Pipe Creek resident Bruce Martin is helping to breathe life into a historical community space. PHOTO BY MARK PE TE RSON
General Store Revival Brings Community Together
it into a restaurant, the Pipe Creek Junction Cafe. Martin said he and so many others made great memories there over the years. “We would come out and meet friends here. If I had a business meeting, we’d meet here at the café,” said Martin. When Martin heard about possible plans to build a gas station in its place, he couldn’t stand by and let it happen. This place was more than just a stop on the road. For the community, it was a rich part of their history, and Martin knew it was time to do something. “I knew if it was purchased, they would tear everything down and put a gas station on the corner. That would be a terrible loss for the
Pipe Creek resident restores general store and dance hall STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVID NORRIS
I F Y O U ’ V E E V E R D R I V E N through
the town of Pipe Creek, you’ve likely seen the Pipe Creek General Store and Dance Hall. For generations, it has remained a fixture in the community at the corner of Highway 16 and FM 1283. Dr. Bruce Martin, who moved to Pipe Creek in the early 1980s, knows a lot about the place. The dance hall was built in 1930 by Adolph Shot who, along with his family, ran it until the early 1950s. Martin said it was the first commercial location in Pipe Creek to get power from Bandera Electric Cooperative.
2 4 T E X AS C O - O P POW ER J ULY 2021
In 1951, Martin said, the dance hall was taken over by a man known to locals as Judge Jennings, a justice of the peace who made a big impression during his time. “He was quite the character,” said Martin. “He was well known for conducting marriage ceremonies in the backyard of the general store.” Martin said Judge Jennings ran the place well. “He used the dance hall to hold court for his justice of the peace duties at times,” said Martin. In the 1980s the general store was bought by a family who converted
BA ND E R A E LE CT R I C
