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June 2, 2020
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
The area of Bandera from Main Street down to the river bend or "The Loop" as we natives called it, was known as Polander Town back in the day. Thinking about all the family names associated with that area in earlier times would make one assume it was a logical choice. Now if you asked the Martinez, Evans, Rico, Fernandez, or Stein family members you might find some disagreement.
The name Stein brings back some memories I hadn't thought of in a good while. Everyone who has been around for even a short amount of time is aware of Stein's Clothiers on 11th Street. You would have to be an oldtimer to remember the little beer joint across the street that was operated by Monty Stein. The little alleyway between it and McGroarty's Store is where the patrons would pitch washers.
Later that little beer joint was called "Pop's Bar and Grill" and it was run by Clay Wright when I was in my teens. That little alleyway made for a good escape route one evening when an underage young man was exiting the establishment with a six pack of Lone Star beer as Sheriff Miller and Constable Hyde happened to be driving by. How I know about all the details of that incident is something I will leave to your imagination.
If someone still refers to the McGroarty Store as M. Boyle Store you may rightly assume they are older than me. If they refer to it as an antique store or meat market then they would most likely be younger or a more recent arrival in town. All are correct but the perceptions differ. Proving once again that the times they are a changin' in our little town.
All of my early life as well as my current Growing Up In Bandera years have been connected to what was once commonly known as Polander Town. If you don't understand how a Clark fits in you probably "ain't from around here.” Most of the natives not only know the connection but are likely to still address me as “Polander."
#232 2020
The name Stein brings back some memories I hadn't thought of in a good while. Everyone who has been around for even a short amount of time is aware of Stein's Clothiers on 11th Street. You would have to be an oldtimer to remember the little beer joint across the street that was operated by Monty Stein. The little alleyway between it and McGroarty's Store is where the patrons would pitch washers.
Later that little beer joint was called "Pop's Bar and Grill" and it was run by Clay Wright when I was in my teens. That little alleyway made for a good escape route one evening when an underage young man was exiting the establishment with a six pack of Lone Star beer as Sheriff Miller and Constable Hyde happened to be driving by. How I know about all the details of that incident is something I will leave to your imagination.
If someone still refers to the McGroarty Store as M. Boyle Store you may rightly assume they are older than me. If they refer to it as an antique store or meat market then they would most likely be younger or a more recent arrival in town. All are correct but the perceptions differ. Proving once again that the times they are a changin' in our little town.
All of my early life as well as my current Growing Up In Bandera years have been connected to what was once commonly known as Polander Town. If you don't understand how a Clark fits in you probably "ain't from around here.” Most of the natives not only know the connection but are likely to still address me as “Polander."
#232 2020