Have you noticed your town is growing? Maybe new businesses are popping up, or maybe there are more visitors on the weekends. Could it be that more and more people have found mentions of how special your town is on the internet and have come to see for themselves? This is the case for many rural Texan communities in the past few years and the impact has been substantial. Sales tax and revenues are reaching higher records than ever before and a lot of this growth can be attributed to revolutionary internet access. CTTC is excited to share the stories of customers that are having a big impact in a central Texas community!
We all might admire the new building going up in the lot next door, or the new development of houses in our neighborhoods, but have you considered the benefits of restoring historic buildings? The small town of San Saba certainly has! The town is currently revitalizing its downtown scene but instead of tearing down history, new businesses are refreshing the older buildings that have stood tall since San Saba’s establishment in 1854. The following new businesses are reinvigorating East Wallace Street – a heavily trafficked road in downtown San Saba where Highway 16 and Highway 290 intersect.
“CTTC was wonderful in helping install fiber into our older, historic building.”
-Terra Gardner, Switch Boutique
Bard & Hallow
Meet the Harts, Logan an original Austinite and Uriah a born Alaskan who each carry a love for all things nostalgic. These are the founders of San Saba’s newest downtown addition – Bard & Hallow. After leaving long careers in other fields, the couple came together to start a fine antique & architectural salvage store based in San Saba, TX. In admiration of how the Nettleship and Jordan families have restored structures of San Saba’s history, developing them into vital parts of the local community, the Harts have similar dreams for Bard & Hallow. So far, they have seen a very fruitful seven months since opening their doors. San Saba and neighboring communities love the antique furniture, unique art, and home goods sold in Bard & Hallow. The future is bright for this new business.
Switch Boutique
Entering San Saba’s downtown scene around the same time as Bard & Hallow was Switch Boutique. Switch is another realization of a lifelong dream, this time belonging to Terra Gardner. This entrepreneur was no stranger to restoration after turning an empty 100-year-old building into a town sensation upon her first boutique’s opening in Goldthwaite in 2019. Expanding to San Saba in 2021 was a no-brainer after recognizing the compatible market, supportive community, and necessary business foundations in town. Switch Boutique provides modern style for all ages, shapes, & sizes! Their trendy clothes, fashionable jewelry, and stylish shoes have been very well received by the ladies in town and Terra is excited to be a part of the team effort working to advance San Saba’s revitalization progress.
Pecan House Grill
Pecan House Grill needs no introduction. Owner Clay Nettleship and General Manager Amber Everett transformed a downtown building with a rich history into one of the most successful restaurants in the Hill Country region. What was once a hardware shop in the 1800s, destroyed by fire and rebuilt into a series of grocery and variety stores, is now an upscale steakhouse that pulls in visitors from all over the state. This is no surprise as the restaurant’s menu is an impressive collection of prime steaks, comfort food, and craft cocktails served from the upstairs bar.
Fiber Lends a Helping Hand
These successful businesses attribute much of their growth to the high-speed internet access provided by CTTC’s fiber installations. Such a compliment was synonymous in a series of interviews performed with the 3 businesses. Fiber speed enables the POS systems, online sales, website hosts, and digital advertising necessary to run a business smoothly.
“As soon as I take an order at a table, I immediately hear the ring of a new order in the kitchen.”
-Amber Everett, Pecan House Grill
These local entrepreneurs have enjoyed immense support from the San Saba community, but they also need out-of-town traffic to stay afloat. Fiber connectivity allows each entrepreneur to reach customers in neighboring towns and across Texas. Bard & Hallow and Pecan House Grill were excited to share how often they get visitors from out of state, even as far as Wyoming and Montana. Having two locations, Switch Boutique is grateful that fiber provides the necessary speed to keep inventory balanced between stores.
San Saba has recently seen immense growth. Sales tax revenue has increased 45 percent in five years alone. If you’d like to join the revitalization process, beautiful downtown buildings continue to be available. There is so much potential here for entrepreneurs and investors. The time to start a business is now and with CTTC fiber internet, the opportunities are endless!
The Future is Now
“Acquiring fiber internet from CTTC has been an extremely smooth, easy process. ”
-Uriah J. Hart, Bard & Hallow
At today’s rate of technological advancement, the high-speed of fiber internet is now a necessity to stay competitive. Businesses need the reliability, speed, security, and consistency that can only be provided with fiber. With CTTC technician experts, installation is quick and seamless so you can connect and start running your operations immediately. Don’t let internet lag hold your sales back, unlock your business’s full potential with fiber connectivity. Central Texas Telecommunications is currently servicing 18 rural communities in the Texas Hill Country with office locations in Goldthwaite and San Saba.