Entrepreneur couple creates more places to stay in a growing region.
Ty and Sheree Clark own the unique Coyote Station Lodging. It is located at 701 North Highway 237, which is within walking distance of all the Round Top action. Not that I’d suggest walking along bustling 237, especially during show season. . . but you could. That’s how conveniently located Coyote Station Lodging is. Now, there is even more of it on the way.
“We took over an established business in May of 2017,” Sheree Clark tells RoundTop.com. “We had been looking in the Dripping Springs/Wimberley area, hoping to open a wedding and event venue when we stumbled across the opportunity to take over Coyote Station in Round Top.”
After moving from League City, Sheree (who moonlights as a Dialysis Nurse) and her husband Ty Clark embraced Round Top with open arms. She is a Round Top ambassador and he is vice president of the Chamber of Commerce.
“We are constantly educating the public about all Round Top has to offer, even in-between the shows,” Sheree Clark says. “When we got here, there were only about 200 rooms for rent in Round Top. Now there are around 300. And it’s still growing.”
Coyote Station currently has nine suites to choose from. Each comes complete with a private bath and various bedding options. Some have scattered doubles and twins, others boast kings and queens. They all share the porch. But the Clarks are planning an expansion, which will soon add another seven cabins to the back lot. Each of these cabin will have their own six to eight foot porch, and the most popular bed sizes — kings and queens.
Sheree Clark anticipates the new cabins will be ready for next year’s Round Top Spring Antiques Show. Coyote Station is adding a fire pit and a gazebo for guests to enjoy too.
Ty Clark also has a wood working business housed at Coyote Station that turns out fabulous mesquite wood tables with wrought iron bases. Some are inlaid with turquoise, others with mother of pearl. All feature natural materials and one-of-a-kind craftsmanship. There are even hammered copper and silver table tops to choose from.
The current showroom for Mesquite Mesa Furnishings will be transformed into a new lobby with coffee and tea for all Coyote Station guests. It should also be ready by the spring of 2023. Ty Clark’s custom furnishings will move to an online shopping model, with a few for show and others available by commission. Clark already works with customers and their interior designers on every detail of the production anyway.
The mesquite is milled out of San Antonio and then a carpenter rough cuts each piece. The remarkable veining of the mesquite wood can be left natural with an ebonized stain or inlaid for dramatic effect.
“They dig out the deadwood, and each top is ebony stained,” Sheree Clark says. “And instead of a traditional stone coat, or bar-top coating, we treat the wood with mineral oil every day for 30 days. Until it won’t soak up any more. This gives it a protective coating that is more of a natural satin finish rather than a sheen.
“Then our metal artist in McAllen crafts the iron work for the base. We can even remove the bark and use a router to create a live-edge look, which is so popular right now.”
The pieces range from occasional and console tables to coffee and dining tables. Prices range anywhere from $600 to $10,000. The sky’s the limit.
This husband and wife business team have truly found a home in Round Top.
“This is the most at-home I’ve ever felt in a community,” Sheree says. “For a population of around 90 people, it is amazing the amount of activities this community has.”
While Coyote Station is about 95 percent booked during the antiques shows, it is only about 35 percent booked in non-show times. But with more Round Top businesses transitioning to being open year-round, that is improving slowly.
“In the future, I’d like to see even more pop-up shows take place throughout the year,” Sheree Clark says. “To draw visitors to our hospitality and lodging more regularly.”
The Clarks are doing their part. The updates and expansion of Coyote Station will soon add more quality accommodations to the growing Round Top community.