Kerrville’s ‘The Boat’ restaurant reopens its upper level, serving patrons and offering community support after significant flood damage.
KERRVILLE, Texas — As floodwaters from the Guadalupe River begin to recede, some Kerrville businesses are doing more than just picking up the pieces — they’re stepping up for their community.
The Boat, a riverside oyster bar and grill, sustained significant damage in last week’s deadly flash floods that overwhelmed parts of the Texas Hill Country.
But instead of shutting down completely, employees decided to reopen the restaurant’s upper level to serve customers, clean up the mess and offer a space for healing.
“We’ve seen helicopters fly very low through here. We’ve had cops come out on our deck looking for people to see if they can help anything,” said employee Taylor Bloom. “It is just trying to serve people and you’re in the middle of a conversation and your heart gets really heavy because you know what they’re looking for.”
Floodwaters rose as high as the restaurant’s deck, nearly 20 feet above the ground, washing through the property and sweeping debris into the parking lot.
“It washed over the deck and went behind me into our parking lot,” Bloom said.
Now, the team is working around the clock to repair the lower level while keeping their doors open. That includes Ella Pearl, who said the scene was hard to take in when she arrived at work after the storm.
“It was definitely crazy coming to work and seeing all of the debris coming up from the storm,” she said.
For employee Midison Collins, the flood hit even closer to home.
“Our neighbor heard screaming in the river,” Collins recalled.
She said the Guadalupe River is her backyard. The flood was within 10 feet of impacting her home.
“The stairs to the river were gone. You couldn’t see anything,” she said.
Despite their personal experiences, all three women said they felt a responsibility to reopen The Boat and provide a sense of normalcy for those reeling from the destruction.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, if you need help, we will help you,” Collins said.
The women say they’re now organizing prayer circles and connecting with other local businesses to offer support in whatever way they can.