nostalgia
i bought this book called “The Field Guide To Elvis Shrines, ” by Bill Yenne, at a Half-Price Books and was disappointed with the Texas entries. i thought it would be the ultimate travel guide for all Elvis-shaped pilgrimages for some reason, and i mistakenly thought there would be hundreds of entries for Texas, or at least 20. (give or take a few). nope. there are only three, one of them being Foot Hood where Elvis Presley did his basic training and the other two are houses where he stayed briefly. (one is worth noting below, but both houses are now closed to the public). the book is more of a everywhere-Elvis-ever-set-foot-extravaganza. it does list 64 Texas venues, mostly small auditoriums, where Elvis played at one time or another. but where are all of the (Texas) Elvis fanatics i’ve heard so much about, and where are all of the TEXAS shrines?
well, you should know me by now. i did my own research and found 3 more: (feel free to help make this list longer: guitartown2@yahoo.com)
Los Fresnos, TX – Little Graceland
Simon Vega, an army buddy of Elvis, has turned his home into an Elvis memorial. Two rooms in his house are devoted to Elvis memorabilla, and if you ask nicely, Vega will share personal stories of Elvis. He has a box for donations and sells T-shirts for those wanting a memento. Although there doesn’t seem to be an exact address, you will know you have come to the right place when you see the reconstructed front gates a la Graceland as you pull up to the driveway.
Little Graceland:
Address: Hwy 100, Los Fresnos, TX
Directions: South side of Hwy 100 in town. Look for downsized Graceland gates across the driveway.
Houston, TX – Rose Garden
In 1991, Rose Marie bought the Rose Garden, originally built in the 1930’s, a famous in it’s own right beer joint. (the Polish community loves to drink here.) Elvii of all kinds adorn the knotty pine paneling of the cozy interior thanks to a big crush Rosie Marie had on the King. The beer is cold & cheap (two things i personally love) & there is of course, a jukebox and pool tables.
Rose Garden
Address: 2621 Link Rd, Houston, TX 77009
Phone: (713) 863-8027
Houston, TX -Chuy’s
This is straight from the Web site because i couldn’t tell it any better: “When we started plans for decorating the original Chuy’s back in 1982, we had less money than you probably have in your wallet right now. Twenty bucks to be exact. Mike went out, spotted a vendor selling velvet paintings, bought two – Stevie Wonder and Elvis, and brought back the change. (Hey, we needed to buy nails to hang them, too.) After that, people’s natural love for the king inspired them to bring their own Elvis memorabilia to the restaurant. We graciously accepted. Before long the walls were covered in a veritable plethora of undeniable tackiness rivaling that of Graceland.” i will add that if you’ve never been to Chuy’s, stop in for their delicious margaritas (great on a Sunday afternoon) & bring your own Elvis memorabilla to add. what more do i possabily need to say? (Not sure about the Austin locations, though this does call for a weekend of drinks & yummy mexican food in A-Town.)
Chuy’s
Address: 2706 Westheimer at Kirby, Houston, TX 77098
Phone: (713) 524-1700
Web site: www.chuys.com
Waco, TX – Eddie’s Fadal’s Elvis Shrine (*from “The Feild Guide To Elvis Shrines”)
Eddie Fadal, a former radio journalist and DJ at KRLD AM, and close personal friend of the king, owned a house where Elvis stayed on the weekends when not on army detail. Over the years, the house became a shrine to Elvis, filled with autographed albums, clothes Elvis wore while in Waco & other odds and ends. At one time, an Elvis Fan Club used the house as a rendezous point, and a commemorative monument was placed in the backyard. Fadal died on April 12, 1994, and the house has since been sold.
*Note: this site is now a private home & not open to the public. if you plan on visiting, please view it from the street and respect the owner’s privacy.
Eddie Fadal’s Elvis Shrine
Address: 2807 Lasker Avenue, Waco, TX 76707
1 Comment
August 21, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Was little Graceland mentioned in the book? I grew up 20 minutes from there… It’s a worthwhile stop if you ever make your way down to South Padre.