah Ruiz EDITOR

Travis Webb GRAPHIC DESIGN

ADVERTISING

Becca Harrison

Gay Lynn Olsovsky Brooke Kuchercka

WRITERS

Felicia Frazar Valerie Bustamante Priscilla Aguirre Stephanie Agnew

TO ADVERTISE IN SEGUIN MAGAZINE CALL

830-379-5402 STORY IDEAS seguinmagazine@ seguingazette.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Sawyer

SEARCH SEGUIN GAZETTE All material herein c. 2017 Southern Newspapers Inc., dba The Seguin Gazette, 1012 Schriewer Road, Seguin, TX, 78155.

All rights reserved

hot tip DON’T GIVE UP YOUR DREAMS, KEEP ON SLEEPING.

28 years Celebrating

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SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

ON THE COVER Photo by Rob Sawyer

1/1

What father wouldn’t love kisses from their baby girl. Here Chris Larsen receives kisses from both his daughters, Haven and Presley.

Proudly serving Seguin, New Braunfels, Lake McQueeney and the surrounding lake and river communities

Debbie Freeman Brown

Jay Crowell

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Julie Ennis

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Carol Sewell

Matt Skinner

Mike Stevens

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An inside look from our WRITERS...

“I had so much fun with this month’s Closet Closeup. As someone who covers the city beat, I work with Morgan a lot so it was interesting to work together on something like Closet Closeup. Barrett was a joy to photograph! I also enjoyed sitting down with Bill Gibbons and speaking to him about his custom guitar business.

He reminded me of my grandfather who also believes in making everything he can’t find in stores.”

- Valerie Bustamante “Having spent the bulk of my journalism career working night shifts and long hours, I know first-hand the toll it can take you, both mentally and physically. And, after meeting them, I have nothing but admiration for the after-hours angels of care at GRMC’s ER.” — Travis Webb “Watching John work as he brings to an old art form and trade skill to life in the heart of Seguin was an incredible experience. The care that he has for his craft and the love his has for his wife business partner show as they work side by side in a small workspace. I look forward to watching their new business thrive in the years to come.”

— Felicia Frazar

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Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

H

Elizabeth Engelhardt

General Manager of the Seguin Gazette

owdy!

Well folks, you asked and we delivered! You will now find a new issue of Seguin Magazine every First Sunday of the Month. When we started this magazine (previously Sizzle) nearly 4 years ago, we didn’t quite know what to expect. In that short time, the magazine has grown substantially and we couldn’t be more proud of what it has turned into today. There are so many exciting stories to tell, and that’s what we do best!

In this issue you will find the first of a three part BBQ Tour series. This month, we visit the famous Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart, Texas. We also head out to Port Aransas and Rockport in our Day tripper segment, to see how the towns are rebuilding after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey last August. And we can’t leave out some of the fan-favorites like closet close-up, culinary creations and a fun, fashion shoot at Park West.

We hope that you enjoy this exciting new issue of Seguin Magazine; we are here to tell your story. We’ll see you again on July 1st!

Elizabeth Engelhardt

Celebrate America!

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THE HOTTEST SPOT

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20 Features

Around Town

In Each Issue

36 Bill Gibbons’ Guitar Craftsman

14 Closet Close-up

12 Sizzlin’ Five

40 Pin Twist

18 Culinary Creations

30 Fashion

20 HArd Days Night

28 10 things...

24 Be You - Be Well

54 Faces of Seguin

26 Day Tripper

58 Favorite Finds

44 Saenz Boot Repair 48 BBQ TOur

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SIZZLINFIVE

Five events you don’t want to miss

June 3rd,sUMMer 10th,cOncerT 17thseries

The sounds of music fill the park each year during the Summer Concert Series. This year area residents can expect Comal County Band on June 3, Teatro de Artes Fiesta Noche on June 10, Natalie Rose on June 17, Phil Luna and the Lunatics on June 24 and the San Antonio Symphonic Band wrapping up the series on July 1.

June 9th

sUMMer reaDing PrOgraM

The Seguin Public Library is kicking off its annual push to encourage children to read during their time away from school with the Summer Reading Program. The kick off party is slated for Saturday, June 9. Each week area children can look forward to fun and exciting programs that are expected to “Rock.”

June 19th

TasTe OF segUin

Area restaurants and caterers try their hand at taking home the title of best in the city during the Silver Center’s Taste of Seguin. With guest judges and people’s choice, local chefs put their best foot forward for the tasty event. This year the event is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19 at the Seguin Coliseum.

June 22nd

cinDerella Ball

For one night, Seguin’s own Fairy Godmother waves her magic wand and turns the Seguin Events Center into a grand ballroom for the Seguin Police Department’s annual Cinderella Ball. The annual father-daughter dance offers the chance for area daughters of all ages to be treated like a princess. This year’s event is set for 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, June 22.

June 27th - July 1st

sOFTBall naTiOnals

In a five-day event, the Fields of Huber Ranch will host softball teams from the state and beyond during the Softball Nationals. Only in its third year, the tournament is expected to feature more than 100 teams competing at several different levels between June 27 and July 1. Community members are welcome to come out and watch.

12 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

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Morgan Ash Closet Close up featuring

By valerie BUsTaManTe

Barrett Herbersher

A

bout three years ago, the city of Seguin gained a new public information officer; a spokeswoman with high energy and a definite love for fashion.

When spotted around town photographing events or representing the city for the media, Morgan Ash likes to stand out from the crowdusually with a pop of color.

“If I could wear neon every day I probably would, but I can’t. I love 14 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

bright pinks, turquoises, purples, yellow,” she said. “I don’t think there is a color I wouldn’t wear. The brighter the better.”

While on the job, Morgan said she loves to wear dresses.

“I wear them most of the time for work just because I don’t have to worry about matching pants and a top,” she said. “With my job as a public information officer, I don’t know where my job will take me. Like yesterday I was in the office half

the day and the other half I was out shooting pictures. I have to be able to move quickly and move around. The same goes for shoes. I have to wear stuff that is more comfortable now, because I’m always running around.”

When Morgan isn’t dashing about the city, she’s usually out-and-about with her husband, Lucas, and their 1-year-old daughter, Barrett.

“On the weekends, I’ll wear a lot of comfier shorts and tank tops,” She said. “If we have an event we’re going

to I’ll wear jeans and a button-down top or wear one of my work shirts. I love khaki and jean shorts and pairing them with cute tops as well.”

Some of Morgan’s shops and brands of choice include Old Navy and The Loft because of their options for petite women.

