Abbey Archer

Highlighted Work

Williamson County Sun •

The Vera Gallery opens on the Square

The Vera Gallery is a high-end art showroom and gallery that opened on the Square earlier this year.The business sells paintings and scarves by American artist and entrepreneur Vera Neumann, as well as work by local female artists. It is located at 110 West Eighth Street, the former site of the Georgetown Antique Mall.Christina and Greg Sharp own the gallery and the licensing rights to Vera’s art collection. Ms. Neumann was born in 1907 to Ukrainian immigrants and grew up in New York City. She a...
Williamson County Sun •

Wilco hemp businesses experience surge in sales

Dozens of Williamson County hemp and THC retailers are facing closure amid new state regulations, while hemp users could be fined or face jail time if Senate Bill 3 is signed by Governor Greg Abbott.Senate Bill 3 passed the Texas House of Representatives in a 95-44 vote on May 21. The bill — which, as of June 5, sits at the governor’s desk for final approval — would ban the sale of hemp-derived products containing Delta THC variants. Delta variants are the psychoactive components of the cannabis...
Williamson County Sun •

Gym owner finds motivation in training others

Warm up, stretch, workout, track progress — this was the usual regimen Brennan Eggers would start his clients off with when he started as a trainer at Georgetown Fitness more than five years ago. A student at Southwestern University at the time, he fit working as a personal trainer into his busy schedule as a physics major. Mr. Eggers liked that, through personal training, he got to help others achieve their health goals. His more motivated clients helped motivate him. He loved the gym. Georgeto...
Williamson County Sun •

Aviation company expands to Georgetown airport

Southwest Aerospace Technologies — a Georgetown-based aviation services company — has expanded into a new hangar at the Georgetown Executive Airport.A family business, CEO Kurt Encinias runs the company with his wife and CFO Renee Encinias. Mr. Encinias said the company now touches “every spectrum of aviation” for business jets, with clients including large corporations and wealthy individuals. SWAT sells used airplane parts, has a teardown facility, a repair station and an engine shop.Mr. Encin...
Williamson County Sun •

First moon mission by Wilco-based Firefly Aerospace a success

Firefly Aerospace — a private aerospace company with headquarters located in Cedar Park — successfully completed Blue Ghost Mission 1 in partnership with NASA. On March 16, the company’s unmanned Blue Ghost lunar lander completed 14 days of surface operations on the moon and operated over 5 hours into the lunar night. This marks the longest commercial mission on the moon to date. The mission was funded by NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload services, a program dedicated to collecting data that could...
Williamson County Sun •

Rise Up Chiropractic opens in Georgetown

Georgetown Chiropractor Shanna Jackson has opened a new clinic, Rise Up Chiropractic, just north of Westinghouse Road at 2951 Farm to Market Road 1460, Ste. 1402.After spending 10 years at the start of her career as a surgical technician, at age 40, she decided to go back to school because she believed there were alternative ways to address medical issues. She started practicing in 2017, after graduating from Sherman College of Chiropractic.Dr. Jackson is now certified to provide services for ev...
Williamson County Sun •

Brass Peacock speakeasy opens near City Post Chophouse

A new prohibition-era themed bar with a secret entrance is hiding near City Post Chophouse, just off the Square.Brass Peacock had a soft opening this fall, and is set for a grand opening early in 2025. The speakeasy-style bar serves specialty cocktails, charcuterie boards and desserts, and is open Fridays and Saturdays after 6 p.m., with live jazz music starting at 7 p.m.“This [speakeasy] space is really giving Georgetown an elevated late night option,” said Kevin Cummings, the owner of Brass Pe...
Williamson County Sun •

Aerospace company plans to launch lunar lander by end of year

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost team is getting closer to blast-off. After spending the past four months running lunar simulations and evaluating data, the Williamson County-based team is working non-stop on the company’s new lunar lander, which is scheduled to launch by the end of the year.Blue Ghost Mission 1 is a part of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services — a federal program that works with American companies to take technology and science to the moon’s surface. Program findings could...
Williamson County Sun •

