Hunt \u2013 Long before it became a symbol of recovery, the Hunt Store was the center of daily life in Hunt.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the one-stop shop,\u201d said co-owner Vikki Dunn. \u201cIt had fuel, banking, groceries, food. People would leave packages here. Everybody came through the Hunt Store.\u201d<\/p>\n
For nearly 80 years, the store has served as far more than a business.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe store became the anchor of the Hunt community,\u201d said co-owner John Dunn. \u201cIt\u2019s the only year-round, consistent food, fuel and community gathering space.\u201d<\/p>\n
When floodwaters tore through the Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, it didn\u2019t just destroy buildings. High water damaged a place woven into generations of family memories.<\/p>\n
KPRC 2’s Hill Country Flood documentary explores the rescue efforts, unanswered questions, and remarkable recovery following one of Texas’ deadliest floods. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
Today, much of the building remains gutted. Entire walls were ripped away. The covered patio where families once gathered vanished. Yet somehow, pieces of the Hunt Store survived.<\/p>\n
The iconic front doors are still standing.<\/p>\n
The stone fireplace remains.<\/p>\n
Several of the massive cypress tables where generations of campers, families, and locals shared meals also survived.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose walls are what identify the Hunt Store,\u201d Vikki Dunn said. \u201cThe Hunt Store is what is most identifiable to Hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n
As she walks through the remains, Dunn points to where children once gathered after school to play on a small stage, where families celebrated anniversaries and reunions, and where generations of campers stopped for burgers and milkshakes after long summer days.<\/p>\n
John Dunn says that connection extends far beyond Kerr County.<\/p>\n
KPRC 2’s Hill Country Flood documentary explores the rescue efforts, unanswered questions, and remarkable recovery following one of Texas’ deadliest floods. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cThe tentacles, as my wife likes to say, reach literally around the world,\u201d he said. \u201cCampers come from all over the country. People have a connection to this place that lasts a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n
The store\u2019s history dates back to 1946. Over the decades, it became a grocery store, fuel stop, post office, restaurant, meeting hall, and gathering place. When John and Vikki bought the store in 2013, they were given advice from a previous owner that has stayed with them ever since.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not the owner. You\u2019re the steward,\u201d Dunn recalled. \u201cTake care of the store. Take care of the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
That responsibility took on new meaning after the flood.<\/p>\n
In the days that followed, the Hunt Store property became a hub for recovery efforts. Volunteers gathered here. Fuel trucks supplied heavy equipment. Relief organizations coordinated assistance. Churches nearby distributed food and clothing.<\/p>\n
KPRC 2’s Hill Country Flood documentary explores the rescue efforts, unanswered questions, and remarkable recovery following one of Texas’ deadliest floods. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was really the command center for flood recovery,\u201d Dunn said.<\/p>\n
As the community began rebuilding, a new phrase emerged from the wreckage.<\/p>\n
\u201cHunt Strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community members rearranged letters salvaged from the damaged Hunt Store sign, creating what would become a rallying cry for recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe adopted \u2018Hunt Strong\u2019 because we knew we would come back,\u201d Vikki Dunn said.<\/p>\n
The slogan reflects the determination that still defines the community today.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will rebuild,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s no question. This is the heart and soul of Hunt.\u201d<\/p>\n
For John Dunn, the future of Hunt is closely tied to the future of the store itself.<\/p>\n
\u201cHunt will not get back to normal until the Hunt Store is back,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s just a fact.\u201d<\/p>\n