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Battelstein's Department Store At 812 Main St.


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I am so glad to see discussion of converting the building back to a retail use. I wish the article went into some specifics -- I'd be more optimistic if it announced that a retailer had signed a lease on the building or some space in it. But talk of it being reborn as retail is better than nothing.

At least the building is still there. The sites of other former downtown department stores like Battlestein's and Neiman Marcus are no more.

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it's interesting to consider what would happen to the galleria if houston's downtown retail goes upscale. two upscale centers of retail perhaps? does it matter, in general, if upscale retail focus moves downtown from the galleria?

exciting none the less.

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  • 3 years later...

I worked at Battlesteins downtown. It was located at 812 Main. Next door on the corner was Walgreens at ground level and LC Cafeteria downstairs. Across the street was a jewelry store on the corner, Corrigan's I believe, next to it was Saks Fifth Avenue and next to it The Three Sisters clothing boutique.

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I worked at Battlesteins downtown. It was located at 812 Main. Next door on the corner was Walgreens at ground level and LC Cafeteria downstairs. Across the street was a jewelry store on the corner, Corrigan's I believe, next to it was Saks Fifth Avenue and next to it The Three Sisters clothing boutique.

Did you mean to say Sakowitz? I don't think Saks Fifth Avenue has ever been in downtown Houston, have they?

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Did you mean to say Sakowitz? I don't think Saks Fifth Avenue has ever been in downtown Houston, have they?

Sak's was originally where the new Blvd Place is going, then they moved the the Marshall Field's building in the Galleria, after Field's pulled out of Texas.

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  • 3 months later...

A Houston Architecture Info visitor named Kitty Landholt sent in an old drawing she has of the Battlestein's Building. She wrote

I give this building 5 stars for intrigue. I've passed by it every day for the past several months while working downtown, and it's always intrigued me, wondering what it once was, admiring the gentle curve of the second level window strip opening. Finally, I just saw it in a 1950 booklet of building drawings, and now I know it was once one of the busiest dept. stores in Houston! Crazy! It always smells like a funky old basement when you walk past because of the grilles in the sidewalk blowing up basement air at you.

She scanned in the picture and sent it to us:

gallery_1_86_590852.jpg

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Battelstein's (1950)

Location: 812 Main Street

Architects: Joseph Finger & George Rustay

...mentions a "planar limestone facade"...and an "inset second floor balcony (originally intensively planted)".

source: AIA Houston Architectural Guide, S. Fox

I love those old deep set entrances to bldgs. Thnx for the drawing & pic.

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What type of clothes did Battelstein's sell? Were they considered an "upscale" store like Sakowitz, or were they more "middle of the road" like Foley's?

I would say more upscale, like Sakowitz. There was a Battelsteins in Sharpstown and there was also a free standing store on Sheperd near San Felipe for the River Oaks shoppers. Frost Brothers operated a store in that building in later years.

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Wow, looks like the flagpoles are still there...the marble is nice, & what happened to those missing letters in the name? I wish my digital camera & I could walk through this bldg, and others like it. Do you know it's current condition?

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  • 1 month later...

Battelstein's was a wonderful clothing store that catered to high end clothing for men women and children in the late 1930's and early 1940's. In 1940, "Pap" Battelstein was still living. He was a rather short, portly man with kind eyes who stood near the entrance of the store and handed dimes which he carried in his coat pocket to the young children who came to the store shopping with their parents. Another fond memory of this wonderful store was hat shopping with my father. In the men's department, which at that time was on the ground floor and to the left of the front door, there were large display cases on top of which were miniature hats sitting on top of their miniature hat boxes. After my father made his selection of a new hat for the season, I would be presented with an exact replica of my father's new hat in my own little hat box. I no longer have these small treasures and have often wondered what could have happened to my collection.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I searched and couldn't find much on Battlesteins Downtown . I know it was supposed to of been Houston's busiest department store but was wondering when and why it closed. I noticed it looks like a club was inside at one time on the lower levels . Any info would be greatly appreciated !!! :D

25ap8k2.jpg

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I would say more upscale, like Sakowitz. There was a Battelsteins in Sharpstown and there was also a free standing store on Sheperd near San Felipe for the River Oaks shoppers. Frost Brothers operated a store in that building in later years.

Any idea where this River Oaks building was (if it's still there at all)?

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Yep, it was at 2010 S. Shepherd - there was a beauty salon, tea room, and something called Graham's catering, too.

Just across Indiana was Jamail Bros. food market.

Awesome...thanks! About Jamail's market...is that now the PetCo store? I've wondered about the history of that building since it clearly isn't new. Several months ago when Petco was remodelling a part of the store, the floor was torn up, and I could see old-fashioned linoleum tiles, the kind with the marbling pattern, underneath.

Anyway, I looked up the store on http://www.historicaerials.com, and yep, there it was in the photos from 1957 trhough 1981. Already gone by 2002, replaced by that apartment complex. A rectangular building, apparently two stories tall or so (judging from the depth of the shadow) with a parking lot to the south. I don't think I can post a pic here due to copyright infringement, but you can look it up by going to the site, entering the address "2100 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019" and selecting the year 1964. (I recommend 1964, as that has the best photographic quality.)

Does anyone, by any chance, have an old photo of the store? Heck, I'd love to see any old photos of South Shephard Drive since I'm practically on that street everyday. :-)

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The book Houston - the Bayou City mentions that the downtown "Battelstein's (dry goods store) was enlarged & remodeled in the building boom years of 1945-50's. The reference is an article titled "The New Battelstein's Formally Opens in March", Houston, XXI (March 1950), 10-11, 36.

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  • 2 weeks later...
The book Houston - the Bayou City mentions that the downtown "Battelstein's (dry goods store) was enlarged & remodeled in the building boom years of 1945-50's. The reference is an article titled "The New Battelstein's Formally Opens in March", Houston, XXI (March 1950), 10-11, 36.

Most times we saw Battlestein's, we just kept walking. It seemed to "adult or square" to us teens. :blush: All we would see were like matronly dames or ladies that appeared very high brow, enter & exit.

Anyone have any idea of the origins of that name ? I mean like what part of the world it originated from? German perhaps?

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  • 1 year later...

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