Staccato Ranch opens “Lone Star Hideout” run-n-gun course

Staccato — an award-winning, Florence-based manufacturer of high-performance pistols for both law enforcement and civilians — opened an 800-acre shooting ranch on County Road 233 earlier this year. The company hopes it will one day will have the reputation of being the “Disneyland of shooting.”The ranch’s ever-expanding arsenal of experiences include indoor and outdoor ranges, run- n-gun courses, clay shooting and even fishing, alongside Staccato’s product store, manufacturing facility and headq...
Williamson County Sun •

Mermaid Pearl offers swim lessons for humans

She goes by Christen Killebrew on land and Pearl the Mermaid in the pool. In Georgetown, she’s been making the dreams of both children and adults come true through mermaid swim les- sons, parties and advocacy.“I teach students not just how to use the tail, I teach them basic diver safety rescue skills,” Ms. Killebrew said. “In the long run, you get to learn how to actually save somebody while you're in the tail.”Mermaid tails became a popular swim accessory in 2023, after the Netflix docuseries...
Williamson County Sun •

Simple Sparrow Care Farm offers mental health care, soothing experiences

A 16-year-old-boy was sitting in the waiting room with his hood on, unwilling to participate in his therapy. Marti Smith, occupational therapist and co-founder of Simple Sparrow Care Farm, observed that he was downregulated, feeling hopeless and depressed. She texted the farm’s founder, Jamie Tanner, and told her to “get the ball python.” “The snake is a really upregulating animal,” Ms. Tanner said. She brought over the snake and sat with Ms. Smith. The whole session, they sat, talking about the...
Williamson County Sun •

The Georgetown Beard Club supports local nonprofits

The Georgetown Beard Club, a volunteer group of both men and women, aims to change the reputation of men with beards. “At times, people look at those who have beards as being… not sketchy, but like they don’t seem wholesome,” said Rob Kiddie, one of the club’s founding members. “We wanted to change that image and say ‘Hey we’re good guys here and we’re interested in doing good for the community.The club started in December of 2015. Over the years, Mr. Kiddie has “basically held every position” o...
Williamson County Sun •

Business owners deal with changing downtown landscape

As the heart of Georgetown continues to evolve, small business owners find themselves navigating both opportunities and challenges in the increasingly competitive downtown real estate and commerce environment.

While storefronts in downtown Georgetown can be slow to change hands, real estate agent Annette Montgomery said the market is “pretty hot.”

“People reach out to me, probably one or two times a week looking for space downtown,” she said. “I get a lot of people who are looking [for space] for restaurants, coffee shops, retail, the things that do well around the Square.”
Williamson County Sun •

Sun City naturalist’s home garden stars in upcoming PBS Show

“People think that if something just grows, it’s a weed,” Mr. Byhower said. “These are all ‘volunteers’ which are what we call plants that come up on their own. Most people, when something volunteers and think ‘oh that’s a weed’ and pull it out. I always say: ‘When in doubt, don’t pull it out.”

He said he believes that the plants in his yard — which require little water — are the answer to water rationing regulations across Central Texas.
Williamson County Sun •

Georgetown couple competes on 'American Ninja Warrior'

When most Americans think of a ‘ninja’ they imagine a sneaky, cartoonish character in black with elaborate weapons in tow.Georgetown couple Kyle Soderman and Megan Johnson are anything but. Yet, they will be featured on the August 12 episode of American Ninja Warrior, after qualifying for the 2024 semi finals.Ninjas featured on American Ninja Warrior — the long-running NBC competition show that airs Mondays at 7 p.m. — show off their athletic skills, intelligence and strength on an obstacle cour...
Williamson County Sun •

Gold Burger Diner ready for service on the Square

Burgers, boozy milkshakes, all-day breakfast and a jukebox that plays old tunes are now on the Square.Gold Burger Diner could open as early as next week on Seventh Street in the building that housed Gold’s Department store from 1936 to 1996. Cody Hirt — Georgetown ISD board member and the restaurateur behind Golden Rule, River Ranch and Provisions and Mesquite Creek — said he saw a need for a place that invited high school kids and families with affordable menu prices. He said the setup will be...
Williamson County Sun •

Dale’s Essenhaus builds community through drinks, good times over 25 years

In September 1997, Dale Cockerell bought Joe’s Place, a Walburg bar and restaurant about 15 minutes outside of downtown Georgetown at 3900 Farm to Market Road 972. Now, almost 26 years later, Dale’s Essenhaus has maintained its status as a staple in the community and continues to serve beer, burgers, barbecue and Southern classics like chicken fried steak to those passing through the small town.

