Sears At 4201 South Main St.

[houston1973]

so has the missing siding been replaced yet?

no

[NenaE]

Checked out the Sears (exterior) on Main yesterday...have to say I understand why so many people make negative comments about it. It's in such poor shape, can't understand why Sears has allowed it to stand for so long (although I'm glad they have), while they were so quick to gut the other Sears stores I grew up going to. Guess it has to do with the leasing of the land from Rice, and probably the revenue it brings in. I noticed that the store was fairly busy with customers. Looked like the "A" was the only letter remaining on the one Art Deco sign, protruding from the brick. Hopefully the other letters are laying on the awning below. The balcony area has some hidious cheap-looking plastic or glass, frosted, paneled sunroom looking thing on it. Poor building, tasteless patches everywhere. I can still see what it was.

[JRH_1948]

My father worked at the S. Main Sears from 1947 to 1965. He was manager of the Farm Store and then the buyer for the Farm Stores and Garden Shops in Houston before transferring to Dallas in 1965.

I practically grew up at that store. I don't recall the building being refaced before we moved to Dallas in 1965, but I do recall my mother talking about how bad it looked when they visited there in 1968. The 1968 date for the refacing may be correct.

The "Open t 9" sign was used when the store was open late. In the '50s, the normal closing time was 6pm but on two days a week (Tues and Thurs I think)it was open until 9pm and the sign was turned on.

The taller section of the store was where the executive and Houston Merchandising Group offices were located.

The Farm and Garden Shop was located across the street from the main store on Fanin. In the '50s they sold tombstones. When they closed the sales office for tombstones, my father took the desk and chair home. I am typing this while sitting at that desk.

The chimes/dings in the store were pages. The store had a switchboard operator answering the phone and when a call came in for a department, she would page the department with a chime code. A sales person would pickup the phone (a direct line to the operator) and the operator would connect the call.

[johnfinley]

Has Sears replaced the missing siding yet?

[NenaE]

Here's a picture of Sears, S. Main in better days, with balcony trees. You can also see that there were at least two of those skinny "Art Deco" lettering Sears signs, in the beginning. Sears (see bottom photo) : http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-5865:79

Notice how rough the road is, it's in bad shape.

[sevfiv]

Has Sears replaced the missing siding yet?

The siding hasn't been replaced - with the normal upkeep of the store, I doubt it ever will be..

[Dan the Man]

Here's a picture of Sears, S. Main in better days, with balcony trees. You can also see that there were at least two of those skinny "Art Deco" lettering Sears signs, in the beginning. Sears (see bottom photo) : http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-5865:79

Notice how rough the road is, it's in bad shape.

Thanks, never seen that photo before. Where was "Doctors' Row" (in the first picture)?

[NenaE]

Thanks, never seen that photo before. Where was "Doctors' Row" (in the first picture)?

Don't know, the photos seem to be scattered in between chapters that don't exactly correlate to them. Couldn't find an explanation or location for Doctors Row. The index doesn't list it either. The pics in that book link are very good, though. You can view them all at once, and just jump to each photo.

[MaggieMay]

Thanks, never seen that photo before. Where was "Doctors' Row" (in the first picture)?

I took a moment to Google "Doctors Row Houston" & found it in Houston, A History & Guide. You can download the entire file of this WPA guide--mine is a PDF. Yup, Doctors' Row is mentioned. Along with lots of other stuff.

Sorry, I don't have a quick answer. Getting into this book will take far too much time. (Surely, somebody here's linked it previously?) There are pictures & maps....

[rsb320]

I took a moment to Google "Doctors Row Houston" & found it in Houston, A History & Guide. You can download the entire file of this WPA guide--mine is a PDF. Yup, Doctors' Row is mentioned. Along with lots of other stuff.

Sorry, I don't have a quick answer. Getting into this book will take far too much time. (Surely, somebody here's linked it previously?) There are pictures & maps....

