Old Town Spring Found New Life as a Shopping and Dining Haven
PaperCity reports that Old Town Spring found new life as a shopping and dining haven in the 1980s, and that more than 100 shops now operate in the area, along with a host of restaurants, coffee shops, breweries and bakeries.
The City Editor's photo from Old Town Spring shows the Gentry Square sign over a courtyard of small shop buildings, with a brick walk and trees.
The Handbook of Texas says, "Spring is off Interstate Highway 45 twenty miles north of Houston in north Harris County."
Camp Spring and the railroad
The Handbook of Texas says German immigrants, most notably Carl Wunsche, settled in the area in the mid 1840s and began farming the land.
The Old Town Spring history page says Camp Spring was platted by the railroad in 1873 and became a settlement, and Spring became the base of operation for railroad workers.
Sue Mallott, president of the Spring Historical Museum, told Community Impact in 2019 that railroad workers had a camp in the area, and "One winter was really bad, so when it was finally springtime, they were so happy that they named their camp “Camp Spring,” and they named the creek “Spring Creek.”"
The Handbook of Texas says a roundhouse was built, and Spring became a major switchyard with fourteen trackyards and 200 rail workers.
The Handbook of Texas says, "By 1910 the population had risen to 1,200."
The quiet years and the comeback
The Handbook of Texas says, "In 1923 the roundhouse was moved to Houston, and Spring began to decline. By 1931 its population had fallen to 300."
The Old Town Spring history page says Spring remained dormant until the late 60's, when local merchants started locating around the Spring Cafe, now Wunsche Bros.
The Old Town Spring town history page says, "Clapboard cottages, several rescued from nearby railroad towns such as Westfield (and the Heights in Houston), preserve the legacy of the past for future generations to enjoy."
Wunsche Bros.
The Texas Historical Commission marker says the Wunsche Bros. Saloon and Hotel was built in 1902 by the Wunsches, who came to Spring from Germany in 1846.
The Texas Historical Commission marker says the Wunsche Bros. building "is Spring's oldest existing commercial building on its original site."
PaperCity reports that the Kosh family purchased Wunsche Bros. after a 2015 fire, and Tina Kosh Goodson told PaperCity the family reopened it in 2021 with a rooftop bar.
Texas Highways says that when Prohibition shut it down in 1919, "the leftover whiskey was poured into Aunt Pearl’s chocolate cake, which is still on the menu at today’s Wunsche Bros. Café & Saloon."
Spring State Bank and Mallott’s Hardware
Texas Highways calls the Spring State Bank "a 1917 building that now houses Mallott’s Hardware."
A clip from the City Editor shows the storefronts signed MALLOTTS and DON QUIXOTE, with the number 119 on the Don Quixote building.
The listing for Don Quixote Home Decor says the shop "has been helping home and business owners beautify their spaces since 2002."
Pepper & the Pug on Main Street
The City Editor's photo shows the Pepper & the Pug pet boutique sign and cottage front on Main Street.
The shop's listing calls Pepper and the Pug "a charming pet boutique offering everything your furry friends need."
Another photo from the City Editor shows The Hat People sign and a porch of hats.
The City Editor's photo of German Gift House shows its sign and cottage.
The German Gift House listing names Steinbach, Ulbricht and Junghänel nutcrackers, along with amber jewelry, table linens, German foods, beer steins and cuckoo clocks.
A clip from the City Editor shows the Storyteller's Thread sign on a brick courtyard.
The listing says Storyteller’s Thread "is a cozy boutique dedicated to the fiber arts."
The Susy's Stuff listing says the shop "offers unique handcrafted designs, all made in Brazil."
A clip from the City Editor shows the Camille's sign and a porch of vintage decor.
The listing says Camille’s "offers a beautiful selection of antique painted furniture, vintage women’s clothing, and shabby chic home decor."
The City Editor's photo of the Gentry courtyard shows shop signs, including one for Chakra Shop and a bridal banner for Bells and the Ball.
Fiancée Bridal Boutique on Main Street
The City Editor's Main Street clip shows signs for Fiancée Bridal Boutique, Martha Gene and Alida's Closet Boutique.
The Fiancée Bridal listing calls it an off the rack bridal boutique, "which means you get to take your gown home the same day."
The Bells and the Ball website says, "Bells and the Ball is a bridal consignment boutique that offers Houston area residents a chance to consign and purchase new and gently used bridal wear."
The house with the lions
A clip from the City Editor shows a Hudsons White Hall sign, an SOL Spirit of Light sign at 303 Main St and lion statues on a white iron fence.
South Writ Large describes Hudson's Whitehall House as a two story home built in 1895.
SOL Spirit of Light says its building sits on the corner of Main and Keith, framed by lions atop a white iron fence.
If you go
Texas Highways says of the Spring Historical Museum, "The museum, painted bright yellow, sits right on Main Street."
PaperCity reports new signage and one way streets boosting the walkability of Old Town Spring.
Check hours before you go.
Texas Highways quotes James Sharp, vice president of the Spring Historical Museum: “Without the history of the area,” he says, “it’s just an old town where you can shop and eat.”
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