New bar, restaurant coming to Square

If you have walked around the Wimberley Square and wondered what’s going on at the old Gallery on the Square building, here’s what you need to know:

— Soon there will be upscale restaurant and bar there called Longleaf.

— Longleaf will be a craft-style restaurant, featuring steaks, salads, seasonal specials, pasta and top-notch service.

— It will open in two phases. First, a bar that will feature local beers and spirits and serve sandwiches and bar food. Later, the full-service restaurant will join in.

Over the years, the property next to the Old Mill Store has been home to art galleries, a jeweler and a candy story. Steve Klepfer, the former mayor of Wimberley and the owner of the Old Mill Store, is completely remodeling the old gallery. The centerpiece is a 19-foot bar fashioned from a cypress tree that came down during the 2015 Memorial Day flood. The paneling on the walls is made from longleaf pine — hence the name — salvaged from a couple of century-old homes in San Marcos that were slated for demolition. The flooring also came from those homes.

“The wood is special and we tried to tie it to the organic nature of what we are trying to do here,” says Klepfer, who has owned the property since 1996.

Klepfer feels the time is right for a high-end restaurant in Wimberley. “I have been looking and studying the Wimberley market for 30 years,” he says. “Art galleries aren’t selling as much any more. The market is changing. The older generation has already bought things. The younger generation isn’t buying as many things. They are buying experiences. We are trying to hit a more discerning customer. Longleaf will be a higher-end bar with a mixologist and higher-end food.”

“We are in the midst of trying to find the best chef we can.”

The concept is simple enough: great service and great food in a rustic, but sophisticated setting. Throw in some local music and a serene patio area and you have Longleaf.

Officially, it will be called Longleaf Craft Kitchen and Bar.

Klepfer is aiming to open the bar in March and will serve drinks and bar food. Until the kitchen becomes operational, sandwiches and other bar foods will be made at the kitchen in the Old Mill Store. When will the restaurant and kitchen open? “When we can flush,” smiles Klepfer. In other words, when the long-awaited sewer becomes operational.

One of Klepfer’s goals is to help make Wimberley a culinary destination. A lot depends on the sewer, he says, pointing to the green sewer cover outside Longleaf’s front door. “Right now, customers have to use port-a-potties.” he says.

Prices will be a little higher, reflecting the quality of the menu. Says Klepfer: “We’ll have a wide price range. It will not be Austin prices. That’s a jump too far.”

The restaurant itself is about 1,200 square feet divided into three areas — two dining rooms and the bar in front. There’s an office and storage area off to the side. The detached kitchen is about 900 square feet and will be state of the art when it’s finished. There’s a large garden for outside eating. When it is possible to hook up to the sewer, Klepfer will build some restrooms out back. The Longleaf will be open for lunch and dinner.

Klepfer has some investors in the project and is looking for more. He calls himself an “amateur cook” who has learned a lot about the food-service business in a relatively short time. Klepfer says he has gotten plenty of encouragement from the owners of nearby restaurants who also see Wimberley as a food destination.

“I can promise two things,” says Klepfer. “We’ll have fantastic food and we’ll have fantastic service.”