Retro hall in Gruene, Texas, is a popular stop for country artists. (Photo by Robert Fletcher)
One of the most popular and legendary country music venues in all of Texas is in a town without a single stoplight. In fact, Gruene Hall owner Pat Molak likes to joke that first-time visitors to the historic dance hall need to be careful while driving the two-lane road that dead ends at his business, lest they drive straight into the simple, weathered-white building that’s played host to an honor roll of country and roots music legends.
Since purchasing the low-slung beer joint in 1975, Molak has turned Gruene Hall into a must-play road stop for legends like Willie Nelson, The Dixie Chicks, George Strait and Lyle Lovett and a career-validating milestone for younger acts who angle for spots on the stage that’s full seven days a week.
Also impressive is that the proudly throwback, historic venue has also embraced modernity through an active social media presence that’s brought it more than 160,000 Facebook “Likes” and more than 6,000 Twitter followers who keep tabs on happenings there and in the surrounding Gruene historic district. Those social media numbers earned the 800-capacity Gruene Hall second place in Venues Today’s Social Media 100 power chart for venues of fewer than 2,000 capacity.
“We’ve been here for close to 40 years, and I think the entire joint has a really good vibe because we reach out to crazy artists like Boz Scaggs or Huey Lewis and all the old Texas guys, or the newer ones like Reckless Kelly, and all of them love it,” Molak, 65, said. “With the historic other businesses we have around the place, we’ve created kind of an aura and the up-and-comers view it as a real positive thing on their resume to have played the hall in Gruene.”
Situated roughly halfway between Austin and San Antonio, Gruene is a designated historic district — its actual mailing address is the city of New Braunfels — that is two minutes away from Interstate 35, making it an easy visit for tourists looking for throwback Texas flavor. While the hall has plenty of loyal repeat visitors and is busy even on weekday afternoons (its marketing staff does not release annual attendance), Molak said a significant portion of his clientele are tourists spending an afternoon and evening visiting nearby historic brick construction shops and restaurants, some of which Molak also owns.
The hall’s social media channels cater to that character by playing up other events and promotions going on in Gruene along with show announcements, ticket and other
giveaways. As an example, Katie Molak — Pat’s daughter and the venue’s Marketing coordinator — pointed to a picture of a scenic sunset behind the hall and the town water tower that she posted to the Gruene Hall Facebook page on a recent night with the simple caption, “What a beautiful night in Gruene.” That post resulted in more than 2,400 “likes” almost immediately and was shared more than 150 times, spreading the hall’s brand to fans who come for the music as well as the atmosphere the hall and its musicians create.
“A lot of our fans online are not from near here and so they like to be reminded of what the place looks like,” she said. “At the same time, the people who are from around here want to be engaged in what’s happening and we let them know about shows and other things going on.”
Mary Jane Nalley, Pat Molak’s ownership partner who heads up marketing for the hall, said there are no specific benchmarks for Gruene Hall’s social media campaigns — its main tools are Twitter and Facebook — and that the aim for the two or three posts per day is to drive traffic to the hall’s web site where customers can view a full calendar and purchase tickets (ranging from $12 to $45 general admission) for high-profile touring acts like Ryan Bingham, Roger Creager and the Texas Tornados.
While modern technology has helped spread Gruene Hall’s reputation and brand digitally, its actual physical structure features none of the modern amenities or trappings that are “must haves” for new-build concert spaces. There is no artist dressing room, meaning big-ticket headliners decamp to the stage from the men’s restroom while customers are shuttled to porta-potties. And there is no air conditioning in the 6,000-square-foot space filled with church-style long tables, leading to sweltering conditions (and presumably more beer sales) once the room fills with two-steppers giving off lots of body heat.
“Chris Isaak once said up on stage that ‘this is the hottest gig I’ve ever had’ and how it was one of the most famous venues in the world,” Pat Molak said.
Asked about his fondness for the hall he first visited in the summer of 1996 as a fan of headliner Jerry Jeff Walker, Creager said the authentic atmosphere of the close-up stage and unfinished wooden floorboards — which remain from its original construction in 1878 – made him want to be a musician in the first place.
“Once I was there it seemed like the world just made sense and I knew that having people singing along and dancing on the tables to my music was what I wanted to do in life,” Creager said. “It’s all about the simplicity, because, after all, we have to commandeer the men’s room to get on stage. There’s a reason why there’s a real magic there and it makes sense that their slogan is ‘Gently resisting change since 1872.’”
Interviewed for this story: Pat Molak, Katie Molak, and Mary Jane Nalley (830) 629-5077; Roger Creager, www.rogercreager.com