Making Memories with Mom

Each spring and fall, tucked beyond fields and winding country roads in Fayette County, lies a uniquely Texan experience that draws thousands – Round Top’s charming antique fairs. 

The Round Top Antique Fair is a renowned, multi-week event that attracts antique dealers, collectors, and shoppers from around the country. The fields are filled with a wide selection of vintage furniture, art, home décor, unique finds, and more.

More than 100,000 visitors from across the country make the pilgrimage each year to hunt for treasures, take in the colorful scenery, and create lasting memories. 

With a population of just 90, Round Top is small but mighty with its presence.

In honor of Mother’s Day, we heard from some mother-daughter, and even grandmother, groups who meet each year amongst the scenic area just an hour or so west of Houston. 

For Buzz mom Courtney Prochaska, a social media consultant and mother of two, the biannual tradition is about more than just shopping. It’s a cherished time with the women who mean the most to her – her mom, Cathy Hutton, her grandmother, Carrietta Gentry, and Cathy’s lifelong family friend, Mary Chenoweth. Cathy, lead interior designer of Renovate Interiors, moved to New Ulm from Houston a few years back so Round Top is just a town or so away. Cathy has been shopping Round Top since 1990. 

The group coordinates their schedules each spring and fall to meet for a day of browsing, lunch, and simply soaking in the atmosphere of Round Top. The town has grown, but their tradition of meeting up twice each year has remained the same. 

Cathy Hutton and daughter Courtney Prochaska are all smiles on a sunny day in Round Top.

Courtney, a fifth-generation Houstonian, juggles her PTA volunteer duties and her sons’ busy sports schedules, but she never misses this special outing with her mom, grandmother, and family friend. In years past, her cousin, Abbey Fisher, and sister-in law, Amy Robinson, have joined the group of women. Amy’s daughter, Clare, joined one year in her stroller when she was a toddler. 

Since 2013, Courtney has made the trip with her 85-year-old grandmother, whom she affectionately calls Honey, her mother, Cathy, and Mary. Their time together is filled with laughter, shopping, and relaxation. “My favorite memory is Courtney, as a non-shopper, bringing a book to read while we finished browsing,” Cathy said with a laugh.

Courtney doesn’t attend for the purchases – she goes for the quality time. “I’m not really a shopper,” she admitted. “But this trip is different. We never leave empty-handed, but even if we did, it’s about the time together – driving, talking, and laughing.”

Their routine is well established. After getting her two boys, Harris, 8, and Thomas, 9, off to school, Courtney rides with her grandmother and Mary for the scenic one-hour drive to Round Top, where they meet Cathy, who drives in from New Ulm (and Courtney’s husband Drew holds down the fort at home in Houston so Courtney can enjoy a stress-free day).

They spend the morning exploring Blue Hills, The Arbors, and Round Top Village, strolling through the sprawling antique displays. After hours of browsing, they enjoy lunch at The Garden Co., followed by a sweet treat at Royers Round Top Café. The adventure is always filled with laughter. “One year, we couldn’t find Honey,” Courtney recalled. “She had wandered off, and we eventually found her comfortably settled in an Adirondack chair with an ice-cold beer.” Needless to say, Courtney joked, Honey isn’t there for the shopping either.

Cathy is a passionate Round Top shopper, and she does not resist a treasure. “Honey had to ride on the floor of my mom’s Yukon to make room for the 17th-century stenciled wine buckets my mom purchased,” said Courtney, laughing. Honey goes with the flow. 

Veronica, Molly, and Teresa

The tradition of Round Top antiquing runs deep in Courtney’s family. “I remember my mom going to Round Top with her friends when I was in eighth grade,” Courtney said. “She invited me to join in 2013, and I’ve been going ever since.”

Cathy and her husband Robbie love hosting friends and family in New Ulm, making Round Top trips even more special. “It’s completely doable as a day trip, but it’s also fun to make a weekend out of it and stay with them,” Courtney said.

While shopping at Round Top, Courtney and her mom make a point to support local artists. “I have a painting of a church from my favorite artist [Mary Gregory] from Abilene hanging in our living room. I love that I found it with my mom,” Courtney shared. 

Over the years, Courtney and her mother have collected special pieces, including a pair of mirrors she cherishes. She also has a fondness for Texas-themed dishes and enjoys hunting for them while out shopping. Peering at the items in their homes reminds them of the memories shared on their annual day trips to Round Trip. 

The group’s tradition of wandering through the antique fields together has created countless memories. And as for Honey? “People always ask, ‘Is this your sister? Your mom? Your grandmother?’” Courtney said, laughing. She is aging well.

QUALITY TIME For the past 10 years, mom Veronica Massiatte and her mom Teresa Flores have made day trips to Round Top a special tradition, and now her daughters Maddie and Molly join too.

Many Buzz residents make the trip to Round Top each spring and fall for its unique charm. Veronica Massiatte, a mother of three, has been attending with her mom, Teresa Flores, for over a decade. Now, her daughters, Molly and Maddie, have joined the tradition, sometimes accompanied by her dad and son as well.

“Watching my daughters learn how to antique or haggle for a price has been such a great experience for them,” Veronica said. They have cherished pieces of furniture in their home purchased in Round Top, like her favorite antique chest that sits in a corner, bathed in sunlight and adorned with a vase of flowers. 

One of her favorite memories? Shopping through the tents at Round Top during the Astros playoffs. The Astros advanced to the playoffs in an exciting and memorable moment. “I was watching the game on my phone while shopping. My mom and I were screaming as we walked through the booths,” she laughed.

Veronica and Maddie

Year after year, she and her family look forward to the trip – finding hidden treasures, bonding over antiques, and making priceless memories.

A day spent antiquing with mom, grandmother, daughter, a beloved family member, or a close friend can be good for the soul. It is an opportunity to slow down, browse unexpected finds, and connect across generations over a shared love for history and craftsmanship and most of all, antiques.

The Original Round Top Antiques Fair Fall Show takes place in the spring and in the fall. The fall show is scheduled Oct. 15-21, 2025. General admission is $10. See www.roundtoptexasantiques.com for details.