“Old Navy has the cutest dresses and I think they are classic shapes that can be worn for many years,” She said. “For short people, if you shop online they have petite. It’s the best thing ever. Luckily, I have a mom that can hem things for me when I can’t shop petite. My advice to short ladies is to go to oldnavy.com and shop petite. I also like shopping at The Loft.

They have a really good outlet at San Marcos that I’ve liked going to lately.

I love shopping their clearance racks.

Again, they also have a great petite department.”

Morgan said it’s all about comfort, price and getting the best quality for her dollar.

As for accessories, Morgan said some of her favorites are earrings and necklaces.

“My collection of earrings is super important to me. I have an entire hanging organizer with earrings. I usually wear larger studs and the different colors the better. I actually have a couple of pairs that I try to find outfits for,” she said. “For necklaces, I do like clunkier and beaded stuff that is closer to the neck, but I know people are going more dainty so I’m trying to add some of those to my collection.”

Morgan’s engagement and wedding ring are some of her more sentimental jewelry pieces.

“I’m still trying to fit into them after having Barrett,” Morgan said.

“I finally wore my wedding ring to a co-worker’s wedding and I was so proud of myself, but it’s still not super comfortable to wear. That’s my goal though, to fit into it again. I’ll know when I’m back to my normal self when I can wear my engagement and wedding ring.”

However, Morgan said her ultimate

accessory now is Barrett — and a diaper bag.

“At first I forgot the diaper bag all the time, but you learn really fast not to leave that at home because as soon as you run to Walgreens, they will have a diaper blowout.”

Morgan always carries an extra pair of clothes, an abundance of diapers and baby wipes in the diaper bag, she said.

“It’s Murphy’s Law that as soon as you leave the house something goes wrong,” Morgan said. “She’s getting better now, but there have been many days where she starts off the day with the cutest outfit and we get to this event and immediately she’s changed into her backup outfit.”

While most women look to fashion magazines for inspiration, Morgan said she just knows what she likes.

“When I go into a store I will know exactly what I want to try on and my mom will tell you that,” She said. “I’m very decisive and think I have my own style. I don’t think a lot of people have the guts to wear the colors that I do.

There are things that I think are cute, but I know as a 5-foot-tall woman who just had a baby that there are certain things I look better in and will feel confident in versus others.”

Morgan said her favorite days are when she has a new outfit to wear.

“I love clothes and I think they completely change the way a day can go if you feel cute and confident,” she said. “The icing on the cake is when you get a compliment or two.”

However, since becoming a mom Morgan’s favorite person to shop for is Barrett.

“It takes it to a whole new level.

When you’re shopping post-baby it’s not quite as fun, but having her to shop for has definitely made up for it,” Morgan said.

Barrett, who is an avid wearer of Carter’s, Target and Old Navy is all about comfort and being cute, Morgan said.

“I want her to have the cutest outfit at her school every day,” she said. “She goes to Sprouts Learning Academy Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 15

three times a week and, man, those are the days I try to dress her in the cutest things.”

Barrett can usually be seen in dresses just like her mom, leggings or bloomers and a top.

“She also loves rompers. Rompers are fun. She wears sleepers at night and even now that she’s getting into 2T she is wearing two-piece pajamas, which are pretty adorable,” Morgan said. “We also have a drawer of bows that match every outfit.”

While she looks for the cutest pieces, Morgan said she tries to find things that are cotton and easily washable.

“My mom and I have cleaned out some Carter’s since she’s been born,” she said. “The sad thing is she can’t wear them that long because she keeps growing. Hopefully, we’ll have another baby and it’ll be a girl so she can wear some of the stuff. If it’s a boy we’ll he’s going to be wearing a lot of pinks.”

16 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

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By Felicia Frazar

C

hef Paul Schroeder has a passion for food that spans back almost two decades.

After getting a job in a restaurant when he was 16, a fire was ignited — and not just the one on the grill.

Paul attended the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin and was classically trained in French-style cooking.

Once he graduated, Paul took his skills on the road traveling to both the East and West coasts.

“I’ve lived in 10 different cities for the past 15 years or so, including San Francisco, San Jose, Valero Beach, Florida,” he said. “The goal was to work coast to coast so that I got more than just the Texas experience. So I learned different styles in different regions.”

For the past five years, Paul has worked in Seguin, taking over an established restaurant, and later helping to create a new restaurant.

“I took over Chevella’s and did that for about a year,” he said. “Then I worked to open up Tavern on the

Creek and that was about a three-year process. It took about a year to set up and we were open for about two years.”

Now, at the age of 33, Paul is working toward his own business of catering and event planning through Ambrosia Catering and Events.

“I’ve been trying to do a lot of catering and I’m enjoying doing pairing dinners — wine, mead, whiskey,” he said. “Ambrosia Catering we try to come up with different themes, but it doesn’t necessarily have to include food. As a chef, I was in charge of so many different events that I just got really good at organizing. I found that I can organize an event that doesn’t have to do with any food. It is just a

gathering kind of event.”

Examples of that are Paul’s ever-popular Harry Potter-Themed Wizard Feasts held monthly at the Aumont Saloon and the recent Mother’s Day with Julia.

“We’re going to be doing some really cool stuff,” he said. We’ve got an adult prom coming up. Some kind of comedy events. We just did a fourcourse Julia Child-inspired menu, we showed videos from the old ‘French Chef ’ TV show. All this time there hasn’t been that many different kinds of events in Seguin and I think that’s what people are wanting.”

For more about Chef Paul or Ambrosia Catering and events, visit ww.ambrosiafoodstx.com.

Grilled Watermelon and Shrimp Skewer with Basil Vinegar ingredients watermelon large shrimp, raw and unpeeled white wine vinegar Basil olive oil lemon salt Pepper water Bamboo skewers Basil vinegar use 1/2 pound of chopped up fresh basil for every two cups of white wine vinegar. that includes the stems.

Put the vinegar in a clean and sanitized container, add the basil, then place a cheese cloth or coffee filter over the top and secure it with a rubber band. leave the container out at room temperature in a temperature controlled room for three days. grilled Watermelon and shrimp skewers Peel and de-vein the shrimp. let the shrimp marinade in container in little bit of olive oil, chopped up basil and a dash of salt and pepper.

Cut the watermelon off the rind into 1-inch cubes, and deseed it. once shrimp is marinated poach in water, a splash of lemon juice and salt for about two minutes. the shrimp should start to turn pink or red when done. load the skewers — shrimp, watermelon, shrimp, watermelon.

Cook the skewers on a hot grill for about a minute or two on each side.

Pull the skewers off. using a pastry brush, lightly brush the watermelon and shrimp with the basil vinegar. serve.

