Need a loaf of bread?
Lone Star’s got it. Need a cute last-minute gift for a kid? Lone Star’s got it. Need a garden hose, or a can of tuna, or a hot pizza, or a DeWalt bit, or a carton of BlueDef? They’ve got those, too.
But until Phillip and Tessa Wright opened their Lone Star Market & Café on South Highway 70 in Jayton this week, it hasn’t been possible to procure those in Kent County for more than two years now.
Since the closure of the Kent County General Store due to a fire in September 2022, the rural county (population 734) has been forced to rely on 30-mile trips to adjoining communities for everyday basics, not to mention bigger items requiring a trip to Abilene or Lubbock.
The Wrights, who also own and manage the Lone Star Ace Hardware in Aspermont, had been planning to renovate the shuttered-and-gutted convenience store in Jayton when they purchased the property four years ago on a tax sale. But the general store closing ramped up their time frame.
“We just want everyone to be happy,” said Tessa Wright. “We want to be like a one-stop shop, because we know how it is—there are people that can’t drive to go get groceries. We want to serve not only Kent County, but surrounding counties.” They’re considering offering local grocery delivery in Jayton as well.
The Wrights’ enterprise, which incorporates retail including convenience and prepared food items, cold (non-alcoholic) beverages, and selections of hardware, tools, outdoor, garden, camping and grilling, automotive, and gift items, will also serve freshly prepared Hunt Brothers pizza in the store and a varied breakfast, lunch and dinner menu in the café. (What it won’t sell is gas—that’s another commodity that disappeared from Kent County for a while when the Coop closed, until Legacy Fuels put the selfservice pumps north of Jayton back into service.)
The café, with booth and table seating in the back, was created from a former open-air patio on the site. It will serve dozens of mouthwatering selections from burritos to breakfast bowls during breakfast hours, and burgers, chicken fried steak corn dogs, salads and more for lunch and dinner—plus desserts.
The market and café are also bringing much-needed jobs to Jayton. While some of the current staff of seven will commute from surrounding areas, some are local. And the construction side alone has brought a bevy of activity to the site; on Friday, half a dozen workmen scurried to install last-minute appliances, smooth out the parking area, install signs, assemble and stage outdoor furniture, and handle last-minute carpentry tasks. Phillip Wright, an experienced contractor and builder, oversaw the project from start to finish, including its handsome indoor finishes or barnwood and reclaimed tin panels.
“Phillip has the vision,” said Tessa with a goodhearted laugh. “The rest of us go along.”
The Wrights describe their store as carrying “a little bit of everything,” and they’ll tweak the mix as things go along. They’ll be eager to take requests for local needs.
And they’re not done yet. The former Co-op store on the north side of Highway 70, which they also purchased on a tax sale, awaits their attention as a tire shop with a broader line of merchandise. They’re aiming to reopen later in 2025, said Tessa.
For now, hours for the Lone Star Market are from Planned hours for the café are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and possibly Sundays as well. Store hours are expected to be 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; visit 448 S. Main Street, Jayton; phone (806) 237-2150.
