THE WONDER OF ROUND TOP
One can’t help but marvel at the phenomenon that is the Round Top Antiques fair. For several weeks out of the year, the antiques corridor in Fayetteville County explodes to 100x its size, welcoming anywhere from 100,000 to 120,000 visitors. To put it in perspective, this is more people than attend Burning Man each year and more people than descended on the tiny town in upstate New York in 1968 for what will forever be immortalized as Woodstock. Naturally Texas, being Texas, is like “hold my beer” and proceeds to put these infamous cultural events to shame with its gigantic antique pilgrimage.
We got to wondering, what is it? What is the allure? Why do so many people flock to this tiny town? Understanding the magnetism of Round Top required a perspective as unique as the event, and we found a couple who offered just that: part locals, part outsiders, entirely in tune with its magic.
Lineke and Timur of Rengi Living
Lineke and Timur of Rengi Living not only sell at Excess II during the market and have a presence year round at the Antique and Design Center on Henkel Square, they relocated their family from Europe to live in the area year round.
In reality Round Top is even smaller than most people realize. The official population of the town hovers under 100.
“It started as this little event, just twice a year,” they explained. “But it definitely grew bigger than they originally were thinking”
Lineke and Timur have a unique vantage point as both part of the community and observers of its charm. Their insider-outsider vantage point comes with an enviable list of “hidden gems.” Among their finds are Blissful Folly Farm, a family-owned spot in La Grange that they describe as “magical.” “They make their own pizza, mead, wine, and beer,” Lineke told us. “There’s live music, trivia nights, even animals. Nobody really knows about it, even the people who live here.”
Diamonds in the Rough
Another favorite is the Round Top Family Library, housed in a restored church. The church offers much more than a peaceful place to read. It serves up yoga classes, STEM programs for kids, and will even help with your taxes, something we could all use. The duo also mentioned kid-friendly wineries like Blue Mule (“they have llamas!”) and relaxed hangouts like Round Top Brewing and the pool at Oak Bones, so you start to see the life that exists here outside the pull of the antiques market.
The couple splits their year between Texas and Europe, sourcing antiques during summers abroad and winters spent scouting and shipping treasures back home. For them, the thrill of the hunt never gets old. “It’s like a cycle. We can't wait to buy again, and then we can’t wait to sell again,” they said. We asked if they themselves ever shopped Round Top and one special item sprang to mind: an industrial style kitchen island from a fellow dealer that acts as the centerpiece in their home. And Rengi Living’s craziest sale? A 16-foot marble-topped bank counter, complete with brass gates for the tellers. It was so heavy the buyer had to lift it by crane onto the top of a building in Houston to be used as a rooftop bar.
And while folklore abounds of epic finds and fortunes exchanged at Round Top, the couple insists the real draw isn’t the antiques themselves. It’s the shared passion of discovery. Whether uncovering surprise llamas, stumbling upon a unique piece, or simply finding home, “It’s like treasure hunting,” they said. “For us, and for the people who come here.”