Chefs Notes: With the basil vinegar the flavor of the watermelon just explodes. That classic combination of sour and sweet and salt just all comes together. It is a perfect and refreshing summertime dish.

A HARD DAY’S NIGHT

ER After Dark

By Travis Webb

I

n the age of digital assistants, self-driving cars and TV’s that record your favorite shows for you, it’s easy enough to expect things to just be a certain way — for some things to just be ready and taken care of as we start our day — with very little effort of our own. But long before the advent of any of those modern conveniences we’ve come to expect, a certain segment of society has been working magic behind the scenes to keep our fast-paced, consumer-friendly civilization running while the rest of us are asleep. They are the third shift, the graveyard shift, the night owls and (very) early birds.

They are the night shifts.

Whether it’s making sure the shelves are stocked at your local grocery store or keeping us safe from some of the very real kinds of things that go bump in the night, there are millions of Americans who have said goodbye to the old 9-to-5. Call it a facet of today’s fast-paced world; according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 15 million Americans work full time on evening shift, night shift, rotating shifts, or other employer arranged irregular schedules and roughly 20 percent of the American workforce is on the clock during “non-standard” hours of the day.

This is part 1 of an ongoing series that seeks to examine their careers, stories and contributions — and how their unusual working hours impact their lives.

Career of Caring Anyone who’s ever watched a hospital drama knows this scene, it’s the night shift at the emergency room and the lobby is full of patients — some are obviously sick, others might be bleeding — as emergency medical technicians (EMTs) transport an injured person via gurney into the care of capable nurses and doctors. In the Hollywood version, everyone knows where they’re going because the script tells them where to stand, when to move, where and how fast. In the real world, it’s because there’s someone very talented working to shape all that chaos into organized and efficient care.

At Guadalupe Regional Medi-

cal Center, most nights that person is Abigail Weitman. She’s a charge nurse in GRMC’s ER — a position that combines medical expertise with managerial logistics and rapid-fire decision-making.

Abigail said she first felt called to nursing when, as a sophomore in high school, she and her fellow students had the opportunity to work with medical mannequins.

“I thought, ‘I could do that,’” she said.

Abigail has been with GRMC for eight years now. While she’s been in nursing for close to two decades, this past year has been her first in the ER. She began her career in neonatal care (NICU) in El Paso before moving on to Lubbock, but the majority of her background is in intensive care (ICU).

“I’ve been a nurse for about 18 or 19 years, I haven’t really sat down and done the math,” she said, laughing.

The recent change has been something of an adjustment, although Abigail said she believes her long history in intensive care has sharpened her skills for ER work, particularly in making a swift diagnosis.

“It’s quicker, it’s definitely a much faster pace,” she said. “ICU is more long-term, but here it’s much more ‘stabilize and move.’ (ICU work) really

prepared me for recognizing sick patients, recognizing symptoms. It helped me hone those skills.”

will influence her decisions for the rest of the night. Those responsibilities include assigning nurses to patients, assigning a triage nurse, assigning Behind the Scenes patients to rooms and much more.

For Abigail, a typical shift begins That also means deciding who gets about 7 p.m. As a charge nurse, she’s seen first, especially when the ER is largely responsible for managing the flooded with patients. In that respect, movement of both patients and nurs- Abigail is assisted by a capable staff of ing staff through the ER. her fellow nurses. “All of the nurses “It’s about directing the flow of the are pretty good at triage,” she said.

ER, which room someone’s in, who That sometimes also means knowsees who,” she said. ing when a patient needs to be sent Making those kinds of decisions can to another hospital for special care. become especially complicated when Whether for strokes, heart attacks the ER is busy, with all 16 rooms filled, or serious trauma injuries, patients patients being tracked for triage and frequently need to be moved — and more coming in all the time. An espeit all needs to happen fast. In this, cially busy night might see as many as GRMC ER staff are assisted by the 50 or 60 come through. latest in medical technology. For “Mondays, I think, are the craziexample, Abigail said GRMC can, in est,” she said. “Sometimes it starts on the case of a suspected stroke, use Sunday night.” software to provide a remote evaluaWhile weekends can get busy too, tion.

Abigail said the types of injuries “With a stroke, we get them to a nurses typically see then are frequently CT scan, we can contact (Methodist easier to diagnose.

Hospital of San Antonio), they can “Weekends can be busy, too. But they contact a neurologist and then come are usually less challenging,” she said. online and do a remote evaluation,” To manage her responsibilities, she said.

Abigail needs to know who’s on duty, Recognizing other dangerous warnif anyone is out sick or on vacation, ing signs — such as chest pains or how many patients might be waiting arterial bleeding, among other seriand a vast array of other factors that ous conditions ­— can drastically alter Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 21

become violent. the pace the of the evening and, quite “I was ready for (that part of the often, save lives. job), but only because my husband is “(In ICU) you sometimes pretty a deputy,” she said. “Experiencing it is much have your whole shift with a patient,” she said. “Here, you have to very different.” triage, to determine who can wait and Night’s Watch you have to deal with police or ambuIn today’s economy, the days of a lance crews.”

In fact, the presence of law enforce- single breadwinner have gone by the ment is a constant and reassuring pres- wayside. Increasingly, married couples both work, which can create serious ence at night in the ER. From crashes challenges — especially with children and drawing blood in suspected DWI in the picture. Working the night shift cases to unruly patients, the ER has more than its fair share of situations can complicate things further. From that sees hospital staff working closely finding time to run errands to the already monumental task that is being with law enforcement personnel. a mother, Abigail’s schedule impacts And, Abigail said, it’s an unfortuher life in a number of ways. nate truth that some patients come “I think it’s something people don’t to the ER solely to try to acquire prescription drugs, or are high on ille- always think about,” Abigail said.

“When you work nights, almost everygal narcotics and then occasionally

thing is closed.”

As a nurse, Abigail said she knows there are health-related complications with working at night as well.

According to many health care professionals, people who work at night are at greater risk for various disorders, accidents and misfortunes, including increased likelihood of obesity; increased risk of cardiovascular disease; increased risk of gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation and stomach discomfort and a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents and work-related accidents, among other issues.

Working on the back half of the day also presents it’s own unique challenges while on duty. For example, while the ER is always well stocked with medication, the hospital’s phar-

macy is closed for the evening, that means Abigail and other nurses must take especially careful stock of their supplies.

Of course, pharmacy staff remain on call in the unlikely event medication runs short or if something special is needed.

“The pharmacy is really good about it,” she said. “There’s always someone on call. If we need something and don’t have it, they’ll get it for us.”

But as a devoted mother, Abigail has other important responsibilities outside the hospital.

