On Center
by BRENDA STEWART

Over drinks the other night, a good friend expressed her exasperation and disappointment with the path that Kyle is taking these days. She said that nothing is happening and the town is stagnant, if not dead, and there are no real “local” businesses to support. Before I could slam my hands on my hips in indignation, we were interrupted by fellow revelers and I never got to respond to her oh-so-flawed assertion.

So, I’ll give you “local,” missy, all the way down my Center Street stomping grounds – walkable Kyle in a nutshell. Now clip this out and hang it on your fridge and make it a point to patronize at least one of these establishments a week:
1. 4-Way Auto: 268-2011 – Towing, service and repair
2. Railroad Bar-B-Que: 262-4641 – Food, beer and sometimes music
3. Synergy Salon and Spa: 268-1144 – Hair, nails and body
4. Bordeaux’s: 268-3463 – Fine dining, excellent libations, cool wait staff
5. Hays Free Press: 268-7862 – Annual subscription? $28. (My columns? Priceless.)
6. Center Food Market: 268-2311 – Groceries and beer in a pinch
7. Larsen’s Taekwondo: 268-8000 – Classes for the whole family
8. Old Town Gift Emporium: 262-0773 – Center Street Event Center coming soon
9. Texas Pie Co.: 268-5885 – Yummy lunches. Quiche, pies and casseroles to go
10. Hitters: 268-8028 – Cheeseburgers, cold beer, sports and the best fries in town
11. Hair Topic: 268-4247 – Beauty shop that seems to be busy all the time
12. Katherine Anne Porter House: 268-6637 – Culture in our fair city
13. Motley Menagerie: 268-4188 –  Bistro and gift shop
14. Luvianos: 268-4380 – Mexican food and margaritas on the deck
15. Kyle Pool: 268-5326 – Swimming and sliding and sunning

And there you have it. Food, drinks, massages, manicures, car maintenance, karate, culture and one hell of a good read. C’mon downtown. It’s all local down here.