Court Street Coffee Shop Is The Place to Meet

Lyndon and Mary Jo Langford decided to create a place to meet in downtown Seguin that would have the feel of the old-time coffee shops, you know, the kind of place where folks used to sit and drink coffee while they discussed everything from world events to local gossip.  

They opened up for business on May 15th, 2014 and they are on the road to success. Their son, Kevin Filip has been by their side, helping with the customers as their business has grown, and now they have gotten to the place where they have been able to add some part-timers to help carry the load. 

They are located on Court Street, between Austin and Camp Street, so they are an obvious choice for downtown folks looking for a good cup of coffee, a light lunch or a dip of ice cream.

There are several comfortable seating groups for folks who don't need a table. What a great place to meet friends and spend some time together.

The Court Street Coffee Shop offers locals a place to cut their teeth on a small stage for poetry readings of a bit of music, so if you want to hear some country music while you sip your coffee, you know where to go.

Another wonderful feature of the Coffee Shop is the kid-friendly environment. There are tables set up for a friendly game of checkers, and if the parent's don't mind, there are tubs of play-dough for little fingers to squish and mold to their heart's delight.

As a local artist, I was pleased to see the walls covered with fresh and vibrant works of art created by friends of the Langfords. I recognized the brillant sculpture of Marika, and noticed photography by Matthew Chase as well as oil and acrylic pieces by local artisans. Mike Bednarski has several large works hanging on the opposite wall. What a great way to promote the visual arts of Seguin.

Of course, the star of the Court Street Coffee Shop is the coffee. If you are a java aficionado, you have got to come by and try one of their great cups of coffee.

While I was in the shop, a little boy picked out his favorite flavor of ice cream for a treat.

He has just enough to enjoy, without so much that he will make a mess. Smart move, Lyndon and Mary Jo! I am sure moms appreciate that.

So, Seguinites, if you have not stopped by the Court Street Coffee Shop, you ought to come by and see what it's all about. In a few weeks, there will even be a pet-friendly patio out back, so you can bring Rover and Foo-Foo by and let them meet and greet with other furry Seguin residents.

Looking Up….Seguin Downtown Facades That Deserve a Second Glance

Seguin is like a precious jewel hidden just off the busy interstate, rich with history, populated by fine folks who built beautiful buildings that deserve a second glance. I enjoy walking around the main streets downtown with my camera, and I am always looking for another way to capture the feel of the city I love. Without any extra unneeded comments, here are a few shots taken while trekking from Court, down North Austin, up Gonzalez, to North River, and back to Court Street.

Walking Down Gonzales Street on a Sunny Day

I had a few minutes to myself while downtown, yesterday, so I spent it walking around the old buildings. Since I had not been down Gonzales Street for a while, and the sun was in the right position for the buildings of interest, I started on Court Street, headed north on Austin Street for one block, and came to Gonzales Street. 

Gonzales is not a long street, and traffic can only go in one direction. It is a good street to walk, though. One of the main attractions is the closest thing to an old pub, The Oak Tavern, founded in 1935. It is the second oldest bar in Texas, according to their web page. 

The upstairs windows have some interesting decoration, don't you think?

Across the street, there is a very tiny alley that leads to the back entrances to some of the downtown businesses. You can see the front of the Oak from the alley. You can also see the red brick wall with the tiny rectangular window on the left.

I would love to know why it has tiny little windows with bars across them. This window looks like it should belong to an old-timer jail, I think. Anyone out there who knows the history, please send me an email. It would be great to find out some more about these windows.

On the corner of Gonzales and River Street, there is a set of black wrought iron stairs. The building is painted brick orange, so the color contrast is striking.  Looking up toward the sky reminds of the old 60's rock song, "Stairway to Heaven."

 Finally, I leave you with a ground-level view of River Street that I took while standing on the corner of Gonzales and River Streets.