What’s Happening in Hico

Mexican Moon

Fort Worth filmmaker Chris Zuhdi recently debuted his film Mexican Moon as the Opening Feature at the Billy the Kid Film Festival in Hico, Texas. The Fort Worth filmmaker shot the film right here in Hico, Texas, using various locations throughout town. Zuhdi’s completed film, which is streaming now on Amazon Prime, is the second installment of his planned “crime fiction Texas noir trilogy,” following his 2017 debut Goodnight, Charlene, which was filmed mostly in Fort Worth.

Chris said he plans to return to Hico for his next film adding, “There’s definitely something special about Texas for this particular type of story,” Zuhdi said. “[The landscape] became very much a character.”

You can read more about the process of shooting Mexican Moon in Historic Hico, Texas at D Magazine.

Hilaco

Hico once was simply a stop on the old Texas Central Railway, today it has become a vibrant destination where visitors and entrepreneurs alike stop to escape the frantic pace of urban life. And though Hico may seem like a place where time stands still, time hasn’t been as kind to some of its historic structures.

Some things are well worth preserving and none more so than Hico’s historic structures, some of which date back as far as the 1880’s. Hilaco’s plan is to renovate these buildings to their original glory, being careful to preserve their unique character every step of the way. Interiors, will be tastefully updated while offering modern amenities that will appeal to tenants, customers, and visitors. This investment will not only be a significant step in preserving Hico’s past, but one that ensures a more vibrant future as well.

More than renovation,
preservation is our first priority.

Once completed, the Hilaco development will encompass six original buildings that will be totally restored along with a new retail corridor that can accommodate cafes, boutiques, and whatever else your dreams can envision.

For more information, visit hilaco.com

HiCo Hall

Local entrepreneurs Jennifer Jones and Wes Lunsford, who own and operate Eis Sandwich Shop, Pecan Street Drink Shoppe, and Upstair’s Inn, recently purchased the old cotton oil mill with plans to renovate it and open an event center. Wes and Jennifer purchased the building from Davis Feed Mill, who have owned the building for more than 40 years. HiCo Hall, as it will be called, will be an event center, wedding venue, and live music venue.

The old stone structure has been in disrepair for years, but Wes and Jennifer have a vision to bring the building back to life. Renovations will include a new roof, fix the concrete flooring, repair the stone walls, and add modern touches to the interior to make it suitable for events while keeping the charm and character of the historic structure.

Wiseman House Chocolates

Wiseman House Chocolates was recently named in the Top 10 Best Chocolate Shops in Texas by Travel Awaits. Chocolatier Kevin Wenzel studied fine arts in Europe, Asia, and the U.S., and chocolate making at a fifth-generation Pennsylvania chocolate school. Kevin along with wife LaDonne opened the doors of Wiseman House Chocolates in 1996, right here in Hico. The chocolate shop is in a historic Victorian house beside the Texas favorite Koffee Kup Family Restaurant. Kevin blends actual Belgium and Venezuelan chocolate with fresh whipping cream, chopped nuts, fruits, crushed coffee beans, and liqueurs for the finest tasting chocolate meant to take you back to the ancient Mayans. It’s more about what he leaves out, like trans fats, sodium nitrates, glutens, and added sugars.

Along with handcrafted chocolate, Wiseman House also has gifts, books and more. Stop in today for a specialty truffle, sipping chocolate, or almond toffee.

Read the full article here.

Pack Your Sweet Tooth and Walking Shoes for a Weekend Getaway in Hico

Hico was recently featured in Texas Highways Magazine by June Naylor, with photography by Tom McCarthy Jr.

For a town of around 1,500, Hico packs a wallop, drawing in city dwellers who enjoy small-town charm paired with urban amenities. Sitting at the tip-top of the Hill Country, where US 281 crosses State Highway 6, Hico (HYE-coe) first earned its stop-worthy reputation from the towering ­meringue pies at the Koffee Kup restaurant. These days, there’s far more than dessert to keep you amused for a full weekend (though Wiseman House Chocolates is still around to satisfy a sweet tooth). Everything’s in walking distance, from the limestone-studded Bosque River on the south end of downtown to the statue of Billy the Kid, the outlaw said to have lived out his life here in anonymity, at the north end of downtown Hico.

MIDLAND HOTEL & CHOP HOUSE
The handsome brick building anchoring one downtown corner is an 1896 landmark offering 14 rooms (starting at $139 a night) with historical beauty and modern comforts, as well as an exceptional restaurant.

HICO MERCANTILE
The grand 1895 opera house is now home to an assemblage of fresh boutiques where one can purchase a range of items, including a Dolly Parton prayer candle, heavy wooden candlesticks, and framed vintage botanical prints.

HILL COUNTRY DWELLINGS
A side hustle of sisters and designers Jane and Cindy Schumacher, this shop’s earthy sophistication shines in its selection of textiles, handmade wooden biscuit cutters, locally crafted pottery, and art.

2ND STREET BAKESHOP & COFFEE CO.
A refurbished Victorian home makes morning coffee and afternoon tea special events. Few things are more comforting than settling into a corner here with a seasonal honey-lavender latte, a lemon-blueberry scone, and a good book.

EIS & PECAN STREET DRINK SHOPPE
These sister businesses offer a delicious smoked chicken salad sandwich next door to a selection of wines from Texas and the world. Pair with locally made cheeses and smokehouse meats to complete a riverside picnic.

CITY PARK
Wander south along Elm Street, which ends at this shady, welcoming retreat on the Bosque River bank. Enormous pecan trees provide shelter from the sun, and plentiful tables near the clear water supply a bucolic backdrop for picnicking.