While her daughter – a senior at Seguin High School, who plans to study nursing at Texas Lutheran University — can take herself to class, Abigail typically takes her son to school after getting home from her shift change between 6 to 7 a.m. That means she’s rarely in bed before 10 a.m.

Those hours don’t look to get any better as America struggles with a nationwide shortage of registered nurses. Health care professionals have been in high demand for years now and, according to numerous health care industry experts, the nation’s shortage of nurses is only expected to become worse as America’s Baby Boomers continue to age. “(The shortage) has been going on for years now,” Abigail said. “It’s just getting worse and worse.”

Of course, with the long hours, Abigail and the other ER nurses at GRMC are typically only scheduled three or four days per week, which is essential when it comes to finding time for anything that needs to be done in the light of day.

“The scheduling really helps,” she said.

Still, despite the long hours and sacrifice of her daylight hours, Abigail said the rewarding nature of her work more than makes up for any potential complications.

“It’s a way to help,” she said. “ A way to help people be better when they’re in crisis.”

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Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 23

r e m m u s e th to in ip D

T

By Priscilla agUirre

mmunity cool off

co Seguin Wave Pool helps the

That family time is important.” he summer in Texas can be a Crystal added that she hopes the hot, sizzling headache. From the relentless high temperatures to the Wave Pool will bring families and almost complete lack of any breeze friends together and let them enjoy being outside. in the air, it’s tough to stay cool during the “Just being with the family out summertime. there by the pool is important However, Seguin’s Parks and Recreation because it gives you time away Department has you covered with their from electronics and away from city-operated Wave Pool. being indoors,” she said. “It will Located in Max Starcke Park East, the Seguin Aquatic Center offers a 15,000 square- help take others out of the sedentary lifestyle and into a more foot wave pool with a zero-depth beach type entry, a splash pool and a raindrop mushroom active lifestyle. Swimming, laughing and just reconnecting outside for the area residents and visitors to enjoy. can boost your well-being so At the Aquatic Center, you can learn how to much. So we hope people take swim, work out in the water aerobics class, advantage of the wave pool enjoy the kiddie pool, host a private party for because it really offers so much your friends and family or just have fun with to the community, not only in the waves that go up 7- to 8-inches. the classes, but in life as well.”

Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation Crystal Miranda said she hopes the commuWater Aerobics nity can come out and enjoy everything the Finding time to exercise can complex has to offer.

“This is one of the very few city-owned and be its own workout, but the operated wave pools in Texas, and I think that Aquatics Center offers an hourlong water aerobics class two days in itself is an attraction others should join in out of the week for the commuon,” she said. “It’s 10 minutes of waves and nity to enjoy. On Tuesday and 10 minutes of still water, so people can still Thursday, you can get a full-body enjoy just a regular non-motion commercial workout for only $2, Crystal said. pool. It has a beach entry, so it’s accessible for the youth and elderly. It’s easy to walk into and enjoy. We have tubes for everyOpens: June 10th, the sunday after graduation. one to enjoy and use to ride the waves. It’s Time: the community can enjoy the pool tuesday - sunday from 1 p.m. just a lot of fun.” to 7 p.m.

Crystal said she believes the community should take advantage of the unique pool Price: 0-3 free, 4-11 $4, 12-59 $5, 60 & over $4 — do not accept credit for therapeutic purposes. cards, only cash, checks or money orders are accepted.

“I think it’s important to go to the Wave season Pass: $75 for an individual, $125 for the family pass (max 6).

Pool because — one, you get to learn how to swim and that’s an important skill to concessions: everything from ice cream, to nachos, chili cheese hot learn in life,” she said. “Two, it will get dogs, chips and candy. also Powerade, water and soda. no outside food you out and walking in the park, and that’s or drink is allowed (baby food and milk are allowed). also very needed in life as well. Grandma call: (830) 379-Pool(7665) or (830) 401-2480 and grandpa can bring their grandkids out there and enjoy that leisure time together.

24 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

“Someone can pretty much expect an exercise that will work on your whole body,” she said. “Everything from legs, arms, core and back. You will get all that workout in just an hour. It’s great because there is no impact in the water, so it’s a very low impact type of exercise. Everyone from teenagers to older adults can enjoy it. They can relax and it’s a very good therapy type of exercise.”

For a reasonable price, you can learn how to workout in the water and build muscle. If you are nervous about the workout, don’t worry. Crystal said the have instructors go at your pace.

“We have one to two instructors, depending on the size (of the class), to help you with the workout,” she said.

“We also have lifeguards on the clock to help keep everyone safe. We don’t really have a max or cap on how many can join the class, so it’s the more the merrier type of thing. Everyone is welcomed. We want people to enjoy the class, so we try to make it fun. We have music on while you enjoy the good little workout.”

Learn how to swim One of the most important life skills to have is knowing how to swim, Crystal said. It can literally save you life. Thankfully, the Aquatics Center can teach people at any age the skill.

The swimming lessons are a two-week session from Tuesday through Friday for 45 minutes. The price for the

session is $35, which is a fair price for the amount an individual will learn, Crystal said.

“It’s fairly cheap and reasonable for a good deal,” she said. “We teach children as young as 6-months old to adults. The swimming lessons are held in the morning and we teach individuals in whichever level they are in. We have level one, two and three. People can learn different strokes or just the basics of swimming.”

Crystal added that there are three different sessions to chose from during the summer. No matter the class, trained lifeguards and instructors are always on hand.

“We do have people who can be timid and nervous about learning this life skill,” she said. “We have four-year-olds who are adventurous and want to jump off the wall to 13-year olds who barely want to put their face in the water. But we go at everyone’s pace, so depending on where they are at. We set a goal that the individual wants to get to and we try to help them reach that goal by the end of the class.”

Classes are fairly small, so the people who take the class can expect to have their instructors’ attention, Crystal said.

“We usually take about 12 kids per session so that they can get more time to grasp all the skills that they need within those eight classes,” she said. “We can go a little bit more if I have more instructors, but we usually have three instructors, and we will stick to about four individuals to each instructor.”

Other amenities The Aquatics Center includes a kiddie pool for the children to splash around in.

The pool is kidney-shaped,and two feet deep with a beach entry with fun amenities for the little ones, Crystal said.

“The kiddie pool is a perfect place that doesn’t have any waves,” she said.

“It’s just a place to relax and lounge.

The toddlers can walk in, play and get splashed by the mushroom raindrop. It’s a cool way for the kids to have fun and enjoy the Aquatic Center.”

The complex also allows the public to host private parties for groups up to 600 people from 7:15 a.m. to 10:15 p.m. for $425, Crystal included.

