Go Junkin’ In Garrison Texas
A little East Texas country town dear to my heart is Garrison.
Garrison is 21 miles outside of Nacogdoches, Texas and has a population of 900. Garrison can now boast the fact that there is a red light in town. When I was growing up there was just a flashing light.
As a child I spent many, many days in Garrison (or we just called it “Goin’ to East Texas”). My grandparents retired “back home” when I was very young. But even before they moved back permanent we still had all kinds of relatives living up and around Garrison. We spent most of our weekends and vacations in “East Texas”.
This past Friday, my husband, brother and I had a task to attend to at the Caledonia Cemetery (read more about that adventure). Caledonia is about nine miles from Garrison. So when our task was completed at the Cemetery we went in to Garrison for lunch on our way back home. We stopped in at the Old Town Square. Town Square has changed so much over the years. When I was a kid it was the hustle and bustle of Garrison. According to the 1960 Census – The population in Garrison (city limits and outside city limits) was 1941. That’s a lot of folks for a small town. It is no wonder that the area could support the Old Town Square. In the Square was a grocery store, drug store, hardware store, and barber shop. There was even a town newspaper (The Garrison News) and a variety store.
Times change and folks moved on to “the big city” looking for work. The square has tried to stay alive through the years. I can say that the residents and past residents of Garrison have done their best to keep the square neat and lively looking. Shops come and go because it is hard to stay afloat when you have to depend on a small town population and when it is less than 25 minutes to a “Big City”. When I was a little girl (sounds like “I walked 20 miles in the snow to school story….”), but truthfully, when I was a little girl, you didn’t drive 25 miles to go to the grocery store, you shopped close to home. Now days, it is nothing to drive 25 miles to the grocery store (heck I do it).
Anyway, back to the original story – Go Junkin’ In Garrison. As I said earlier, we decided to have lunch in Garrison and we ended up at the Rusty Rooster Diner. The Diner is owned by Mr. Rooster Jones.
This Here is Mr. Rooster Jones
Rooster was born and raised in Garrison but like so many others, my relatives included, migrated to the Houston area in the 1950’s and 1960’s for work. Rooster told us that he spent over 45 years in Houston working and then moved back to Garrison. He opened the Rusty Rooster Diner, with his wife, six years ago.
The Lovely Mrs. Rooster Jones and Local Diners
Striking up conversation with the ever busy Mr. Rooster Jones wasn’t hard. He was so excited to hear that we were Goopin & Onie’s grandkids. He of course knew my mom and aunts and uncle. I’m sure he could tell us some stories. It was great fun visiting with Rooster and we’ll stop back in next time we are in town.
Rooster took our order, served our food and bussed the tables. He is one busy man. Oh – and did I mention that the night before he picked 35 bushels of potatoes.
Before we left Garrison, we stopped at a couple of the shops in the square.
Top Notch Antiques and Collectibles is right next door to the Rusty Rooster. Ms. Nancy Hendrix is the proud owner of this cute and not so little shop. Nancy came to Garrison by way of Arkansas a year ago and purchased the 4400 square foot shop. After retiring from Wal-Mart, she sold the farm and headed to East Texas where she found Garrison and told me that she fell in love. She is new to the antique and collectibles business but is hungry to learn and plans to stay for as long as the good Lord is willin’.
Nancy tells me that she has space to lease if anyone is interested
Top Notch should really be called Nook ‘N Cranny because the shop keeps going on and on with little rooms scattered about. Lots of fun in this old building. While I was there, three gentlemen were on a buying trip for their antique shop and just happened to stop in. They were so excited that they did because they left, headed to Nacogdoches, with a couple of bags full of goodies from Ms. Nancy.
Nancy can be reached at 936-347-3574. Her address is 121 US Hwy 59 North, Garrison, TX The shop is open Tuesday – Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. BUT I bet ya’ if you give her a call, she could adjust those hours if needed.
On the other side of Rooster’s I found Ms. Cindy Metteauer of Cakes by Cindy Metteauer. Cindy is a baker who loves Shabby Chic. I found that to be true because the entire front of Cindy’s bakery was full of wonderfully painted furniture. She told me she enjoys baking custom cakes and cookies but loves, loves loves, to paint furniture. She also told me that she is an artist and her dream is to open a quaint shabby tea shoppe where she can combine all her loves; cakes and painted furniture. We’ll check back with Cindy to see how her dream is coming along. We want to be one of the first ones to sip tea in her shabby shoppe. Cindy can be reached via phone at 936-347-3730 or email at cindymetteaue@coriscorner.com and of course on Facebook.
One of Cindy’s Adorable Cakes
Last, but not at all least, I moseyed over to the Love Bug Fabric & Quilt Shop.
When I opened the door my heart skipped a beat. The shop is long and narrow and full of light. When you open the door you see straight through. The ceilings are tall with open beams. The walls are beautiful brick. There is color everywhere. I just loved it!!
