As a native and mostly lifelong Houstonian, I remember going to The Village, as it was called, since my childhood in the 1940s. My dad had an HO gauge train layout and loved the G&G Model shop on Times. I scored my toys at the World Gift Shop, which was originally on Almeda Road (went there too). Up until they had their closing sale, the same lady sat at the cash register (c. 40+ years). In 1976 I bought a bungalow in West U. for $35k and lived there 16 years. Enjoyed popping over to the Village on my moped. Faves were The Bead Shop, Warp and Woof hippie clothes, the British store now called British Isles, the huge fabric store between Morningside & Kelvin, the 5&10 cent store on Rice, and DeFalco’s Wine Cellar (beer & wine making gear). Was sorry to see the Village Theater go.
In ‘93 I moved to the Land of Sugar, and WUP & The Village became The Land of the Teardown. Miss the old versions, full of character.
