I moved away from my hometown in the Texas Hill County nearly eight months ago. Apparently, a lot has changed.
As a kid, growing up in Boerne could have been described as “peaceful.” We had a town swimming pool, a library, a nature center, a gymnastics center, a bakery, an old-time bowling alley frequented almost exclusively by seniors with a nicotine addiction, an animal league/thrift store from which I hoarded cats, a German polka band, a Main Street full of antique stores, and – for a little spice in our lives – there was the Dairy Queen. There were also a lot of ranches with rolling hills perfect for the dreadful 5k walks I was dragged on and an outstanding population of longhorns, horses, roadrunners and armadillos. Please don’t think us uncivilized – we did have 20 churches, 10 bars and a post office. Hardly a child’s paradise. I didn’t quite appreciate the charm of Boerne back then.
As my high school years rolled around Boerne became slightly less dull with the addition of a Sonic Drive-In restaurant, a Blockbuster for movie rentals, a great snow cone stand with at least 100 flavors of awesomeness to choose from and the nicest snow cone lady in existence, one or two shops on Main Street that carried clothing a teenager might consider wearing, and – the crown jewel – a Super Wal-Mart which was blessed by Preacher Bubba Stahl while the BHS band marched through the aisles playing lively orchestral tunes (I’m serious). Impressive indeed.
In college a few more young-adult worthy shops appeared on Main Street, Marble Slab Creamery opened its doors, a pampering massage salon went up, Beer Fest began, the Urgent Care Clinic and Hospital were born, and a delicious Thai restaurant (ethnic food in Boerne? Amazing!) and an organic vegetarian restaurant also came to grace our small town. We had hit the big leagues (but really, it was that Super Wal-Mart that pushed us over the edge)! In the year before I left Texas to get married and become a resident of Ohio, I lived with my parents in Boerne and worked at an excellent youth theatre in San Antonio. At about this time people suddenly decided San Antonio was getting too crowded and the Hill County was the place to be. New homes and big commercial developments began cropping up along I-10 West, looming closer to our dear little town. The Boerne of my childhood, which in the 1990’s was certainly in no imminent danger of being labeled as a “cool place to live” (just ask the escaped trio of alpacas that ran rampant down Main Street one Christmas during the Dickens on Main celebration), was getting just a little bit cooler – both a welcome and unwelcome change.
I arrived home this weekend and, upon driving into town, one thought came to mind: When did Boerne get so hip!?
A Main Street full of happening young stores stocked with mod yet vintage-inspired clothes and accessories that even I had to try on! A popular 50’s burger joint that serves the latest and greatest fry trend – sweet potato fries! An HEB Plus in the works the size of Rhode Island! A brand spanking new state-of-the-art library with energy efficient instruments, the latest technology, and stunning views of the Hill County from its multi-level windows and dry-erase walled kid lounge! A women’s shelter breaking ground! A swankily decorated gluten-free, sugar-free, non-fat, low-cal Frozen Yogurt shop with odd hippie toppings like boba beads in place of the old pewter store! Marketing firms with funky logos and creative advertising materials!
Very cool, very hip, but what’s happened to the Boerne I knew? The Boerne of the girl scout troop, 4H club, vacation bible school, rodeo, tiny 4th of July fireworks displays, and the annual Berges Fest parade? I mean, those are all still there and we’re still a long ways off from getting anything as outrageous as an art museum, movie theatre, shopping mall, Brazilian Steakhouse, Sushi bar, or sports arena and concert venue…but a hip frozen yogurt parlor and stores that carry stylin’ maxi dresses instead of blue jean vests with embroidered horses? Now we’re pushing the limits! On one hand, it is really great to have things to see and do without the 30 minute drive to the big city, but it’s also hard to imagine Boerne as anything other than a tiny little German town with a blooming senior population, parched grass in desperate need of water, and a small handful of basic country amenities. I love it all the same, but I can’t wrap my mind around Boerne as the new hip place to be.
Ready for the picture proof?
How has your town changed?
More to come in the next few days – Wildlife at Enchanted Springs Ranch, a Texas food diary guaranteed to make you drool, Sancho lovin’, my awesome friends, and a surprise for me!