“I love people and I want them to have good food at a fair price,” Mr. Cockerell said.

Mr. Cockerel
Loosely Cultured •

Portrait of a Place: Is San Francisco Worth Visiting? (2024)

San Francisco, the hippie capital of the sunshine state, is said to be going downhill. When you ask some people about San Francisco, they say that the city has gone berserk. Their descriptions bring forth images of anarchy— of stolen goods and open drug use. But when you ask other people, they merely describe a city of white collar tech workers who pay a ridiculous amount of money in rent. Then there are other people, like myself, who have maintained an idyllic view of the city and dreamt of mov...
Williamson County Sun •

Senior University’s longest student: Winnie Bowen

“I listen to TV and I listen to the dumb, dumb things people say,” said Winnie Bowen, who at 92 is one of the oldest members of Senior University. “It just kinda blows my mind how incurious some people are. They just don’t have any curiosity about anything. I’m just the opposite — I have an insatiable appetite for learning and for curiosity.”

Ms. Bowen was born in 1932 and despite being a young girl during World War II, her father encouraged her and her sister to engage in mature dialogue about
Williamson County Sun •

Santa Charles spreads joy to Georgetown schools, families

Sometimes kids dream a little too big when they’re coming up with their Christmas lists. And sometimes, Santa has to propose more appropriate alternatives.

“I had one boy ask me for a real Ferrari,” joked Charles Guillote, who has worked as a Santa impersonator for the past eight years. “I had to tell him that Santa and his elves make Hot Wheels — these little cars that are about three inches long. I said to him ‘I don’t think you could reach the pedals of a real Ferrari.’ ”

Mr. Guillote said
Williamson County Sun •

Sun City Cyclists put the pedal to the metal

With an average age of 70 and between 180 and 200 members at any given time, the Sun City Cyclists are a healthy bunch.“I put more miles on my bike than I do my car every year,” said Leanne Waldo, who’s the social chair of the Sun City club.Ms. Waldo became involved with the cyclists club when she moved to Sun City eight years ago. She has since served as club president twice, and is currently serving as secretary while also being in charge of planning social events, including the monthly “Remot...
Williamson County Sun •

Georgetown resident stars on ‘Farmer Wants A Wife’

“I never thought that I would go on a date with a man and four other women. It was different than I was expecting,” said Georgetown resident Erin Sossamon, who was featured as a contestant on the FOX reality show Farmer Wants a Wife earlier this month.

On the show, contestants leave their lives behind for up to six weeks to see if they can make a connection with a bachelor farmer and find love. Instead of going on lavish dates and to exotic locations like many other dating reality shows, contes
Loosely Cultured •

Is Las Vegas Worth Visiting? - Portrait of a Place

“You either LOVE Vegas or you HATE Vegas,” a cowboy in an outdoorsman vest told me as we stood in the lobby of Encore Hotel, waiting to check into our rooms. After the trip, I can confidently say that I love Las Vegas– for what it is.

The city’s values may be troubling for some visitors. I cover this more throughout the article. Las Vegas, aptly nicknamed “Sin City,” is a destination designed to capitalize on basic human urges: greed, sexual desire, and instant gratification. The casinos claim
Williamson County Sun •

Poet Kevin Young gives lecture at Southwestern University

“What interests me is how poetry can provide a witness to history,” Kevin Young said before his Roy and Margaret Shilling Lecture at Southwestern University Friday, October 13.

Mr. Young is the poetry editor at The New Yorker and spoke to students, faculty, alumni and other community members. During his lecture “The History of Poetry & The Poetry of History,” he read some of his own work, and also talked about his first editorial job: scouring the archive of Thomas Wolfe to compile a book of Mr
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Highlighted Work