History of the Feed Store

The New Braunfels Feed Store and Stable, circa 1860, is located adjacent to the Prince Solms Inn Bed & Breakfast.  It was constructed during the presidency of Abraham Lincoln and served the residents of New Braunfels through the turn of the century.

It was an integral part of this new community providing supplies to farmers, ranchers, and local residents.  Its convenient location to the Comal Hotel made it the ideal place for the purchase of supplies and stabling of horses and storage for carriages.  Feed Store personnel arranged for blacksmiths to shoe horses and make various wagon and buggy parts not in stock at the feed store. 

This 20x60-foot Feed Store had a large wood-burning heater that brought comfort to patrons on cold days.  Farmers and ranchers formulated business deals while sitting around the heater.  One can imagine that the Civil War was one of the main topics of conversation. 

Through the years as the city changed and modernized, the Feed Store became less important to the downtown area and was used for various other commercial enterprises. 

The foundation, walls and ceilings are cypress.  The floors and interior walls are pine.  Square nails were used to secure the floor and other parts of the structure.  The exterior walls are stucco over cypress studs.  Original freight doors open onto the loading dock on the West side of the building, which is now an enclosed private patio. 

The worn, stained floors were refinished to reveal beautiful 7-inch wide tongue and groove honey-gold pinewood.  Interior walls of matching tongue and groove pine and solid pine doors were added to maintain the character of the building.   

Three guest rooms, a full kitchen, and three baths were constructed in this building.  The 11-foot ceilings allowed room for the construction of lofts in two of the bedrooms.  The lofts, which contain three double beds, are the favorite sleeping and playing areas for children.