Bee Cave’s Revival Square can keep tents for now,

BEE CAVE — The vintage furniture store Revival is edging closer to the owners’ goal of erecting an eclectic shopping center with a large stone church at its center, but the storms over Memorial Day weekend created a setback.

David and Tara Camp received approval Tuesday for a special event permit from the Bee Cave City Council that is valid until Dec. 31. This allows the Camps to keep the tents that cover their vintage wares. Council members re-emphasized the desire to see progress on the site plan for “Revival Square,” a concept featuring eateries and small retail spots.

“The last time we had this discussion six months ago, I voted no, and that came from a place that if (tents are) what you want forever, we should address the forever part of it,” Council Member Marie Lowman said.

David Camp insisted the site plan was near-ready for presentation to council, and the city staff agreed the plan would likely be ready by the end of June.

During the heavy downpour and punishing winds on Saturday night and Monday, Revival’s tents were blown aside and much of the merchandise — one-of-a-kind doors and old, ornate shelves — were toppled, shattering glass panes and marring wood surfaces. The Camps don’t have an official estimate on the damage yet, but David Camp said the loss would likely be in the “hundreds of thousands” of dollars.

“And (insurance) only pays the cost, not the retail price or shipping,” he added.

The Camps took what they could salvage to a warehouse inspected.

“We’re just ready to start building,” Tara Camp said.

For now, the old stone church they had shipped from Ohio stone-by-stone will have to wait until the site plan is approved. David Camp asked the council if, in the meantime, they could install something a little tougher than tents to protect their merchandise.

“We had a thought that we could replace the tents ... with a temporary pavilion or a wood or metal structure,” David Camp said. The council denied this based on the staff ’s caution that a building permit might be required.

ERICH SCHLEGEL / FOR AMERICANSTATESMAN 2013 Revival, a vintage materials store, had kept a number of items under tents, and that merchandise was either damaged or ruined by the storms over Memorial Day weekend. The owners say they still intend to erect an eclectic shopping center on the site.