“The private parties are normally held on the weekends,” she said. “They are three hours long for $425. The price includes staffing, lifeguards and lighting. If you host a party, you can enjoy the whole facility, so the kiddie pool, the mushroom raindrop and the Wave Pool.”

Join the wave With all the Aquatic Center offers, Crystal said she hopes the local community uses the facility and all that comes with it.

“We don’t have very many wave pools in Texas and here it’s fairly cheap,” she said. “It’s a great place to come learn how to swim, but it also is a smaller water type environment. It’s local and not very many cities have amenities like wave pools to offer their community. I think that Seguin offering a wave pool is a great attraction and that the kids and the community should utilize it.”

Crystal concluded that before, or even after a dip in the pool, guests can walk around Max Satrcke Park, see all it offers and take in all of the sights.

“We have so much to offer at the park. You can throw the ball around, walk on the walking trail and see the scenic Guadalupe River. Everything is pretty shady with beacon trees, so it’s a nice environment around here for the community to enjoy.”

GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 25

h s a l p S a e k Ma I

By HannaH rUiz

in Port Aransas

f sun, sand, waves and salty sea air are on your mind, a three-hour road trip south can cure that need for a little vitamin “sea.”

Picked as one of Trip Advisor’s top 15 best vacations for toddlers and parents alike, Port Aransas offers six miles of beach on the Gulf of Mexico with warm water to enjoy swimming, boogie boarding and surfing.

The fine grain sands offer beach-goers a place to soak up the sun while building sand castles, eating lunch or dinner and just spending time with family.

The drive is quick and easy. A turn south on State Highway 123 will lead you straight out of town. Drive long enough and the highway will come to an end at U.S. Highway 181 in Karnes City. Take a left and keep rolling, The road eventually turns into State Highway 361 around Gregory. About an hour and a half later you can roll the windows down and smell the salty air.

Depending on the day and what is happening on the island a short wait for the ferry and a boat ride later you will dock in Port Aransas.

26 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

Following the flow of traffic after around a mile you’ll hit the beaches of Port Aransas.

If the salt water and sand isn’t your thing, there are other things to do on the island. There is an outdoor, inline skating rink to play a round of roller hockey or pickleball. You can also play a round of disc golf at the community park.

Just to the left of the ferry landing is Roberts Point Park where you can drop a line in the Corpus Christi Shipping Channel and fish for flounder, sea bass and many other sea creatures. You can walk to the observation tower and look out on the channel for birds and possibly a dolphin sighting.

Further into the island, you can visit Wetland Park that has been repaired and is reopened to the public. Here you can look at the tidal flats and watch the birds and cranes that are native to Port Aransas. If you like bird watching the Parks and Recreation Department offers a birding tour every Saturday at 8 a.m. in Community Park.

The island that was ravaged by Hurricane Harvey in August is still working to rebuild and has some popular spots still closed like the community pool and playground, which are both located at Community Park.

Port Aransas is defiantly on the rebound from the events of Aug. 25, 2017 many of the places to stay have reopened as well as several eateries. Port Aransas also has a thriving arts community that offers year-round activities. For more information, visit portaransas.org.

and Rockport Just 49 miles from the ferry landing in Aransas Pass sits Rockport. The town is a small fishing community that has Texas’ First Blue Wave Beach and was named USA Today’s 4th Best Small Coastal Town.

When arriving at the coastal town from Interstate 35 you will come straight to the clean Rockport Beach, which provides palapas every few feet to lounge under, cabanas with barbecue pits and a playground for the kids. The warm water is calmer here and great for families with young kids.

Like most tourist destinations, Rockport offers much more than just the beach. Visitors just have to turn around to find the bay for a great place to fish. There are several piers to fish off of, but the most common is the Breakwater Piers on the south side of the beach.

“Fishing has been phenomenal this year since the hurricane. Even those people who are not fishing from a boat have been reporting better than average catches,” Keith Barrett, Aransas County navigation district harbor

master, said. “Fishing is easy on the wallet and a great way to break away from the electronic world. Record numbers of drum, trout and redfish have been caught in our local waters after the storm.”

Rockport also offers the Texas Maritime Museum, which collects and preserves maritime artifacts. For birdwatchers, Rockport has an abundance of the feathered friends. During the summer there are about 100 nesting species in the area. You can visit the 10 birding sites on the Great Texas Birding Trail, or take a birding and kayak adventure, where you can do morning dolphin tours as well.

Rockport offers several places to stay and to dine as well. For more information, on Rockport go to rockport-fulton.org.

Both Port Aransas and Rockport offer great day trips to enjoy the water, sandand many other adventures.

They will be a family favorite for years to come.

GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 27

10 Things about...

Hannah Ruiz the Creative Director for the Seguin Gazette.

1. I attend New Life Fellowship weekly.

2. I have worked for the Seguin Gazette 4 times over a 16-year period.

3. I am an avid Young Living essential oil user. #thievesallthethings

4. My kids are 10 years apart.

5. I have been engaged for 4 years!

6. I am a trained Stage Manager, and have managed 5 shows.

7. I taught myself to knit, thanks YouTube!

8. I have an odd fascination with whisks (I own 7)!

9. I cannot swim further down than 3 feet.

10. I have watched all 7 season’s plus AYITL of Gilmore Girls 5 times.

28 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

g n i t a r b e Cel Dad

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Getting the Acoustics right Bill Gibbons’ path to building the best guitar

By valerie BUsTaManTe

S

cattered around William ‘Bill’ Gibbons’ workshop are pieces of wood, papers with lists of measurements and a plethora of power tools — all the tools he needs to construct a custom acoustic guitar.

Since 2005 Bill has been perfecting his craft through his business w.Alan. guitars.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Bill’s love of music and guitars began brewing when he was a student at Baldwin Wallace College.

“All I ever wanted to be was a folk singer. When I went to college it was in the 60s and folk music was all the rage. In probably about 1963, a fraternity brother of mine had a plastic guitar and I had an old guitar my scoutmaster had given me and we taught ourselves to play,” he said. “We formed a folk group together and

played all over the college campus, parties and coffee shops. We even did a deal on a Cleveland television station. On Sundays they had a ‘Polk Variety Show’, so we got up there and sang a couple of songs.”

The group also performed at the Sheraton Cleveland Hotel for Richard Nixon before he became president, Bill said.

However, after Bill earned his college degree he received a letter from Uncle Sam. “I joined the Air Force and I did a 20-year tour, so no folk signing, but I learned to fly airplanes instead,” he said.

After retiring from the U.S. Air Force in 1986 he flew for American Airlines until 2003. However, Gibbons’ passion for music never stopped and it continued to spark his curiosity.

