George Strait Returns to Gruene Hall!

Back where it all began, George Strait returned to New Braunfels' Gruene Hall Wednesday night (Nov. 16.) and performed a nearly two-hour set in celebration of Strait Out of the Box: Part 2, available Friday, Nov. 18 exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com (HERE).

Taking the stage just after 7 p.m., The King of Country Music with his band, The Ace in the Hole Band, kicked off the surprise performance with "Here For A Good Time," a song Strait co-wrote with his son, Bubba Strait, and Dean Dillon.

For the first time, Strait performed the two brand new songs from Friday’s upcoming release, “Kicked Outta Country” and “You Gotta Go Through Hell,” both of which he co-wrote.

As awareness of the surprise show grew, a frenzy erupted in the historic township with fans flocking to the dancehall to see and hear Strait through the dusty side screens of Gruene Hall. 

 As the show came to a close, Strait paused for a moment – taking it all in – before walking one final time along the stage’s rim thanking those fans that helped celebrate his return to the storied hall.

Fans wanting to see Strait live will be able to purchase tickets to 2017’s newly announced 2 Nights of Number 1’s, a limited-engagement concert series at T-Mobile Arena across four weekends (April 7-8; July 28-29; Sept. 1-2; Dec. 8-9), with tickets on sale beginning Friday, Dec. 2 at StraitToVegas.com.

Get in the SWING!

Written by swing dance teacher, Michelle Simmonds; Photo by Pauline Stevens for Moxie Magazine

This spring, I am starting my ninth year of teaching a one-hour Swing Dance class each week at Gruene Hall. In those years, I have seen people of all ages come and dance, from little children to men and women in their 70'S and 80'S. My parents, Lew and Pat Simmonds, have been loving my class for years, and they are in their early 70'S.

What I notice is how much fun people are having while getting a great cardio workout! They don't even realize they are exercising! Swing dancing strengthens muscles, improves eye-hand coordination and improves balance and flexibility. You might even lose a few pounds having all that fun!

Listening to music you enjoy causes your brain to release dopamine, a "feel-good" neurotransmitter. When you combine this with dance, you can improve the quality of your life in numerous ways:

• Reduce stress and anxiety 
• Lift your mood 
• Boost your health 
• Enjoy better sleep 

Dancing has a huge beneficial effect on our brains. A New England Journal of Medicine study of 11 physical activities found that dancing was the only one that lowered dementia risk by a whopping 76 percent.

What are you waiting for? Grab a partner and head to Gruene Hall and get your swing on! It's the most fun you'll ever have getting in shape!
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Join Michelle at Gruene Hall during the summer months on Tuesday evenings at 6:00. The hour-long class is followed by live music with Two Tons of Steel. It's a great way to practice your moves!

Click here for more information. 

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS!

We are excited to announce that Gruene Antique Company will celebrate 30 years in business this year! The shop, which is housed in one of the many historic buildings in downtown Gruene, opened its doors in July of 1986 by current owners Pat Molak and Mary Jane Nalley.

Gruene Antique Company (GAC) will celebrate this milestone in several ways including a newly refurbished website, in store promotions and celebratory merchandise. The new website at www.grueneantiqueco.com offers visitors an easy to navigate experience with professional photography, a virtual tour and other additional features.

In addition to the new website, GAC will hold an Anniversary Sale from Monday, April 18^th to Sunday, April 24^th. The sale will offer 15% off a single item of $30 of more, with some exclusions applying. GAC is also selling commemorative 30^th Anniversary Christmas ornaments as well as t-shirts.  

Gruene Antique Company is fashioned in the form of an antique mall in that the store houses 21 different individual vendors within the 6500 sq. ft. space. This offers antique shoppers much more variety in their treasure hunting than if you were to visit the shop of just one dealer.

The setting of Gruene Antique Company also adds to the uniqueness of the store. Housed in the HD Gruene Mercantile building which was built in 1904, much of the original interior remains intact and accentuates the feeling of days gone by. Built originally by Henry D. Gruene as a place where tenant farmers could buy and sell their wares, the building’s function remains quite the same today.

The building, along with many others in the surrounding area of historic Gruene, is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Today, the store is open daily at 10am and allows its many annual customers to take a walk back in time when they visit.

For more information on Gruene Antique Company, please visit the new site at www.grueneantiqueco.com.