Riffs, Roams and Raves uncovers the creative, noteworthy and accomplished in the Wimberley Valley and beyond with tips on who to hear, where to go and what to see from managing editor Teresa Kendrick.
Roam: Junk Gypsies
My roam this week eclipsed the usual Riff section of my column so look for it next week. It was off to Round Top, population 90, between Austin and Houston, in response to the new Junk Gypsy store that opened in Wimberley last week. The tiny town of Round Top has made an indelible name for itself by hosting the Texas Antiques Fair for two weeks in the Spring and the Fall each year. Begun in 1998 and attached to a small Oktoberfest event, the fair is now a genuine phenomenon, with twelve miles of antiques, collectibles and other un- usual finds from all over the globe. Traders set up in fields under tents, in stalls and in buildings rented for the duration. Each fair brings in more than 100,000 people top designers, intrepid shoppers and even more resolute vendors from many parts of the world. I’ve seen celebrities come in by helicopter to shop for antiques.
I covered the fair for two and half seasons for the “Show Daily” guide and magazine, known as “the bible of the Texas Antiques Fair,” and became very familiar with its enormous layout. I knew about Junk Gypsy from writing for the magazine.
After the official opening of the Wimberley location of Junk Gypsy last week, I wanted to see their flagship store with its landmark pink Suburban named Marge parked out front. The visit allowed me to pay homage to the Texas Antiques Fair itself.
Just two minutes from Round Top’s tiny Main Street on Texas Highway 237, Junk Gypsy sits on 60 gorgeous acres between two working cattle ranches. The handsome building, made from what appears to be repurposed materials, looks like it grew out of the local landscape. A deep front porch with large white decorative corbels invited me in. I petted one of the huge stone Chinese Dragons on either side of the front door as I went in.
I was greeted by a showroom with a large jukebox on one side and a sparkly chandelier on the other. A logo, rendered in paint that resembled chalk, stood between the jukebox and the chandelier. Ahead I saw a bed with a lighted commercial sign shaped like a crown that served as its headboard. A mannequin wore a fringed suede jacket paired with a long ballerina skirt made with layers of a gossamer fabric. Racks of clothing stood in many parts of the store, surrounded by piles of rugs, large antique cabinets displaying handsome vintage pottery and counters filled with gifts and jewelry. Overhead, disco balls sparkled.
I immediately liked the store because the jewelry I saw was designed by owners Jolie and Amie Sikes and was made in the U.S. It was affordable, too. I snagged a belt buckle in the shape of a crown that Amie wore to the grand opening that I loved. Most everyone, I thought, could afford to take home a Junk Gypsy treasure as a memento of their day.
Behind the store is the Wander Inn. It is a collection of buildings with the names of The Star House, The Crown House, The Gypsy House and Thelma’s Garage, that showcases the JG style and provides lodging for the family, friends and vendors from all over the globe during Antiques Week. It also houses the HGTV and QVC crews when they arrive to produce another program. Rates in low season, when the fair is not held, start around $195 per night. If you plan to stay there, reserve early, very early.
I asked the friendly staff if there were photos of Junk Gypsy’s annual prom, Junkorama, on the walls that I could look over. We didn’t find any but the young ladies told me that the next one was Saturday, October 19 from 6 to 11 p.m. It would take place the first weekend of the Fall fair which was scheduled to run October 10 through Oct 26.
The story of how the prom began is detailed in a blog on their gypsyville.com website. “During Texas Antiques Week many years ago, we noticed the forgotten glory and beauty of a pile of vintage prom dresses and decided to pay tribute by hosting our own little “Junk-O-Rama Prom.” We scavenged the grounds, scooped up vintage dresses and all played dressup under the Texas stars one night.”
“Now, over 20 years later,” the blog continues, “Junk-O-Rama Prom has become a cultural crossroads of sights and sounds and people. And, we firmly believe, the happiest place on Earth for one breath-taking evening in Texas.”
Rave: Royers Cafe
There’s no trip to Round Top without stopping for a meal at Royer’s Round Top Cafe on Main street. Famous for pies and the upscale flavor profiles of Bud’s sandwiches and entrées, a meal at Royer’s is part of the Round Top pilgrimage.
The restaurant itself is small and probably couldn’t pass a fire marshal’s inspection. One friend I took there was the wife of a prominent architect who couldn’t stop eyeing the building with suspicion.
Dates and names covered the walls until there was no more space for others. One that I liked read, “Been here. Ate that.” T-shirts and other pinned up items covered cracks and added to the “decor.”
While the interior is undeniably singular for its rustic nature, all eyes took in the rows of homemade pies lined up on a long counter. All of them sported crumble top crusts. Nowhere to be seen were pies with mile high meringue tops that had all the flavor of shaving cream found in other places purporting to deliver “authentic home cooking.”
On this Saturday in July, Royers opened at 11 a.m. I walked in at 11:15 without a reservation and all but two tables were taken. I took one of the stools at the two-stool bar and appreciated my luck getting in. During the fair, reservations are required and the dining room has all the energy of a stock exchange trading floor.
By 11:20 a friendly, unpretentious young woman took my order for a grilled shrimp BLT. By 11:35 I had my order and dug in, tasting the delicious flavor of shrimp dressed with a smokey mesquite mustard. Adhering to the Royer’s Round Top ritual, I ordered a slice of lemon blueberry pie which came served in a bowl. Server Kelly asked me if I wanted a scoop of ice cream on top but I declined, preferring to taste the pie unadorned. It was delicious too.
By 11:40 the noise inside the restaurant was deafening. Kelly told me Bud no longer worked there. He had been a fixture since opening the restaurant in 1987. Like so many entrepreneurs who found success in Round Top, he opened the cafe from very humble beginnings and made it a success by sheer hard work. The work ethic of the people who make Round Top a genuine destination is talked about by people who work the fair. I saw it many times as a writer for the Show Daily.
Today Bud lives in Round Rock and his son Jonathan, who answers to “BJ,” runs the cafe. Occasionally Bud visits, sitting on the porch and greeting old friends and customers, but leaves well before dark so he can make the trip home before the sun sets. I hear from the staff that he’s doing fine.