“In about 2005, I was at Hastings

Book Store looking for some old Ricky Nelson CDs and right next to them was this book on how to build an acoustic guitar,” Bill said. “I’d always wondered how they were made because, I mean, I have a whole collection. I always wondered where you got the wood and all of that was covered in this book.”

A builder of airplanes and man of many other skills, such as woodworking Bill said: “How hard could it be to build a guitar?”

“I bought a kit and I built my first guitar, but it was a piece of crap. It plays, it tunes, but it’s a piece of junk,” he said. “I looked at it and I said, ‘if I can’t build a better guitar then this then I’m never going to build another guitar again.’”

To help further his guitar making skills, Bill called up engineer Frank Finocchio, of Finocchio Guitarworks GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 37

in Easton, Pennsylvania.

“I saw he had some CDs online on how to build guitars. I saw that there were guys working in his shop so I called him up — actually I called him up several times while I was trying to do this,” Bill said. “I said, ‘I see you have these guys there so what do you do?’ And he said, ‘well, I have a little workshop where guys can stay with me for a week and we will build a guitar.’”

More than 400 students have participated in Frank Finocchio’s seven-day, hands-on class at his Pennsylvania workshop. For more than 20 years, the artisan has offered a class for “acoustic flattop guitars, arch top guitars, classical guitars and arch back guitars,” the Finocchio Guitarworks website said.

Bill became one of those students.

“I think it cost $2,500 and I spent a week with him and we built a guitar,” he said.

“Frank was an engineer and worked for Martin Guitars for 10 years. He actually had a house right behind his shop that he had recently moved out of so he was able to put three of us in there. Every morning we’d come down and start working on these guitars.”

From sharpening chisels, making the tops and backs of the guitars and bending the sides — Frank Finocchio took the students through the step-by-step process.

Since his time in the class, Bill said he has hand constructed about 20 guitars.

“The first ones I built were from Frank’s plan. They’re waisted guitars,” he said.

“The first guitar we made together came out pretty good so, when I came home I said, ‘the truth of the matter is can I build a guitar as good as his?’ They’ve actually gotten better over the years. They’re good guitars.”

Some of the guitars he has made and sold range from $750 to $1,200, Bill said.

While Bill hasn’t made a guitar since 2014, he said he is eager to be getting back into it.

“I haven’t been doing much lately because my new gig is African safaris. I represent a safari group in Africa so I take people on safaris for both hunting and photo safaris,” Bill said. “The guitar I’m going to build now though is going to be a design of my own and I’m even going to change it slightly based on some new 38 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

guitars I bought because of the sound.

I’m going to brace the tops to see if I can duplicate their sound.”

From start to finish, Bill can easily build a guitar in about 10 days in his workshop, he said.

“That probably does not include laying on the finish because it takes some time, although the oil finish is pretty easy to put on,” he said.

When it comes to selecting the wood for the piece Bill said it all depends on the sound you want the guitar to make.

“The traditional guitar has a Sitka Spruce top and either a Mahogany or Rosewood backs and sides,” he said.

“I’ve used Redwood before too.”

After selecting the wood of his choosing, Bill joins two pieces together with glue to form the front and two more to create the back of the guitar before running them through a surface planer machine to get the right thickness.

Additionally, he works on the sides and bends them before placing them in a form with the top and back to glue them all together into one whole piece.

After working on other steps, including preparing the neck and attaching the fretboard and bridge, Bill finishes off the guitar with an oil.

“I’ve tried some shellac. The commercialized guitars normally use lacquer. Martin uses lacquer — 12 coats of it, but the tone from this guitar comes from the ability of the top to vibrate and you can’t help but stiffen that guitar by putting 12 coats of lacquer on it,” Bill said. “Frank Finocchio said ‘the best this guitar is ever going to sound is the first time you put the strings on and play it with nothing — no finish on and nothing what so ever.’ He said that’s the best they’re going to sound.”

Bill also makes his own guitar straps from exotic animal skins he has acquired in Africa.

“I’m kind of a jack of all trades,” he said. “If I can’t find what I want then I make it.”

To order a custom guitar, call Bill Gibbons at 830-305-4466 or email him at bbgibbs@texas.net

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Pin T wist L Home Town

Summer Fun

Reagan Rodgers

40 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

ike many small towns, Seguin is filled with family businesses; restaurants, clothing and grocery stores, and a long list of other companies. Three years ago, Lisa Rodriguez, a Floresville resident, saw an opportunity to roll a new kind of family business into Seguin — and spare an aging relic in the process.

Pin Twist is a family-owned, family entertainment center located on Highway 46 near TLU. The business, although primarily known for its bowling alley, also features a gaming area, a bar, concessions and gathering areas for large groups.

“We’ve got our arcade room and our redemption for prizes. We have our bar, our pool tables and dart boards,” Lisa said. “We have party rooms and conference rooms, which can be rented out for private meetings. We have a dance area where we have karaoke right now on Fridays, but we’re moving it to the second and fourth Thursdays during the summer. We bring DJs in, lots of local entertainment and that will all be right in front of the party rooms.”

Lisa, along with her parents and brother, opened the bowling alley in early March 2015. Since the space opened up, the family’s business has become a top entertainment location in the area.

The idea to open this sort of family business was originally created with Floresville in mind for the location but, thankfully for Seguin, things didn’t quite work. Instead, the Rodriguez family found

the perfect location at the former Sports West Bowling Alley, even if it didn’t look that way when they first saw it.

“The bowling alley ended up not working out in our town and, in that transition phase, one of our contractors reached out to us and told us about this property going up for sale,” Lisa said. “I’ll never forget the day, April 19, we came to look at it.

It was in the most disgusting condition you could ever imagine. It’s really amazing how we were able to visualize what we wanted this property to become. It did need a lot of work, but there was still a lot of value left in it.”

The journey of fixing up the place has only recently been completed, with the back lounge opening a few months ago. The space features several amenities, including pool tables and dart boards.

“What brought us to the property was the equity value in it, but the fact that it already had the lanes was like ‘Well, let’s figure out how to do bowling!”

Lisa said. “We had bowled maybe a handful of times in our life before we owned a bowling alley, which is amazing, but where there’s a will there’s a way. We were blessed with people along the way that have helped us get our league started. We have some very skilled mechanics that come in and make sure our machines are running adequately.

We just have a lot of support.”

Bowling, of course, is the main attraction at Pin Twist, and the alley is home to multiple leagues for GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 41

all ages. The leagues meet once a week at the lanes and are a unique way for people to get out of the house and be active.

“We do have USBC (United States Bowling Congress) leagues, which is great,” Lisa said. “We also have house leagues, which are shorter and gives people the opportunity to see what they’re about without the commitment.

