The full story
Opened in 1891, the Cele Store was originally established as the Richland Saloon. Bought by Marilyn and Marvin Weiss in the 1950s, the store had been owned by their family ever since, with their grandson Brandon Fuchs taking over in 2007.
The secret to the store's “great tasting BBQ” was the brick barbecue pit built in 1964, the company claims on its website.
A remnant of the once small community of Cele, the store is located just beyond Pflugerville’s extraterritorial jurisdiction, 3 miles east of Lake Pflugerville on Cameron Road.
Janice Fuchs, daughter of Marilyn and Marvin Weiss, recalled how the area grew around the store, going from a small farmland area to seeing many homes pop up along Cameron Road, according to previous Community Impact reporting.
“I remember riding the bus home from school,” Janice said. “The bus driver would make a weekly stop at the store and let all the kids run in to buy ice cream and sodas.”
The vintage charm of the store also made it a sought-after location for several major films. Movies including “Secondhand Lions,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” and “A Perfect World” have all shot scenes at Cele Store.
Movie props, signed photos and various relics covered the walls of the Cele Store.
Stay tuned
The store experienced a few brief closures over the course of the Weiss ownership, leaving hope that maybe the history-filled building will reopen one day.
“Cele store is closed until further notice. Thank you to our customers for your many years of support and friendship,” the company states on its website.
