Last month, we heard that the house from director Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (watch it HERE) – which was moved from the filming location in the ’90s and is now the Grand Central Cafe and Club Car Bar, which sits on the grounds of the Antlers Hotel in Kingsland, Texas – had been purchased by new owners. There was some concern the new owners wouldn’t be respectful of the house’s history… but in an article at Daily Trib, it has been said that they will “preserve and protect the history and integrity” of both the Grand Central Cafe and the Antlers Hotel.
The new owners of the cafe and hotel are Courtney Rhodes, Mike Rhodes, Simon Madera, and Hobie Sasser. Some renovations are planned, including upgrades to the hotel, and a community space will be added to the property to host concerts, Christmas celebrations, and market days. The cafe and the hotel will both remain open throughout process and the hotel itself is protected as a historic landmark, so heavy alterations can’t be done to it. Madera, who operates the Taco Flats restaurant chain, will take over the management of the cafe – and assured readers “We are not a development company coming in here to reshape the landscape or bring an absentee-owner mindset. This is a hands-on approach.“
Addressing Texas Chainsaw Massacre fans directly on the cafe’s Facebook page, the new owners said they still welcome fans to visit the cafe regularly – and even said they think fans will enjoy visiting the place even more in the future. They added, “Don’t be nervous… We are going deeper into the world of Mr. Hooper.“
Directed by Tobe Hooper from a script he wrote with Kim Henkel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has the following synopsis:
When Sally hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin, set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.
The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Jim Siedow, Edwin Neal, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Allen Danziger, John Dugan, and Gunnar Hansen.
Have you ever visited the Texas Chainsaw Massacre house? Are you planning to in the future? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
