Wimberley copes after town's worst fire

The local ACE hardware store that was destroyed by Wimberley's largest fire ever on Feb. 22, was known as the center of their community.

As crews continue to clean up, some locals are trying to wrap their heads around their beloved store being gone.

"It was my go-to store here," said Walter Ritthaler. "We run a business and we're always needing supplies and it was the closest most convenient store to go to."

Locals like Stephanie Miller and her beloved shop dog, Bo, are carrying on as normal at Brogante, one of downtown's boutique stores. But just a few days ago, Miller and others were carrying a heavy heart.

"It's heartbreaking for all of us," said Miller. "I cried when I found out."

Jessica Maxwell runs a boutique nearby too. She says she went to the store so often, employees had become her friends.

"Oh yeah, we knew everybody and everybody knew us by name," said Maxwell. "We're a real close-knit community".

The hardware store was the town's centerpiece for socializing as well as the third-largest employer with 34 workers on the payroll. Fortunately they're all still drawing a paycheck for now, and some have even transferred to a sister store in nearby Canyon Lake.

Aside from the emotional loss to this quaint town, there's also the reality that the city biggest money source is gone.

"ACE over the years has been the largest, if not one of the largest, sales tax producers in this community," said city manager Don Ferguson. "Obviously with this business out of operation at this point, it's going to force us to tighten our belts and hang on until we're able to get them back in operation."

ACE store owner said he is already making plans to reopen as soon as this fall, and that's good news to employees and locals who say they want their little piece of Wimberley back.