dance hall days
Houstonians can buy a historic Hill Country dance hall for a song
Kendalia Halle can be yours for $669,000.
Wondering what to do with your Christmas bonus? Storied Hill Country dance hall Kendalia Halle is now up for sale for $669,000, offering Texans the chance to own one of "Ambassador of Texas Music” Gary P. Nunn’s favorite stages.
Kendalia Halle abruptly shuttered in August 2024, saying it was “suspending operations for the immediate future” and cancelling its upcoming shows. Built in 1903, the spot was the social lifeblood of the tiny unincorporated town near the San Antonio suburb of Boerne, serving its German immigrant community for generations.
The historical property first went on sale in May for $550,000. Since then, the Schwab Ranch Investments listing has gone up by almost $120,000.The listing includes three buildings: the main dance hall, a small 825-square-foot cottage, and the Elbel Building, a historical storefront that has housed several local businesses since 1911.
According to Schwab, the building has seen a few renovations over the last 30 years — mostly structural. The hall was straightened by pulleys, and the building’s foundation was reinforced with concrete and steel. New insulation was added to help with cooling, and the wood paneling was installed in the interior.
The 3,500-square-foot hall also sports a large bar, a VIP area, and a roomy dance floor. The basement of the Elbel Building was also once used as a bar called the Rathskellar (German for “cellar”) and features a kitchen.
The 2000s have seen a number of historic dance halls close in rural Texas communities, even as sites like Gruene Hall have attracted a new generation of tourist. In August, the 120-year-old Coupland Dancehall near Austin was saved by a last-minute Hail Mary. Others like Uhland's Club 21, shuttered in 2010, are now historical footnotes.
