KVUE — Two years ago, wildfires sparked in Bastrop County. The flames burned about 34,000 acres, killed two people and destroyed nearly 1,700 homes.
There are reminders of the devastation across the county. A sign leading into Bastrop State Park warns visitors of the danger of falling trees. Many trees that burned in the fire still need to be cut down. The sign also posts a warning of the fire danger that lingers. It remains high.
The community remains optimistic. Sprinkled throughout the county are small stars nailed into trees and posts. One in the Tahitian Village neighborhood, hit hard by the fire, reads "Hope for Bastrop."
The neighborhood, like many others, is slowly coming back. Help is on the way for victims who still need to rebuild. Tuesday evening, the American Red Cross awarded a $1.5 million grant to the victims. The money goes to the Bastrop Recovery Center and will be divided out from there.
Lark & Owl Booksellers is raising money while it's in "survival mode."
A beloved downtown bookstore in Georgetown says it may be forced to close for good after years of nearby construction projects have taken a heavy toll on business.
Lark and Owl Booksellers, which opened in 2018, quickly became a staple for locals looking for a cozy spot to connect over books and community events. But co-owner Jane Estes said that charm has been overshadowed by constant roadwork that has blocked off access to the shop for much of the past two years.
"This is a place where people can come every day and find something joyful, find somebody to connect to," Estes said. "But people literally could not get to us."
When construction began two years ago on several projects near the store, Estes said she and the team were ready to adapt.
“Sidewalks were torn up, the driveway was torn up – that driveway, that driveway,” Estes said, describing what West Sixth Street looked like at the peak of construction.
She said the scope of the construction turned out to be much more disruptive than expected. According to Estes, three projects — a private building, a city parking garage and construction on a nearby bridge on Austin Avenue — all overlapped, limiting access and visibility to the business.
Estes said sales dropped immediately by 30 percent the week construction began on the bridge. She said business has never fully recovered. The bookstore has since reduced staff hours, cut inventory, and slashed nearly half its operating budget.
“We’ve been in survival mode for three years, and when you’re in survival mode, you cannot be strategic. You can’t grow, and you can’t serve your community, ” Estes said.
The city of Georgetown said in a statement it highly values unique businesses like Lark and Owl, which is a big reason the City is making continued investments to improve sidewalks and utilities throughout Downtown Georgetown.
“The City will do all it can to see Lark and Owl, and similar businesses, succeed in downtown Georgetown. We appreciate their investments and appreciate all our community does to support their success as well,” a spokesperson for the city said.
Estes said the store now needs to raise $100,000 to stabilize.
