AREA ATTRACTIONS

From top, Olle Hotel welcomes guests to stay in a historic home near downtown Flatonia; The Market is a must-see stop; Central Texas Rail History Center tells tales of Flatonia’s origins; Darlin’s Diner serves up heaping helpings of feel good favorites.

Kloesel’s Steakhouse and Bar was founded in July 1970 by Harvey and Diana Kloesel and has been a Texas tradition for over 53 years.

In 2009, Harvey was inducted into the Texas Restaurant Association Hall of Honor which is the highest award a person can receive in the restaurant industry. The award was giving for his dedication to leadership in the restaurant industry, for being an outstanding restauranteur, and his good standing in his community.

Kloesel’s is known for its hand cut certified Angus and Akaushi steaks that are choice and prime. The quality is the finest around! They also serve a variety of other dishes along with freshly made sauces and dressings. Diners will discover a variety of items on the menu, such as steaks, seafood, pasta, chicken, Tex-Mex, sandwiches, and classic homemade plate lunches served daily. And, oh yes, don’t forget the perfect ending by indulging in their variety of fine dessert.

You owe it to yourself to come out to this one-of-a-kind restaurant where small-town hospitality and world-class fare combine to create an experience you’ll want to return to again and again. A private room is available for weddings, private parties, and meetings. Kloesel’s can accommodate you and your friends for any occasion. Please call for reservations or email info@kloesel.com.

Your next event wouldn’t be complete without Kloesel’s Catering Service. They can advise you on a variety of dishes and hors d’oeuvres or you can customize your own dish for any special occasion.

Kloesel’s Bar has nightly specials and a happy hour. Your feet will be tapping along with live music on select Friday and Saturday nights. Drinks, dancing, billiards, and darts will create that perfect evening – all in one spot having you return again and again. 101

Restaurant is open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-9pm, Closed Mondays Bar serves liquor, beer, and wine.

BY MICHELLE BANSE STOKES

Tucked gently along a side-street in downtown Flatonia, Southern Produce Gallery’s exterior reflects its former life as a lumberyard and speaks of days-gone-by. Take a step inside and visitors are transported to a realm of imagination, artistic vision and uniquely functional pieces that encourage one to think of wood and metal in a different way than they did 100 years prior.

A Cleveland, Ohio native, artist Harry Siter may have known that Texas was home, but it took him a while to discover Flatonia for himself.

“You know, I’ve been working in Texas for 20 years,” Harry said. “I have a sort of family that I found here … all other artists, mostly in the film industry. When they moved from Dallas to Austin, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I love Austin!’ But I didn’t really want to live in Austin, so I looked outside of Austin and I kept looking and looking. It took me three years to find Flatonia and, when I found it, I knew this was the town.

“So, in Ohio, you’d be so surprised at the level of the museums, the quality of the work and just the appreciation and the desire to have it. I feel like I’m in the same place here in Texas. I try to create that dynamic here in Flatonia.”

And when Harry found the old lumberyard, he could see his vision unfolding.

“I make furniture and art,” Harry shared. “I bought the building in 2018 and it took a few years to bring it back to life because it was in such bad shape. I couldn’t be happier with where I’m at. The support here in Flatonia is great. The people are wonderful. I feel like I’m home.”

Harry has had a life-long love affair with art and his pieces reflect his passions for wood, metals and nature. A piece he is particularly fond of is one he calls Bison Lounge.

“The fun thing is, I feel like I have these breakthroughs with stuff on occasion, like that slab of wood looks like a giant boomerang,” Harry said with a laugh. “I knew I wanted it for the back of the bench. Then I put the alligator on the live edge. So, it’s just fun! I’m just trying to have fun with things, explore and let my pieces have a dialogue.

“Another fun piece I’ve created is Georgia. She was another breakthrough where I said, ‘Okay, I’m making this figure and I don’t want it to be boring. Let’s do a flower head instead of a human head and have some fun with the personality.’”

Art and woodworking have gone hand-in-hand for him for years and when Harry gets an artisicic vision, it’s big. Always willing to think outside the box, he doesn’t allow his pieces to be held back by what’s available at the store.

“I’ve been woodworking seriously since college,” Harry said. “It was funny because I’d go to the lumberyard and I felt limited by the materials. I knew I needed to find a tree. With a tree I can do whatever I want and the sky’s the limit.”

Although he has galleries in San Francisco and Los Angeles selling his work on a larger scale, Harry’s focus is right here at Southern Produce in Flatonia. As for the future of this location, Harry has a few artistic tricks up his sleeve.

“I plan on doing an art fair right around the time of the Round Top Antique Fair,” Harry shared. “So, we’ll have an art fair in the spring and in the fall, just centered around that time period. Hopefully it keeps growing. Shows will change and the work inside of the gallery will change. I keep looking for new artists to represent within the gallery.

“It’s hard for a lot of businesses in these small towns to survive. I’m not so worried about myself as a business person, but I’m worried about other businesses that try to make it out here. A lot of them come and go. The best thing that I could do is sell art and pay my artists. I’m driven to do that. I’m working towards the dynamic of getting assitional galleries involved because it creates an interest in the world.”

BY MICHELLE BANSE STOKES, PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMILY HENDERSON