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SWITCH-UPS ON THE SQUARES IN ROUND TOP GRAND FAYETTE HOTEL GETS GRANDER FAYETTEVILLE COMMUNITY CENTER & PERFORMANCE THEATER LIFTS CURTAIN B eloved barbecue spot Merritt Meat Co. has departed Henkel Square in Round Top, leaving space open for an exciting food pop-up during this show … In Rolland Square, three new retailers have moved into recently vacated spaces. The historic fort formerly occupied by The Monarch and Texas Best Goods is now home to The Style Concierge, owned by mother- daughter Michelle Marchbanks and Madison Marchbanks. The Style Concierge, which has boutiques in Houston's River Oaks Shopping Center and north of Dallas in Frisco, is known for its feminine take on fashion. There's no shortage of pink among the frocks, fun jewelry, accessories, sweet gifts, and more, which Madison describes as "Palm Beach glam meets modern femininity, tailored to Round Top." Brands include Love the Label, Karina Grimaldi, Kerri Rosenthal, plus custom pieces for the Round Top location. The other side of the fort houses Bottega Dono, owned by Clarissa Labastida and stocking artisanal furniture, skincare products, art, clothing, and more. (303 S. White St., Round Top) … Bloom & Co. has relocated its flagship store from Fayetteville to the larger fort formerly occupied by Leslie Kristen. Bloom & Co. offers a weekly selection of farm-fresh flowers, DIY flower workshops, custom linen pillows, candles, clothing, and antiques. Owners Jen and Tony Zerrer also own The Bloom Inn, a circa-1895 farmhouse-turned- Round Top Airbnb. (301 S. White St., Round Top, @thebloomnco). T he historic Grand Fayette Hotel in Fayetteville has sold to new owners Beth Hruska Chapline and Bryan Chapline, who have deep family ties in the Fayetteville area. Following a four-month renovation and respectful restoration by a Houston- based team that includes architect Rogelio Carrasco, contractor Carl Hoffman of Accent Construction, and designer Julie Dodson of Dodson Interiors, you'll find updated guest rooms and baths, a new upstairs guest lounge, and a redesigned bar area downstairs. Additional updates to the property will unfold over the coming months, with full completion expected by the new year. "We kept the design classic and traditional, but with a twist," Dodson says. "The result is an elevated boutique hotel/private club experience where guests will enjoy great food, wine, and coffee, and sleep on luxurious linens." The circa-1900 building has passed through some capable hands — from 1975, when the late architect Clovis Heimsath and his wife Maryann began offering lodging, to 2003 when the couple re- modeled the building into the Country Place Hotel. The Heimsaths sold the hotel to Joan Herring and Mary Quiros in 2017, and the two women transformed the historic structure into the Grand Fayette Hotel. And now a new era begins. The popular Wine Bar at the Grand Fayette Hotel, overseen by chef George and Kathy Valtasaros, is open throughout the renovation, serving din- ner and Sunday brunch. Grand Fayette Hotel, 201 W. Fayette St., Fayetteville, reservations, 979.400.5861. F ayet teville recently c e l e b r a t e d t h e c o m p l e t i o n o f construction on a replica of the circa-1875 E.J. Knesek building, which houses part of the new Fayetteville Community Center & Per formance Theater. The reconstruction of the building on the town's historic square has been years in the making, supported by local philanthropists. The first floor of the building, which houses large public rooms and the theater lobby, is now open for use by the community. The center will host a live music performance Saturday, October 18: Elvis is in the Building! will take the stage during Fayetteville's Lickskillet Days celebration, an annual festival in honor of the town's original name, Lickskillet. Fundraising for the second phase of the project — the construction of a new theater attached to the back of the community center — is underway, and the next fundraiser gala, "An Evening in Paris," will be held at Windy Knoll on February 7, 2026. Once complete, the state-of-the-art 150-seat theater will host local and traveling theater companies, live music performances, s p e a k e r s , a n d m o r e . fayettevillecommunitycenter.org. ROUND ABOUT ROUND TOP 106