Thanks for the link Mags, I love this stuff. I can't stop reading it.

[NenaE]

Don't know, the photos seem to be scattered in between chapters that don't exactly correlate to them. Couldn't find an explanation or location for Doctors Row. The index doesn't list it either. The pics in that book link are very good, though. You can view them all at once, and just jump to each photo.

Maggie, that's the same book & link mentioned earlier. I've known about the book on-line for awhile now, scanned over the chapters on several occasions, but could never find any explanation for Doctors Row, maybe you guys will have better luck! It's probably in there somewhere. The maps are also very interesting. This research can be very time-consuming.

Sorry, guess we are straying off topic. Maybe it was located close to the Main St. Sears, may be why they are on the same page in the book, just a guess.

[tcpIV]

111739_Houston_TX_Store_Exterior.pdf I'd done some research on the South Main Sears address when it was still a residence of Howard Hughes' former partner. The house was later used as a shared office - John Staub was there for a while. Here's a photo I found deep in my email.

[NenaE]

111739_Houston_TX_Store_Exterior.pdf I'd done some research on the South Main Sears address when it was still a residence of Howard Hughes' former partner. The house was later used as a shared office - John Staub was there for a while. Here's a photo I found deep in my email.

I took a pic from the googleearth the other day, I think it's the same angle, not such a clear pic, though. Can someone verify the angle? You're picture is awesome, tcp, thanks for sharing. There looks like, in the historicaeriels maps, that in 1964 or the 1950's one, that there was some kind of Sears auto facility on half of that parking lot, would have fronted Eagle st. On second thought, I may be wrong, there's no posts on the foreground bldg. What bldg is that, in the b/w pic?

[NenaE]

tcp, in your research, did you run across a date of sale (of the land) to William Marsh Rice? I'm assuming he bought the land at one time, since it now belongs to Rice University. Sears just leases, from what I've heard on the grapevine.

[tcpIV]

tcp, in your research, did you run across a date of sale (of the land) to William Marsh Rice? I'm assuming he bought the land at one time, since it now belongs to Rice University. Sears just leases, from what I've heard on the grapevine.

Nena, I'm not aware of the current owner(s). My research didn't go past the sale to Sears from the Sharp family.

[Randyt7801]

I saw some small scaffolding around the upper parts of the building today.

[Subdude]

I saw some small scaffolding around the upper parts of the building today.

Fixing storm damage?

[Randyt7801]

Looked like they were painting that wonderful siding....

[NenaE]

I've been reading a book about the retail industry, (1940's-50's)... mentions a few Houston stores, briefly. I didn't realize that the reason the display windows on older stores (before the new Foley's downtown design) were bricked up was that the industry decided that the customer no longer needed to be enticed to come inside, they were already headed that way. (Sears has some, in pics above). The window designers then focused their skills on inside displays. Also mentions lighting advancements within stores as another reason for less windows, and stores utilized the space for storage &/or air-conditioning units. I always assumed the windows were covered to discourage crime/ window breaks.

It also mentions that the new "escalators" did not catch on with the elite shoppers, at first. Escalators were really embraced only by discount or lower priced stores, at first. The new state-of-the-art Foley's bldg. downtown installed an elevator system for their customers to use, as well as the escalator (until it became popular).

[sevfiv]

Yep, it's covered once again:

[NenaE]

Oh well. Covered up, at least the lettering is being protected from further deterioration, from the elements.

[Daniepwils]

Is this a full service Sears? I always thought it was automotive only for some reason.

[sevfiv]

^Yes - the automotive is about a block northeast of the main store.

[Daniepwils]

Cool, Thanks, I think I will go take a look.

[NenaE]

http://blogs.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2010/10/sears_in_houston.html

good pics & article about all Houston Sears locations.

[Materene]

http://blogs.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2010/10/sears_in_houston.html

good pics & article about all Houston Sears locations.

