Hunt – Long before it became a symbol of recovery, the Hunt Store was the center of daily life in Hunt.
“It was the one-stop shop,” said co-owner Vikki Dunn. “It had fuel, banking, groceries, food. People would leave packages here. Everybody came through the Hunt Store.”
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For nearly 80 years, the store has served as far more than a business.
“The store became the anchor of the Hunt community,” said co-owner John Dunn. “It’s the only year-round, consistent food, fuel and community gathering space.”
When floodwaters tore through the Texas Hill Country on July 4, 2025, it didn’t just destroy buildings. High water damaged a place woven into generations of family memories.
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.
The iconic front doors are still standing.
The stone fireplace remains.
Several of the massive cypress tables where generations of campers, families, and locals shared meals also survived.
“Those walls are what identify the Hunt Store,” Vikki Dunn said. “The Hunt Store is what is most identifiable to Hunt.”
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.
John Dunn says that connection extends far beyond Kerr County.
“The tentacles, as my wife likes to say, reach literally around the world,” he said. “Campers come from all over the country. People have a connection to this place that lasts a lifetime.”
The store’s 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.
“You’re not the owner. You’re the steward,” Dunn recalled. “Take care of the store. Take care of the community.”
That responsibility took on new meaning after the flood.
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.
“This was really the command center for flood recovery,” Dunn said.
As the community began rebuilding, a new phrase emerged from the wreckage.
“Hunt Strong.”
Community members rearranged letters salvaged from the damaged Hunt Store sign, creating what would become a rallying cry for recovery.
“We adopted ‘Hunt Strong’ because we knew we would come back,” Vikki Dunn said.
The slogan reflects the determination that still defines the community today.
“We will rebuild,” she said. “There’s no question. This is the heart and soul of Hunt.”
For John Dunn, the future of Hunt is closely tied to the future of the store itself.
“Hunt will not get back to normal until the Hunt Store is back,” he said. “That’s just a fact.”
SEE MORE: After the Storm: The flood that changed the Hill Country
One year later, the scars remain visible. So do the reminders of what made this place special.
The front doors.
The fireplace.
The cypress tables.
And the people determined to restore the place they consider the heartbeat of their community.
KPRC 2’s documentary explores the flood, the recovery, and the people working to ensure the spirit of Hunt survives long after the floodwaters recede.