JANUARY 18, 2023 SEE BEST OF NORTH HAYS COUNTY WINNERS
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Vol. 128 • No. 45
Serving Hays County, TX
Local LGBTQIA+ nightclub closes unexpectedly
Community says goodbye to Stonewall Warehouse By Brittany Anderson
brittany@haysfreepress.com
SAN MARCOS — For the past eight years, thousands have trekked up the rainbow stairs to Stonewall Warehouse, located on the Square in San Marcos, for an LGBTQIA+ safe space and fun nightlife experience. On New Year's Day, this was unexpectedly cut short. After a successful New Year's Eve party, Stonewall staff were abruptly informed of the business’s closure on Jan. 1 when they were arriving to what they thought was a normal shift. Former general manager of five years, Lena Jacobs, was the first to arrive with owner Jamie Frailicks for what she assumed was a beginning of the year business meeting. “We got into his office and sat down and his
PHOTO BY BRITTANY ANDERSON Stonewall Warehouse, located on the Square in San Marcos, was the only LGBTQIA+ bar and nightclub between San Antonio and Austin.
whole attitude and energy changed. He basically said, ‘Today’s going to be a hard day; last night was Stonewall’s last night,’” Jacobs said. “During that whole time, I honestly
can’t tell you if I said anything. I don’t think I did. I was in shock.” Frailicks, along with Chris Rue, Brian Scofield and James Wilson, founded Stonewall in
2014. Rue served as general manager from 2014 to 2017 and Frailicks took over full ownership in 2018. In summer 2022, Frailicks was approached
by various groups inquiring if he was selling the space. While he initially wasn’t, it “started some conversations.” “I ultimately had the right conversation with the group that I'm with now,” Frailicks said. “I decided, after months of going back and forth with them, that it was a good idea. It was a great deal for me. It was going to allow me to move on to some other things that my wife and I have been wanting to do for years.” “Stonewall has been failing for years. It's cost me money every month for years,” he continued. “So, when the opportunity came around [to sell], I listened … We've tried everything. I feel like I've been beating my head against the wall for years trying to figure out something to improve it and get more people up there.”
Frailicks said that other than the weekends and Monday night karaoke, the bar was essentially closed Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights for years. “With Stonewall being a place where the entertainment costs money, the overhead was a lot more,” Frailicks said. “We have shows and shows require people and people require labor costs. And we just could never figure out a formula where that would work and be cost effective during the week.” However, some former Stonewall staff — like bartender Cooper Murphy, who began working at Stonewall in December 2021 — have been vocal about Stonewall feeling like Frailicks’ “neglected bar” and that a myriad See STONEWALL, Page 2
‘Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that ’
PHOTOS BY ASHLEY KONTNIER The Kyle Arts & Cultural Commission, along with the city of Kyle, hosted a Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at city hall on Saturday. Fine arts students from Hays, Johnson and Lehman high schools took the microphone to share various poems, speeches and prose to honor the legacy of Dr. King. Stephanie Murray, secretary of Kyle Arts & Cultural Commission, served as mistress of ceremonies and several Kyle City Council members were in attendance. Left, Susan Reyna, member of Friends of the Kyle Library, reads, “My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” by Martin Luther King III. Right, Lehman High School sophomore Joy Imani reads "I Dream a World" by Langston Hughes followed by "Martin Luther King Day" by Myra Livingston.
Harbor Health strives to change healthcare system By Brittany Anderson KYLE — A new kind of health clinic has opened its doors in Kyle, offering patients a healthcare system experience like never before. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Harbor Health on Jan. 12 with team members, the Kyle Chamber of Commerce and the supportive community to celebrate the clinic’s recent opening and learn more about what it offers. Harbor Health was spearheaded by Dr. Clay Johnston, a neurologist and the former dean of
Quote of the Week
the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. Johnston left Dell in order to pursue his goal of changing the healthcare system in local communities. “This isn’t just a regular clinic; this is a whole new model,” Johnston said. “Think about this as the next generation: what it should look like, what you’d want for yourself or your family. I’m driven by this notion that we can do so much better.” What makes Harbor Health stand out from the rest is that patients See HEALTH, Page 3
"IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE HOW YOU FELT BECAUSE IT MEANS SO MUCH TO US AS VIETNAM VETERANS TO BE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS." – COMMANDER KERMAN HAMMOND
PHOTO BY BRITTANY ANDERSON Members of Harbor Health, Kyle Chamber of Commerce and the community celebrated the recent opening of Harbor Health, located at 177 Kirkham Circle, with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 12.
The Hays Free Press Barton Publications, Inc. The Hays Free Press (USPS 361-430) published weekly by Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. Periodicals postage paid at Buda, TX 78610 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Barton Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 339, Buda, TX 78610. ISSN#1087-9323