Slide 1

Mason, Texas in the 1880-1890’s was a bustling Hill Country town with a population that grew from 2644 to over 5000. The Courthouse Square boasted all the trappings of a good ‘Wild West’ town; a hardware store, tin shop, grocery and hardware stores and a saloon just off the corner of Fort McKavitt St. & Live Oak.

Slide 2

That saloon was owned by Theo Schmidt, who once referred to himself in an advertisement as “The agent for ‘Celebrated Bohemian Export, a Beer for family use, guaranteed to be first-class’.” After the saloon closed, the Schmidt building housed a variety of businesses owned by Schmidts’, Loefflers’ and Eckerts’ whose descendants still live in Mason today. It should be noted that Willow Creek owner Angela Eckert is married to one of those descendants. One of the most interesting businesses that operated at that address on Historic Mason Square was a Model-T Ford dealer who installed double front doors to drive his cars through. Those are the front doors still in use today at Willow Creek Café.

Slide 3

Owner Angela Eckert, a Mason resident transplanted from nearby Burnet, was a new mother already known to local folks as the pretty, efficient, green-eyed waitress at now closed Zavala’s Restaurant. Her work came very naturally to her since she grew up around the restaurant business. At the age of fourteen she worked the front counter in her mother Marynell’s Round-Up Restaurant in Round Mountain, Texas. The Round-Up Restaurant adjoined a movie theater and auction house. Marynell provided concessions for the theater and food service at the auction. Angela worked in all three from that young age. One day Marynell fell ill during the lunch service, so ill that it required her to be taken to the emergency room. While they were taking her away on a gurney she turned to Angela saying simply, “You are in charge now”.

Slide 4

As Ms. Eckert explained, “I never cooked before. I was scared to death for my mom being sick and for me being left to handle the kitchen during a busy lunch run. But really, I was more scared not to do what my mama said, “Be in charge”. I went in the kitchen and cooked every plate of food that went out for lunch that day. I was kind of slow but we didn’t lose one customer. I guess that’s been my goal ever since”. She opened Willow Creek Café in February 1999 and eventually bought the Schmidt Building. And she has never looked back.

Slide 5

Today Angela and son Chase Crouch operate Willow Creek armed with many years of Mason’s history around them. The Schmidt building still looks as it did in photos from the early 1900’s. And the fine reputation of Willow Creek Café is well known. On August 6, 2014, they opened the Willow Creek Club. The private club offers free memberships for long-time patrons, frequent Hill Country visitors and the flow of tourists to Mason to enjoy a great meal and a beer, glass of wine or a mixed or specialty drink during their visit. Willow Creek Club has a 14-foot-long bar that features more than 30 local Hill Country cattle brands. It is a great place for delicious food, social gatherings and is a destination landmark for tourists and visitors who want a true taste of Mason.