"We wanted people to walk into the gin and think 'this still looks like a cotton gin,'" Lauren.
Some tin from Reece was used to join two buildings at Kitalou

Kitalou

Mom and daughter team

Lauren Heinrich

Restored a historic agriculture landmark.

Took 9 months and 80 loads of trash to clean the gin

"We were cleaning on it up until the night of the first wedding," Lauren.

"The main objective, what was consistent is that we wanted to preserve the integrity and authenticity of the gin," Lauren.

"Coming from an ag family and having tractors and equipment we wanted to do as much of the work as we could ourselves," Lauren.

"We've got the equipment and the gumption to do it, so we're just going to get out there and get it done," Lauren.

The family salvaged as much as possible

I will include a photo of the architecture.

As agriculture continues to progress Kitalou will become more important to preserve.

Studies agricultural communications at a school which shall not be named.

Worked for Texas Cattle Feeders Association

Then worked for a local congressman

Shelley Heinrich

Worked in finance

'Retired' in 2011

Went to work for National Sorghum

Shelley was a development director and planned a lot of events and fundraisers which has helped in wedding planning.

Now works for the cotton board

Will include a photo of the two in the gin.

"We work well together," Shelley

"We're not only a good mother daughter team, but good partners," Shelley.

"We both think the same, but put our own little twist on things," Lauren.

"One of us can walk into a room and read the other person without making a big deal out of it," Lauren.

They can each relate to their customers, Lauren was recently a bride and can understand their needs while Shelley understands the mothers.

Helps bring perspective and problem solving

They can each help with creating the vision of the bride and mom.

Built in 1925 right outside of Idaou, TX.

Kitalou is believed to have been
named after a railroaders daughter.
Her sister was possibly Idalou.

Hail storm in Oct. 2018

The Heinrichs were cleaning at the gin when the big storm came though.

Shelley, "The buildings been here for about 100 years, why would I not stay here!"

Railroad ran right outside of the gin.

It is a kit gin, like ready built houses. Kitalou's sister gin was out at Reece Airforce Base.

The kit gins were sold like kit houses, you picked it out from Sears and it was delivered by railroad.

Tried to keep as much of the original building as possible.

"One challenge was when we would find cool stuff, we would want to keep it, but we didn't know what to do with it?" Lauren

Day of event

"we focus on customer service a lot, who else runs across town for a marriage license left at a church?" Shelley

"We take the burden off of the families backs and handle everything so they can sit back relax and enjoy the day," Lauren

"We call them our family," Lauren.

Family run, only one staff member who is a "second son" to Shelley.

"We all have our jobs and it runs smooth," Shelley.

"When we started our only goal was getting the bride down the aisle and after that we figured the rest out," Lauren.

First event

Bride and groom came to Lauren and Shelley asking if they were considering turing the gin into a wedding venue.

Gave Lauren and Shelley a timeline.

"We sat down with the whole family and made a promise to have this place done by October," Shelley

"From then on every weekend, every evening we were out here cleaning," Shelley

"We needed that timeline because honestly, it was overwhelming the stuff that had to come out of here," Shelley.

Bride and room are within the cotton industry

This validated that the gin was a good idea for Lauren and Shelley.

I will have a photo or two of a wedding.

Agriculture Education

"Just getting people out and showing them agriculture," Shelley.

"If we're not telling the story then who is," Shelley

"Were out here telling the story of conventional West Texas agriculture," Lauren.

The location of the gin helps start conversations

Animals and farms surround the gin

Averye Ferris and Kaden Hicks

June 29, 2019

Being out there I felt at peace

Felt like home

"it was a more unique venue"

dad owns a feed yard in Hereford

"my dads a cowboy"

"I grew up working in the feed yard riding the pens working cattle, so growing up like that then going out there and being surrounded by the farmland and cattle, i think there are horses and sheep across the road i just fell in love

Kaden

4th gen farmer

wants to go back to the family farm

Breck Faught and Treg Lindsey

July 20

Liked that it was unique

Dad does farm loans

Papa was a farmer

She grew up showing

Treg

Dad works for NRCS