Florencio Benavides Sanchez's bar-restaurant-pool hall

Florencio Benavides Sanchez's Bar-restaurant-pool hall, Kerrville

Robert Puig sent me the following in an email earlier this week:

Hello Mr. Herring,

I love your old photos of Kerrville . You doing a wonderful job of preserving Kerrville History.

I have attached an old photo of my grandfather, Florencio Benavides Sanchez's Bar-restaurant-pool hall . It was located at 209 Jefferson St.  The old structure is part of my grandmother Petra Ayala Sanchez 1920's house. Today this property is owned by my cousin, Lilie Vargas Gonzalez. It is one of the houses that was not demolished by the H.E.B. Construction.

This photo was taken around 1910. The two men standing in the door way are left to right: Gregorio Michon Ayala and my grandfather Florencio. They were both barbers and entrepreneurs : Gregorio owned an operated the Sunset Auto Bus line before the Petersons started Greyhound Lines Service. Florencio ran a series of bars, restaurants and grocery stores but competed with Ramon J. Castillo and later with Pinky Lewis' "Red and White Store" at the corner of Lemos and Schreiner. 

I would be nice if you could post this picture on your site. Maybe someone in Kerrville can identify the other three men in the photo.

Later in the 1950's, my uncle Florin Ayala Sanchez had a barbershop here for years. Don't confuse Florin Bowles Sanchez with this Florin. They were best of friends. Both were barbers.

There is a funny story about these Florins. After they returned from military services, they decided to go cut hair in Winters, Texas, during the cotton picking season. There was great money to be made. On the way back home after the season, they were stopped by the local police for driving too fast. The police officer came over to the driver window and ask for his drivers license and name:

To diver: What's your name and what to you do for a living? "Florin Sanchez and I'm a barber."

To passenger:  ( same question) "Florin Sanchez and I'm a barber too."
Officer:  (setup) Are you guys b.s. ing me! I'm taking both of you smart a***s downtown where you can tell me the truth.

Both Florins showed the officer their driver's licenses and the policeman broke up laughing.

Florin Bowles Sanchez's son, Louis Sanchez is a barber too.

If anyone can help Mr. Puig identify some of the other men in the photo, that would be great.  Just use the comments section below.

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