Down the road from Round Top, Brenham is becoming the next big small town. For some of us of a certain age, we can still recall the jingle, “Have yourself a Blue Bell country day.” This is Blue Bell country where the famous creamery got its start in 1907. Located in the tiny Texas town of Brenham, the factory continues to crank out America’s favorite ice cream, and churn in local tourism revenue as visitors tour the facility. What newcomers will also find in Brenham is a burgeoning cultural scene with art, music, coffee, craft beer, wine and more.
To get the scoop on what’s happening here, we spoke with Danielle Holle of Jax Brenham, the food truck and mobile pizza oven we’ve frequented outside the wine bar Prost in Round Top. For the fall show, they will be posted up at Prost again, but this will be Jax’s last stand, she tells us, as it will soon become Country Sunshine, a new concept in a permanent location on Main Street in Brenham.
“It’s always been our dream to have our own place,” Dani says, about her and her husband Chef Cullen Holle’s new venture. The couple met in San Antonio at a restaurant where she was working front-of-house, and he was in the kitchen. Cullen is from Brenham, and it made sense to bring this idea home, contributing to the growing creative community here. “There are more and more young people from Houston and other cities, finding property, making their home here.
She credits her friends Kat and Jared [Jared Anderson and Kathleen Matthews of Ballad of the Bird Dog] for being a part of this trend.
“They really sped up what’s going on downtown. They created a buzz,” Dani says. “There’s a lot of potential here, especially foodwise. Cullen and I decided to make things we want to eat. Fun, bright, colorful food, because there really wasn’t a place doing that unless you went to Austin or Houston.”
Opening in November, Country Sunshine will source its products locally from places like 44 Farms, Whitehurst Farms and Good Time Farms, to name a few. As for the space, Dani lists Baja, California, and Marfa, Texas, as inspiration for the design, which will be all outdoor seating and will have a cactus wall and plants everywhere.
“It’s going to feel like an oasis,” she says.
Country Sunshine will be open year-round, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with Sunday brunch service, and will serve natural wine and craft beer. Dani mentions that Brenham has an open-carry policy, so patrons can take their beer or wine with them. Here are a few places to look for while out and about in Brenham.
4 Star Concert Hall, 209 S. Market St.
Located downtown in a beautifully restored building, the concert hall hosts live music seven days a week with full bar service, including beer, wine and signature cocktails, plus a sports bar and patio.
Ballad of the Bird Dog, 212 W. Alamo St.
Owned by husband-wife duo Jared Anderson and Kathleen Matthews, Ballad of the Bird Dog is a modern take on a general store with a well curated selection of men’s and women’s clothing, boots, hats and accessories as well as apothecary items, fine jewelry, vintage rugs and home décor.
Onsite is Mescalito Coffee, which sources beans from the top roasters in the country, and Back Room Haircuts, a barber shop and lounge. Also check out the couple’s newest concept, 1844 Liquor Market, Brenham’s original liquor store. It was around for 30 years before Jared and Kat acquired it in May of 2019, and gave it a clean modern overhaul. It’s the place to find fun, and exciting new wine and liquor while skipping the traditional chain stores. It’s located at 210 S. Park St.
Hermann Furniture, 213 W. Alamo St.
The oldest furniture store in Texas, Hermann Furniture has been around since 1876, and has been family owned and operated for five generations.
Home Sweet Farm Market & Biergarten, 307 S. Park St.
Another couple to know who can also be credited in the development of downtown Brenham is Brad and Jenny Stufflebeam. In 2004, they founded Home Sweet Farm, which grew to become the largest community supported agriculture (CSA) farm in southeast Texas. Nearly a decade later, they opened a brick and mortar farm store in downtown Brenham, and, in 2015, expanded it to include a biergarten that brings the community together through local food, beer, wine and music.
Pleasant Hill Winery, 1441 Salem Rd.
Bob and Jeanne Cottle, proprietors of Pleasant Hill Winery, both come from Italian winemaking families and got their start as home winemakers in the early 1970s. Twenty years later, they purchased a lovely piece of land in Brenham. Planting and building began, and in 1997, Pleasant Hill Winery opened its doors. It’s now the oldest winery in Washington County and boasts a dozen award-winning wines produced from Texas grapes. The winery is open year-round with tours and tastings on Saturdays and Sundays.
