If Texas dance halls had a Mount Rushmore, this iconic honky-tonk would be chiseled in. From the outside, it looks like the kind of roadside stop where you’d grab a cold Coke and a bag of pork rinds. But step inside, and you’ll quickly realize you’ve entered a shrine to Texas country music that’s been making boots scoot since 1942.
John T. Floore’s Country Store—known to most simply as “Floore’s”—sits near the north end of the Helotes historic district just outside San Antonio. It isn’t so much a “store” as a dance hall that’s hosted everyone from Hank Williams to Kacey Musgraves. In fact, the legend of “Shotgun Willie” Nelson was born on this stage, where he carved out his new persona and found a lifelong following.
The walls are lined with photos that make up a who’s who of country music spanning nine decades, while the boots hanging from the rafters whisper the stories of generations of Texans who’ve danced the night away.
When I visited, the street was filled with pickup trucks as the smell of brisket drifted on the Hill Country breeze. Inside, I ordered a plate of tamales (a Floore’s specialty) and an ice-cold longneck, served just the way Texas law requires.
By the time the band struck its first chord, the dance floor was packed with folks two-stepping like they’d been practicing for years. I tried to keep up but mostly looked like a confused armadillo on roller skates.
What makes Floore’s special isn’t just the music or the food—it’s the feeling that you’re standing in the middle of Texas history that’s still alive and kicking. It’s a place where past and present two-step together under the same neon lights.
