Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Smajstrla.
Todd, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
It all started with my great grandfather’s story and journey to this country. In 1895, a fourteen-year-old boy left Moravia to seek the American dream. The boy’s ship landed in Galveston, Texas where he immediately was taken into indentured servitude picking cotton for his passage. Through hard work, he escaped his plight and later settled in Elk, Texas. He had not forgotten the rewards of hard work and became quite prosperous, eventually owning several Cotton Gins and the famous Elk General Store. That fourteen-year-old boy was my great-grandfather, John Cyril Smajstrla.
Throughout Prohibition and the Great Depression, people learned they could always count on the Elk Store to provide for their needs. And, during prohibition, when the production and sale of alcoholic beverages were banned, my great-grandfather added moonshining to his resume.
Today, we are located on Main Street, Fredericksburg, Tx.
Hand making every batch of Sprits in house. We have around 13 different liquors that we distill.
We also have our private label wine. We focus on where the grapes come from and originate from; we make wines in Argentina, France, Italy, and California. We also sell over 100+ types of wine. We sell by the glass or bottles. Visit our tasting room for a wine or liquor flight!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We are the first licensed distillery in Fredericksburg and the first to also be a winery. We have two separate bars, one we sell our wine, and the second we sell or liquor. We do not sell any beer as the TABC license does not allow us to, unless we brew it ourselves in house, and we do not have the room to do so. Elk Store was a huge hit right from the start, and just as we were finding our stride, COVID hit. As everything, we had to shut down entirely. We were deemed essential, but we could not have any gatherings in the building, and only were able to do to-go. It was a slow several months, but once everything opened up again, we did great. With Fredericksburg being a popular tourist town, our town and business were lucky enough to be among the first to reopen. The response of Fredericksburg and Elk Store opening was tremendous. It allowed us to launch to another level of success. A level that we continue to this day.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Elk Store Winery and Distillery?
As previously stated, I travel around the world to make wines for Elk Store. Those wines, plus many others are available by the glass or bottle to be enjoyed in our Speakeasy. Aside of just our wines, we also specialize in our distillery. We make everything here in house, not just our own liquor, but freshly squeezed juice, home-made shrubs, freshly ground espresso (for the best espresso martinis), only using the best Luxardo cherries to make our old fashioned, and pretty much anything to make your cocktail, we made it. We focus on detail to make every cocktail a different experience, a smoke box to smoke our old fashioned, to a smoke bubble to add to your blackberry Manhattan, our creations of infused homemade liquors like Sweet Potato Whiskey, Banana Nut Rum, and more.
As a world traveler and experienced foodie, our bar snacks make you feel like you are traveling to a different country. Our French Queso, which is a gooey French Brie, makes you feel like you are in France. Our cheeseboard is probably one of the best you will ever have; from all imported cheeses and different styles of meat. Our Cuban Sandwich which we added a twist to it by accompanying it with its fresh Au Jus. It is one of those places that you need to visit to experience the Speakeasy atmosphere with live Jazz music. You wouldn’t want to leave.
How do you think about luck?
You know, honestly I believe you make your own luck in this world. I took a chance to move to Fredericksburg from Houston, 33 years ago, and it has paid off for myself. But I also came here and created something that I saw was missing. I have created different businesses, that have filled niches in this town, and I have been fortunate to be successful through hard work and perseverance. I guess you could say I was lucky to choose Fredericksburg as my home. The fact that you reached out to Elk Store, in order to interview me after 33 years in this town, says that myself and my team have done something right. Upon reflection, one major thing that good luck did play a role in my business was delivering me the best management team I could have ever wished for. Thanks to COVID, and San Antonio being shut down, my two right hand people, Daniela and Miguel Gaona, came to work for me and have helped shaped Elk Store to what it is today. But more importantly, this business led me to meeting my wonderful wife, Michelle. If it wasn’t for Elk Store, Michelle would have never walked through those double doors and my life would be nowhere what it is today (fabulous). So there you go, there is the luck you’re looking for.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elkstore1895.net/#
- Instagram: elkstore1895fbg
- Facebook: Elk Store Winery & Distillery
