After 80 years, one of the Hill Country’s most iconic music venues has been forced to close indefinitely after fatal floods swept through Kerr County on July 4. The Hunt Store, a community tradition since 1946, suffered severe damage during the torrents, according to updates from the business.
“Due to the catastrophic flooding throughout the area, The Hunt Store is closed until further notice,” the venue posted on social media. “We will post updates as they become available. On behalf of The Hunt Store team, we are keeping the entire Hunt community in our thoughts and prayers.”
The Hunt Store later posted a photo of the destruction, showing major damage to its limestone facade and a flag flying at half staff. The letters above the building now read “Hunt strong.”
Even after tragic flooding, The Hunt Store still stands "Hunt strong."The Hunt Store/ Facebook
The post drew immediate tributes from the community.
“I was going to The Hunt Store in the late '50s and continued to go there when we moved there in retirement," wrote one patron. "Many years as a Waldemar camper and my daughter as a Waldemar girl, left us with happy memories of The Hunt Store, the music, the Sweet Potato Queens [a Southern women's organization], the friends, the dinners.”
"We discovered The Hunt Store and the beautiful town of Hunt in April of 2022," wrote another. "What impressed us most was the sense of community. No amount of flood water can wash that away.”
The Hunt Store was a part of rural Texas tradition of community “stores” that served as multifunctional spaces. Like Kenney’s The Kenney Store and Helotes’ John T. Floore’s Country Store, it became known for live music, hosting Texas country legends like Charlie Robison, Billy Joe Shaver, and Gary P. Nunn.
But its main function was as a small-town gathering space — a tradition it still upholds after shuttering. Since the floods, The Hunt Store has loaned its grounds to recovery teams providing meals and supplies to the surrounding area. Its social media channels are now devoted to providing essential information during the efforts.
In an interview with Kerrville radio station 92.3 The Ranch, co-owner Haley Lehrmann said The Hunt Store will rebuild.
“We’re going to be updating our website, and meeting with the preservation society to see what we can do to help,” she told a station personality.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established for The Hunt Store. At publication time, it has raised more than $12,000.
