Pat Molak, the owner of the famous Hill Country dance hall Gruene Hall, has died at age 76.

"We will always be thankful he trusted his vision, left his stockbroker days behind, and traded his suit for a t-shirt," Gruene Hall posted in an April 2 Facebook announcement. "His love of live music, ice cold beer, and good times with friends made this old dance hall what it is today."

Gruene Hall — in Gruene, just outside of New Braunfels — has come to represent the perseverance of Old Texas and old-school country and blues. It is one of the most famous music venues in Texas, and is certainly the oldest continually operating, having been built in 1878. San Antonio born-and-raised Molak came into the picture in 1975, when he bought the hall as an escape from urban life.

Part of Molak's golden touch was leaving well enough alone, and he barely changed the property aside from some "unavoidable repairs," according to a profile by Molak Corporation. The business also includes Molak's friend Mary Jane Nalley, who helped him in buying and sprucing up historic business around town to give the area new life. Other famous spots the duo restored are the Gristmill Restaurant, Josephine Street, and Down on Grayson, among others.

Now tourists and locals flock to Gruene in search of that untouched country and blues charm. When potential visitors go to Gruene's official website, the first and only things there are to see are links to the music and events calendar, with shows happening seven days a week.

"A true pioneer, [Molak] helped drive singer-songwriter and Americana music to the forefront of Texas music," continued the hall's announcement. "His passion for this piece of Texas history lives on each time someone steps through our door and will continue for decades to come."

Molak attended the University of Texas at Austin, but did not finish, according to a 2013 profile by San Antonio Man of the "true Texas 'honky-tonk' hero." Austin left its mark on him nonetheless as a fun and inspiring place to go out and enjoy music and beer. His stock broker career wasn't entirely a bust, considering it left him with enough to make the gamble and purchase the building with no hospitality experience.

The entrepreneur stopped appearing as much for press interviews in the 2010s. At the beginning of the decade, celebrating Gruene Hall's 35th anniversary in its current state, Molak told InSite Austin that his most memorable moment so far had been hosting Little Richard.

"He backed his limo into the beer garden, climbed up on the piano, and started playing 'Good Golly Miss Molly,'" Molak said. "That might be the moment that gave me the most chills."

In its announcement, Gruene Hall requested that friends and fans send in their own favorite memories from the past 50 years.