This small shop felt HUGE!
Color Color Everywhere
Love Bug Fabric provides professional longarm quilting service either free motion or computer guided. The also offer quilting classes and group sewing events.
Love Bug is owned by mother-daughter team; Sherry Douglas and Samantha Van Pelt. Neither owner was in on the day that I visited the shop but I was given the royal tour by a friendly and enthusiastic Ms. Pat Daly.
Hi there Ms. Pat
You can contact Love Bug Fabric & Quilting at 936-347-2130 or email at lovebugfabric@yahoo.com. You can check them out at their website and of course on Facebook. Their hours are: Tuesday & Wednesday 10:00am -5:30pm, Thursdays 10:00am – 6:30pm, Friday 10:00am – 5:00pm, and Saturday 10:00am – 2:00pm. There is always something going on at the Love Bug.
When you plan your trip to Garrison, make sure you time it just right to stop in at the Rusty Rooster Diner for All You Can Eat Catfish on Friday Nights from 5-9. It’s catfish and all the trimming AND Mom’s Homemade Banana Pudding. I’ve been to the All You Can Eat Catfish – It’s might tasty!
Please Share
Garrison is also near and dear to my heart. A great article Tracey!
Thank you Joyce. I’m glad you enjoyed it – I enjoyed visiting with everyone.
Loved your article, but where’s the red light?
Thanks Jo – Isn’t it out by the funeral home?
I live in Nacogdoches & about 4 years ago my husband, Bill, started preaching at Cold Springs Baptist Church as “interim” preacher. We both fell absolutely in love with the wonderful people of the church & have been there ever since. I had driven through Garrison so many times without even noticing what was there. I now know what I was missing every time I drove past The Rusty Rooster at meal time! I’ve also visited some of the shops & have found “treasures”!
I’ve also learned that ALL of the Garrison people are wonderful, caring people & we consider it our home away from home. May God bless this fabulous little country town!
Such kind words Renee. My aunt and uncle are buried at Cold Springs. God Bless!
you did a geart job on the town the pictures were great !!!
Thanks Barbara. It was fun remembering “town” as it was when I was a kid.
I grew up in Garrison!! so nice to read such sweet things! 🙂
Cool!! I don’t meet many people these days that grew up in Garrison but I seem to meet a lot of people in Garrison that moved their from the Houston area. Love it when you are able to go back to your roots.
How fun! I love visiting lil small towns, especially ones that I have a history with. Thanks for sharing your experience in Garrison!
What a fun looking place to go and visit!
So many fun places, and I love that cake!
Steph – I bet Cindy will ship one to you.
You’ve made me want to visit! I’ve never been to Texas.
Well Albion, come on down, kick yur boots off and visit with us a spell.
Oh, I’ll have to add it to my list! Thanks!
Sara, pick a couple of days and I’ll join you and we can “junk” all the surrounding towns.
Great read, Tracey! I love the personal feel to your posts, I feel like I’m getting a peek into your sweet life. And I agree with you wholeheartedly – Texas is wonderful!
There’s no place like Texas!
My husband and I grew up in Garrison. We love to eat at Rooster’s. Now I feel home sick. Hope we can go there soon.
Tell Rooster I said “HI” when you go.
Glad to see Roosters is still doing well. I was there about 10 months-year ago and ate there everyday for about 4 months. I loved that place so much, and even though life as sent me across the country, I often catch myself thinking about that little diner. I was there doing some pipeline work for Kinder-Morgan, and even though I got out of the pipeline work and am now based at home, I hope I get a reason to go out there again, I need to visit them again soon. I ate so many hamburgers, fries, and soul food there, I could never get enough.
Thanks so much
Timothy – thanks for letting me know about your experience with Roosters. We were talking about him again just last week. It is the small town memories that mean so much to so many of us. Funny you mention Kinder-Morgan, my husband works for them. Keep the memories alive.
Just thought I would let you know that Rooster’s has been sold & is no longer open. I believe they will be replaced by a Mexican Food restaurant. We will all miss their wonderful food & family atmosphere but are glad Rooster & Ruth aren’t working so hard anymore.
Oh no! When did that happen? Is the Mexican food restaurant that was next door to them a couple of months ago moving in? That’s so sad. I’ll miss going to Rooster’s.
Surely not!?
I was just talking to the other half and telling her to plan out a trip out there. No way,
I’m trying to find out. I’ll keep everyone posted.
To Timothy & Tracy,
Rooster’s closed around July 15th. The Mexican food restaurant that is in Timpson has bought Rooster’s & will open sometime in the future. They, Rooster & Ruth Jones are relatives of my husbands & we heard this information straight from them. Unless they have changed their minds & reopened in the last few weeks, they are no longer open. Sorry. We will miss the restaurant, too.
Thank you Renee for the update. It is a sad day!!
It’s also pretty funny because in the local diners in your picture, also ate there everyday when I was there. This was a nice little trip down memory lane haha