Last week, when I posted the images of Beal’s Dixie Kream taken in the 1960s, I sort of hoped that the place might still be open — perhaps run by the children of the original owner, Hazel Beal.
Boy, was I wrong. My pal Jeff Crook ventured down Old Highway 78 this weekend, and found the place, just about at the Mississippi state line. This is how it looks today. Pretty depressing.
Here’s what Jeff had to say:
Hi Vance. I think I found Beal’s Dixie Kream. I”ve attached the photo.
The place is in Mineral Wells, next door to an establishment that used to be called John’s Creek Cafe. The cafe’s sign has been painted over white, but there are some neon beer signs in the window and a sign on the door that says “No one under 21 allowed.” Sounds like a charming place to see some genuine local color, but I had the wife and kids in the car, so I just took a photo of the wreck next door.
The building now appears to be owned by a concrete company whose fence runs all the way up to the walls, and maybe through them. I didn’t open the door. It had a padlock, which looked broken. Maybe somebody broke in to set the fire.
Thanks for your hard work, Jeff. I always like it when readers do all my work for me.
PHOTO BY JEFF CROOK