USBC leagues are usually 36 to 38 weeks, whereas house leagues are about 12 to 15 weeks. ” For those that aren’t the best bowlers ever, the leagues use “handicapped scoring,” which evens out the playing field between skilled and not-so-skilled bowlers. This keeps the games interesting and less predictable.

“I think some people get intimidated because they think that they’re competitive, but they’re actually just really fun,” Lisa said. “It’s really nice to have something for adults, and even kids. We have a kids league that we want more people involved in. It’s a really nice destressor to come once a week, meet new people and to hang out with new people and to just enjoy yourself.”

The entertainment center also has a pool league that meets on Sundays to compete and hang out. The groups are made up of spouses and friends, and are family oriented, making it a perfect fit for Pin Twist.

“We sign up our kids for any and every activity or sport we can, and we commit to that, and these leagues are the opportunity for adults to commit to something for themselves,” Lisa said. “It’s quite a time. If your kids have to come with you, even to pool leagues, there’s plenty for them to do to keep occupied. Parents can participate without needing a sitter.”

Running a family business in a small town comes with ups and downs, but one of the biggest perks for Lisa is getting to spend time with both her family and the community at the same time. Aside from owning a business with her family that her children can come to every day, Lisa loves seeing the enjoyment other people get from what the center has to offer.

“Getting to know and see the other people in the community having fun is the best part, professionally,” Lisa said. “Earlier, we had a field trip here, and those groups are probably my favorite because the kids have so much fun. When you put the music on and watch 100 plus kids do the ‘Whip and Nae-Nae,’ it’s the best feeling in the world. It’ll put a smile on your face no 42 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

matter how grumpy you are.”

Taking care of customers and providing the best service is the one of the most important goals Lisa said her employees have, as well as keeping the environment fun and comfortable for all who venture to Pin Twist.

“We’re very hands-on because we want to make sure everything is run with the highest qualities in mind,” Lisa said. “We go above and beyond to make sure our customers have a great time when they walk in here, and that they’re impressed. I think the experience and the fun people have here is what keeps them coming back, as well as the service they’ve received. We get a lot of compliments about that and we try to keep that going.”

Several high schoolers who frequent the local business said they enjoy all it has to offer, including a place to bring family and friends who visit.

“I went with my cousin and aunt from out of town and the staff there was very nice,” Seguin High School junior Ashlee Hernandez said. “We bowled for two games, but we got snacks and drinks in between. After our bowling, we stayed a bit longer to play some air hockey in the arcade room. It was overall just a very fun experience.”

Each summer, Pin Twist offers area children the opportunity to bowl for free using a postcard handed out at their school. The facility also will host “Pin Twist Summer Nights,” which will include local small bands and allow people to hang out with friends, watch games on the many TVs in the lounge and, of course, bowl.

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GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 43

Saving your Soles

By Felicia Frazar

J

ohn Saenz spent a majority of his life on the road as a truck driver.

After 43 years of driving, John turned off the engine to his big rig and cranked up a new motor, bringing an old skill back to Seguin.

John, along with his wife, Lupe, opened Saenz Boot and Shoe Repair Shop at 207 E. Court St. in downtown Seguin.

“I retired on a Friday and opened up on a Monday,” John said. “I’m not a person who can stay home and retire. I’m only 62 years old.”

The Saenz Family John and Lupe have been married for 46 years, only three of which John wasn’t on the road.

With each passing year, the couple grew closer, wanting to spend more time together.

“This is new for us. I was a truck

driver for 43 years. I was home on the weekends, mostly,” John said. “As we got older, we wanted to be together more. This is great. We get to work together.”

John was born in Arizona but moved to California with his family to work in a labor camp, where he met Lupe.

“We got married when I was 15 and she was 16. We started in California,” he said.

John started driving three years after they were married, and soon the couple had their first daughter.

The Saenz have three daughters and three grandsons — ages 16, 8, and 7.

During the first part of their lives, the couple lived in California, but thanks to good family friends they made the move to Texas.

“Our dear friends, Terry and Elaine Reed moved here,” John said. “We started together in California. He said there were so many opportunities out here, I tried it out and liked it.”

Lupe knew she wanted to come visit the place her mother was originally from, however, she didn’t know how much she would like it.

“My mother was from Texas and she left here when she was 21,” she said.

“I always wanted to come to Texas. I never thought I would live in Texas. I fell in love with Texas.”

Becoming a Cobbler A few years before retiring, John began talking a friend who owns Smiley’s Leather and Shoe Fix It in New Braunfels and the conversation turned to cobbling.

“His dad passed away two to three years ago and had all of these machines,” John said. “He mentored me for a while, and I bought all of these from him.”

The art of mending shoes was something that intrigued John from an early age.

“The curiosity was there when I was a little boy. We used to live in a little town called Fireball it was a labor

camp. My dad would drive 43 miles to Fresno and there was a guy there he (dad) would take his shoes to get fixed,” he said. “I would sit there — back in the day they did it right there while you waited — and watch for hours. He would tear that shoe apart and make it look like crap, then put it back together, polish it up and make it like new. That stayed with me.”

John said he has always been a craftsman; so fixing shoes was the perfect fit.

“I’ve always been the type of person to build something,” he said. “If it doesn’t come out, I tear it down and 46 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

re-build it. It is one of those things that fit right in. We’ve been working on this for a while.”

Oddly enough, several years back before the opportunity presented itself, Lupe found a shoe buffer at a sale and bought it for John.

“I said, ‘Look, Johnny, for your boots! You can buff them out,’” Lupe said. “It’s been there forever and we were going to get rid of it. Then this happens.”

The buffer, which is typically fixed to a floor, is attached to the largest piece of machinery in John and Lupe’s shop — which includes sanders and

grinders for all shoe types.

Also in the cobbler’s shop are several industrial-sized machines from the 1940s and the 1970s, helping to make his work a little bit easier.

“It is not as easy as people think it is.

It has been challenging,” he said.

John and Lupe can resole shoes, stitch eyelets, stretch, re-heal, restore color or change color, repair purses and more.

“We get all kinds of requests, turning a walking heal into a riding heel, stretching shoes, repairing heals, soles, stitchwork,” John said.

While John continues to sharpen his

shoe repair skills, he said he one day hopes to start crafting his own shoes.

“Maybe in two or three years I can do that,” he said. “The only thing with that is people don’t want to pay the price. They can sometimes start at $2,000 that is for regular cowhide. I might tinker with it.”

Saenz Boot and Shoe Repair Since the couple opened their shop at the beginning of this past May, they said business has been steady and the community has really embraced them.

