A New Development Will Change Round Top Forever: Hip Restaurants, Cool Coffee Shops and Antique Treasures
BY Anne Lee Phillips // 10.02.16Mark Massey looms large in The Compound.
Round Top’s resident restoration wunderkind, 35-year-old Mark Massey, is the mastermind of the new development The Compound and has restored two of Round Top’s town squares: Henkel Square, a project done in conjunction with his family, and Rummel Square, undertaken solo. We love checking in with Massey to hear the latest on his projects.
In Henkel Square, two new shingles have appeared: Teague’s Tavern and Two Sparrows Roasting Company. The former is on track to be open before the fall antique shows; owners Kiki and Don Teague have crafted a Texas-inspired menu with full bar. A soft launch is planned prior to the shows. Two Sparrows, now open, is a small-batch coffee group that roasts coffee beans from around the world. A portion of each sale benefits charitable organizations.
Rummel Square is still in the throes of a massive renovation. The final building was moved in this summer — a vintage farmhouse dating to the late 1800s — and will be home to Espressions Coffee and Art (already on site but moving to the new building). Townsend Provisions is open, housing treasures from vintage boots to home goods. The centerpiece for the block of eight buildings will be The Garden Company Cafe, housed in a 1914 farmhouse moved to the square in two pieces. Slated to open just after the fall shows, farm-to-table style dishes make up the menu, with full bar and al fresco dining under a 500-year-old oak tree. Armando Palacios’ two antique shops, a cigar/spirit shop, and a coffee shop open soon after.
Meanwhile, Massey’s beloved newcomer The Compound hosts its third antiques show this fall and continues to grow — it’s now at 25,000 square feet — and attracts high-caliber dealers. Don’t miss it.