It’s been 50 years since the Molak Corporation took over ownership of the oldest dance hall in Texas. When Pat Molak, the longtime owner , first entered Gruene Hall in 1974 it was reportedly full of tables and hay bales. But Molak helped turn it into a music destination that continues to attract artists from across the country.
Physically Gruene Hall hasn’t changed that much since Molak took over in 1975. Apart from changing the letters on the front of the building and minor renovations , anyone who steps inside will find the vintage signs, stage and dance floor that has invited Texans to go boot-scootin for generations.
So, while we can’t travel back in time just yet, we can peer through the looking glass and see what else was going on in Texas in 1975 as Texans prepared to christen their new favorite music spot…