If you’ve heard of the Garden Company, you may know it by a few different names. There are the two restaurants: The Garden Company Marketplace & Café in Schulenburg, Texas and The Garden Company Feed & Firewater in Round Top, each paired with a nursery offering plants and gardening accessories. Then there’s GarCo Goods, the shop connected to the Round Top restaurant, where you can find household and decorative items that match the eatery’s theme.

However you’ve come to know The Garden Company, it’s time to meet the person behind it all: Stevie Thompson, who co-owns the collection of businesses with her husband, Jeff.

The Garden Company was born in 1999, when the Thompsons decided to buy an existing nursery in Schulenburg. Stevie spent a lot of time on the road as a sales manager and was looking to stop traveling as much. After 17 years, they decided to open an accompanying restaurant to add to the business they were getting from the nursery. Soon after, they turned their sights to Round Top.

“Not many people know this, but my family settled in Round Top,” Stevie explains. “There’s a house behind Henkel Square that was built by my great-great grandfather. In a way, coming to Round Top was like coming home.”

The Garden Company Feed & Firewater is known for its relaxed atmosphere and farm-to-table menu; patrons can relax as they enjoy fresh food and innovative cocktails in an environment that feels rustic and earthy as much as modern and trendy. “We like to create a relaxed environment for our customers,” Stevie says. “We’re all about comfort, from the food we make to the goods we sell in our nurseries and shop.”

Like most businesses in Round Top, The Garden Company was affected by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic nearly a year ago – but Stevie attributes the restaurant’s survival to their loyal customers. “We’re so appreciative that so many of our good customers tried so hard to support us during the pandemic,” she says. In the end, the restaurant didn’t have to lay off any of its staff.

“I love the feel of Round Top,” Stevie continues. “I like that it’s always growing and so many creative new businesses are opening here. The Chamber has done so much to help this little area grow. It’s very mindful and comforting to me.”

To learn more about The Garden Company, follow them on Instagram or visit their website.