“We were very received very well,” Lupe said. “It was really neat. We didn’t know what to expect. Everyone was very friendly, very helpful. It just made us feel good and that we were doing the right thing. I had a lady bring in a very expensive purse with the zipper had fallen off and the purse needed some work. She paid $5 for the purse and I did about $25 worth of work and she now has a purse that originally cost $500-$600 back in good shape.”

John discouraged community members from trying to do at home repairs.

“People will buy glues to fix their shoes and they ruin their shoes,” he said.

Once the couple began learning the art of cobbling and opened the shop, Lupe said it has become less of a job.

“It is more like a hobby,” she said.

“We’ll be in here working and I look at the clock and it is already time to close up. It is relaxing, very therapeutic.”

Their daughter, Bianca, joins the couple in the store who Lupe said hopes to take over the family business.

“She keeps saying she’ll be the ‘Lady Cobbler in Seguin,’” Lupe said.

The couple hopes the business can plant deep roots in the city, and hopes to eventually open a larger shop.

“If everything works out, we plan on keeping the business here for good,” John said. “We’re thinking about later buying another press. I’ll eventually need a bigger place.”

New Items Delivered Daily 106 N Austin St. Seguin, Texas 830-463-5170 Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 47

Low & Slow

is the way Black’s does BBQ

By Steffanie Agnew

C

entral Texas is well-known for it’s barbecue, and one of the most iconic spots is located in Lockhart. Black’s Barbecue opened in 1932 and bills itself as the oldest continuously-owned family BBQ restaurant in the country. Now, that legend will make its way to New Braunfels, where the family plans to open a location on “Barbecue Row.” History of Blacks Barbecue Black’s originally started as a grocery store and meat market, in the late 1920s by Edgar Black Sr. with the help of a friend who owned a building in Lockhart, Chad Nevill,

a fourth-generation Black’s family member, and store manager of the Lockhart location said.

“Back then there wasn’t a whole lot of refrigeration or freezers,” he said. “Mr. Black figured out how you could barbecue the meat and that would preserve the meat longer.”

In the 1930s, refrigerating meat required buying 50-pound blocks of ice from a local ice plant and then smoking the meat to get more shelf-life out of it. This meant barbecue meat cuts and recipes varied.

However, throughout the years, Edgar honed his technique and found the recipe for success, with the help of Guadalupe County living ~ Seguin 49

his wife, Norma Jean, who created the many sides the restaurant serves up, as well as the barbecue sauce that carries her name, Chad said.

Barbecue Certified Angus beef brisket, lean or with fat, pork spare ribs, barbecue chicken and chopped beef brisket, are only some of the smoked meats available on Black’s menu.

“Roughly right now we probably have eight different selections of meat and probably a dozen sides,” Chad said.

Getting the delicious flavors is all in the technique of cooking, Chad said.

“All of our meats are seasoned with just salt and pepper,” he said. “We don’t really have any kind of seasoning that we put on them. Also, we cook it at a temperature of about 275 to 300 degrees.”

At that temperature, it’s called “low and slow,” he said.

“A lot of people like to cook them or try to get them done a little bit faster,” he said. “We just like to do it slow and it comes out pretty good we think.”

The meat is smoked over post oak wood, but not put directly over the fire. Chad said this allows the meat to get the heat and smoke from the wood.

“Post oak is a native wood to Texas and has been used the entire time that we’ve been open,” he said. “We’ve always had good luck with post oak.”

Jimmy Rhim, of Austin, visited Black’s Barbecue in Lockhart with his friend, Rob Anderson, of Chicago, and praised the food.

“Everything’s good,” Jimmy said. “Today I’m doing the chicken breast and the ribs, but I’ve had the brisket and it’s amazing. It’s the best barbecue in the world.”

Rob described Black’s as having a genuine feel to it, which showed in their barbecue.

“It’s made with care, as opposed to some of the other places that aren’t,” he said. “They have traditions. So, for me and Jimmy, that’s what we’re about.”

One of the most iconic menu items is the business’s homemade sausages.

Edgar Black Jr., the founder’s son, standardized the sausage recipe, which contains trimmings from brisket and pork. The recipe is 80 years old, and uses a technique where each ring is hand stuffed and hand tied before being smoked.

Those that come to Blacks can choose from three different flavors of sausage: original, garlic or jalapeño cheddar.

In addition to the barbecue, tradition and outstanding customer service are what set Black’s apart from other barbecue places, Chad said.

50 Seguin ~ Guadalupe County living

“We pride ourselves on customer service as well as good barbecue,” he said. “Probably one of our meats that makes us the most famous is the giant beef rib.”

According to Black’s menu, “Each bone is 9 inches long with about 2 inches of flavorful marbled beef piled on top. Each rib will weigh about 1 pound.”

Of course, every good barbecue meal isn’t be complete without sides and desert. Visitors can choose from a range of sides from potato salad to green beans to mashed potatoes and more. They can top it off with desert choices from peach or pecan cobbler, banana pudding and ice cream.

even more, customers.”

The New Braunfels Location will open in late spring or early summer 2018, at the intersection of Loop 337 and Common St. in New Braunfels.

It will join two other iconic barbecue brands on a half-mile stretch of road, including Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que and Rudy’s Country Store and Bar-B-Q. Chad said the location was perfect, and they had been wanting to move further south.

“We have gone north, like into Austin, and then also in San Marcos as well,” he said. “The opportunity became available, so we kind of took advantage of that.”

Chad said his family looks forward New Braunfels to taking their flavors to a new market.

Now, 86 years after opening, “We’re just really excited about Black’s is set to open its third location, going into New Braunfels,” he said. and is still one of the most popular “I think that would really help a lot barbecue places in the country. of people out, save them the trip to “We stay busy,” Chad said. “On the Lockhart now. We’re really excited.” weekends, we get 500, 600, maybe

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56 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING ~ SEGUIN 57

i will always have a crazy amount of love for anything floral. with summer here, this blue cute top will make the texas heat a little easier to handle. this blouse and many more tops can be found at traveling Gypsy, $19.99.

favorite finds the beach is my favorite place to be and anytime someone asks me where i want to be, i say ‘Beach please’. this bag along with several other fabulous bag choices are at Bling and Company, $22.97.

i’m a huge sucker for art canvas with a catchy saying. i also strongly believe ‘life is better at the river’ with a beer in your hand of course. this canvas can be found at southern Good, $39.99.

again, anything floral always catches my eye. i love clothing that shows off my shoulders and tom’e boutique has many items with that feature, $49.

58 SEGUIN ~ GUADALUPE COUNTY LIVING

this issue’s favorite finds are presented by Priscilla aguirre, the sports editor for the seguin Gazette.

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