The Village Cafe closes its door with a goodbye celebration

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – One person after another came through the doors of the Village Cafe in Downtown Bryan on its final night, all to show support for a place and person that has brought the community together.

The Village Cafe has been a staple in Downtown Bryan for 15 years. Frequent customers said it was a place that celebrated the arts and creativity and provided a place for people to share their ideas with one another. On Friday, the community came together to say goodbye while enjoying some of the cafe’s food, drinks and music.

Longtime customer Miriam Rieck said for the 17 years that she’s lived in the area there has been nothing like The Village.

“I had my first photography show here, I photographed so much music here, met friends for coffee, artists for collaborations, it was the center of the art world for a while,” Rieck said. “Kristy Petty fostered community. It was a really lovely place to come and be, it was always a first choice, I haven’t seen anyone create anything like it.”

With The Village filled to the brim on its last night, owner Kristy Petty said she was wonderfully overwhelmed.

“There is that inner critic of you that’s just worried no one is going to come or care that you are closing as much as you do, but it’s just been an overwhelming feeling of love and support from the community,” Petty said.

Over The Village’s 15 years, Petty said there are a ton of fond memories that she has created whether it meeting people or watching others meet their spouse and have kids.

“The Village has set off so many relationships and ideas and so many businesses,” Petty said. “People sat in the back and brained stormed and worked out and filled out paperwork. The Young Professionals of Aggieland created their whole thing sitting there over three weeks. Those kinds of things are what I am very proud of.”

Another frequent customer, Carroll Hedrick has come to The Village since the day it opened and has come once a week almost every week since.

“We’re going to miss it. Our grandson grew up here at The Village and we know a lot of the other people here and we knew Kristy before she opened it,” Hedrick said. “During 2020 she did everything she could to make people feel freed and welcomed. She has always done everything she can for Downtown Bryan. I know she is going to continue on, but it won’t be the same as coming in sitting here on a Sunday morning and getting to see everybody.”

It has also provided a home away from home for people like Amanda Stark, who started working at The Village while she was in college and now does so off and on.

“I met so many people here, so many of my best friends, I met my husband here,” Stark said. “I’ll miss the comfort of this place, of knowing that it exists knowing that I could come down here and have a cup of coffee, a sandwich or not or just sit here and meet friends or new people.”

As Petty looks towards the future she’ll have a new place for people to gather, feel welcome and share their thoughts and creations at the Kimbell Feed Building which will soon be renovated as an arts and culture center.

“I’m looking to lean into building the art community, building it where it can support each other and building the marketing around it so people know that it can exist,” Petty said. “The Kimbell will be a grand gallery, there will be a performance space, an area for conferences, an outdoor studio and stage.”

Petty said she and her partner for the Kimbell Arts and Culture Center, Cassidy Barton will also have programming set aside focused on finding local sponsors that will allow for school field trips and more.

“I think of art as what your community members make, create out of nothing from within themselves,” Petty said. “Art is what your kids make and is hanging on your refrigerator. It’s really what comes out of their heart and I just really want to support that.”

While Petty said she is sad that this chapter is coming to an end, she is proud of the impact that The Village has made on the community.

“I have been led by my heart and the holy spirit and just know what I felt like I was supposed to be doing,” Petty said. “Just felt like God and the universe were telling me what to do and I was just trying to listen and that’s how I am moving forward from this point on.”