I remember going up the escalators in Foley s when I was around 6, scared to death!. The Sears Store is also a special memory since I went in there in aug of 1970 and purchased tools for my first job after the Army. Of course I remember all the store fronts having all glass and it looked or looks just plain eerie, while I was home in 2005 I lived in Spring Branch and I was always driving past the mall on 290, it just seems strange to not see any glass. In reality the idea to replace the glass is a politically correct way of dealing with smash and grabs, I find it hard to believe they spent all that money, and it was a bunch, to make the changes. They can put that out there for the younger people to believe but we older people know better. I would much rather see some sun shine than be in a dark un natural surrounding, maybe that's why people quit shopping there!

[LarryDallas]

GREAT thread and I'm glad I found it.

I actually went by that Sears in Santa Monica, CA in January of this year. The famous pier is just a short walk away and unfortunately the LA traffic kept me from doing both attractions so I chose the pier. FYI it costs $5 to park in that Sears but the pier parking is free if you stay under an hour in the winter time.

Anyway...getting back to Sears downtown Houston.

My memories with it go back to the early 80s when my dad worked downtown and would go at times to buy tools. He took me there sometimes on the weekend and I distinctly rememeber the escalators someone else mentioned. For the most part the 1980s were a very dark time for this part of town. The sidewalk by Sears smelled like urine, there were homeless people on the sidewalk that runs along the east side of the building, and even inside it just looked dirty. The bricked in glass was very ugly.

The basement tool department is one of the best in the city but being realistic I don't think this store will ever be restored to the art deco style. The Cafeteria by the parking lot was still around in the 80s as was the key shop. Both sit vacant now.

We also used to go on the other side of the parking lot to the "FireSale" store directly on the other side of Main St. from the church. I have not set foot in that building in at least 20 years but they would have tons of laundry detergent and clothes from other stores that were liquidated. The shop was in very poor repair then but that's just the way things were.

Anyone know what used to be where the Fiesta store on Wheeler sits?

Also, what was on that parking lot between Sears and Fiesta?

When the elevated section of HWY 59 went in did it wreck the area?

My dad still goes to the barber school on the other side of the Sears parking lot. I think it's $3 haircuts but he mostly goes to chat with them about the goings on in the area since he used to be around that part of town the 80s and likes to walk down memory lane. He actually had a really bad wreck at the intersection of Richmond and Wheeler making a left turn onto Wheeler when a Cadillac going west of Richmond crossed the yellow line and totalled his Buick....that was around 1988 I think.

[dbigtex56]

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[readam]

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Several items I either think I remember or know ...In the shoe department they had machines that showed Xrays of your feet to determine size and width and the curvature of your foot,,,these things had more radiation that medical ones and were finally done away with. I think I remember large murals on the walls on the main floor similar to federal arts works from the depression...is my mind playing tricks on me?? Near there was a Kress store, Delman theatre, One's a Meal, Prince's, Cleburne and Welden's Cafeterias, St. Agnes School...

[silverartfox]

Several items I either think I remember or know ...In the shoe department they had machines that showed Xrays of your feet to determine size and width and the curvature of your foot,,,these things had more radiation that medical ones and were finally done away with. I think I remember large murals on the walls on the main floor similar to federal arts works from the depression...is my mind playing tricks on me?? Near there was a Kress store, Delman theatre, One's a Meal, Prince's, Cleburne and Welden's Cafeterias, St. Agnes School...

The x-ray machines -- actually flouroscopes -- you mentioned were in most children's shoe departments and were considered the best way to see if a child's new shoes fit properly. I remember the murals at the Main Street Sears, too -- I think they were on the walls of the stairwell.

My folks were big fans of cafeterias and we enjoyed many meals at the old Cleburne Cafeteria and Weldon's. I vaguely recall going to a couple of movies at the Delman, driving past One's A Meal and having an occasional hamburger at Prince's, but don't remember seeing Kress' store in the area.