hydeaway

Irontiger - the architects were likely out of Cincinnati. The mall was developed by Federated Department stores - Foley's owner since 1945 before they were sold off to May Co in 1988 and then to Macy's. I would love to find pics of the Mall's early days with the anchors, hallways, etc.

Palais Royal was located between The Patio/Sears wing and the CenterCourt (where the waterfalls were) and faced Greenspoint Drive. (Friday's, El Torito). Bealls replaced Battelstein's first. In response to the prior comment about Foley's being green -- Macy's apparently painted it green. You will notice the structures on the roof match what the color once was - white. I was at a training course recently at the greenspoint Marriott and ventured into the mall. Foley's is really sad. Macy's closed the entire first floor and has black curtains hanging to prevent you from seeing up there. The escalators are blocked off. The store smells and several associates told me the upstairs leaks like a sieve and they are getting sick from the mold. You can actually see mold growing on the glass that still fronts the elevator structure. It used to be a beautiful store. The entire mall is so sad looking. Nothing like its previous life. I was speaking a commercial realtor regarding our moving our office and she said not to rule out greenspoint. According to her, the current owner is out of California. He has refused to sell several times. One business arrangement involved them totally redoing the mall (heard that one before) and he even signed 6 restaurants that committed to building in the mall parking lot. He never did anything so they sued him. Now he is in finanical trouble and the realtor hopes he finally sells She said the return of greenspoint is not an if, it is a when. There have been plenty of interested parties with the pockets to pay for a redo. The other entities are interested due to the proximaty to the airport and freeways as well as the Class A office buildings.

I spoke to the family (I went to high school with Sylvia, Tina and Manny). The Greenspoint location was no longer profitable. They were the only original tenant that was left from the original food court (called The Patio for the first 20 years). Brothers has locations in The Woodlands (Grogans Mill Shopping Center), Magnolia (Westwood Village Shopping Center), Willowbrook and Cypresswood. I have patronized the Woodlands and Magnolia locations and they are just as tasty as the original in the mall.

Firebird, did you have a time frame when you were intending on scanning the photos? Thanks!

When I was in high school in 1981-1985, our drafting class was shown blueprints for an upscale mall that was to be built in the Greens Crossing portion of Greenspoint just across the freeway. It was to include a Bloomingdales and an ice skating rink. The Paragon building(s) -- one of three that was actually built -- was supposed to be connected via a skywalk. When the energy bust came, the plans were scrapped and they build the now defunct "power center" that had included Phar Mor, Children's Palace Toys, Circuit City, etc on the site. Did anyone else see those blueprints or know about this? What was the name of the planned mall? Any other prospective tenants you were aware of? It shows how upscale Greenspoint was at its zenith. Remember Lord & Taylor, Walter Pyes, Benetton, Jarrod's Polo Shop, Isabell Gerhart and other high end stores Greenspoint Mall had in its quiver?

Does anyone have any pictures of Greenspoint in its heyday?

I remember Dalt's and Houlihan's that were by the entrance to Joske's at Greenspoint Mall. Dalt's also had a location on Westheimer. Victoria's Station was great by Greenspoint as was Fajitas on Greens Road. Maggie's was on I-45 by Greenspoint as was Scooby Doo's Fun Factory Pizza. Birra Poretti's took their space over later. Foley's had the Greenhouse restaurant and Lord & Taylor had their own. Smuggler's Inn was on the Beltway 8 interchange by Greenspoint Mall. York Steakhouse was good. It was in the Joske's wing of Greenspoint. Duff's Smorgasbord was a change of pace in Humble.

I miss Foley's, too. It was the last of the hometown department stores. When you think about how involved they all used to be in civic support, etc. Foley's, Sakowitz, Joske's, Craig's, Walter Pye's, Isabell Gerhart, the true Beall's and Palais Royal - when they were separate entities and unique. Remember the Foley's Thanksgiving Day Parade? the Foley's Academy in the basement downtown for kids struggling in school? Each region used to have their own stores, history and traditions. Look at Marshall Fields and what they meant to Chicago. Burdine's to Florida, Rich's to Atlanta, Bullock's, I Magnin and The Broadway to southern California. It is a real shame. Southern California, for instance, used to have May Co., The Broadway, Macy's (the original RH Macy Co. - not the Kmart of today), I Magnin, Emporium, Capwell's, Bullock's, Bullock's Wilshire, Robinson's, Gottschalks and Harris'. Now all they have is ONE - Macy's. Talk about no competition. Where are all the bleeding hearts and their talk of anti trust problems? Virtually every market across the country is in the same position. It all started with the greed on Wall Street allowing Campeau ( a real estate tycoon from Canada) to purchase Allied Stores and then Federated Dept Stores -- all with junk bonds, none of his money --- which eventually caused the bankruptcy and consolidation of centuries old icons. Read "Going For Broke" and "The Rain on Macy's Parade". Both very good books on this debacle.

The Anna's Linens location in the pic was originally an Oshman's sporting goods. Anyone have any pics of Greenspoint when it was at its zenith? I have been searching for some across the internet with no success. Thanks!

You are so correct. The original Visible Changes was by JCPenney. I believe it was one of the first (if not the first) in their chain. Another styling salon called Fascination opened in the former TJ's Hobby store by Lord & Taylor. It later became Visible Changes Too.

Does anyone have photos of Greenspoint in its heyday?

The pictures of Foley's are depressing. I notice they have closed off the entire second floor. That was Foley's 3rd largest store in the chain and most grossing in its heyday. Anna's Linens was Oshmans. The mall used to be lined with real ficus trees which were lit up with small lights at Christmas. In the mall's center was a 2 level waterfall with a restaurant on top called the Center Court Restaurant. One could walk under the fountains with water on both sides. The Sculpture Court featured a statue called "High Flyers" of a boy pushing a girl on a swing. It was made of bronze and was life size. By Wards was another fountain that was made of pipes. It sounded like a music box. Each pipe would gradually fill with water and gently fall on the stone which would make the sound of a chime. Each pipe was a different size making a different chime. Near The Patio (food court) was the Children's Court. It had a rubber floor and red and yellow cubes kids could play in and jump from. Foley's and Sears were the original anchors. JCPenney, Wards and Lord & Taylor were added in succession with Joske's and its corresponding wing being added in 1980. Palais Royal and Battesteins were also original junior department stores. Bealls purchased Battelsteins later. Isabell Gerhart (From The Galleria) had a store down by Foley's while Walter Pyes (another junior upscale department store) had a location by Joske's. Joske's was sold in 1987 to Dillards. Lord & Taylor pulled out in 1988. Wards closed in 2000 and JCPenney pulled out in 1995. Walter Pye's closed along with Isabell Gerhart and Beall's. New owners of the mall gutted its beautiful Central Park theme demolishing the fountains, trees and sculpture and taking up the classic tiles replacing them with hideous glow in the dark pastel tiles. The Patio was also gutted of its skylights, hanging baskets and wood detail. The mall is now a ghost of what it once was.

Has anyone ever come across any photos of Greenspoint in its heyday? Such as the fountain with the restaurant on top, the "high flyers" sculpture, etc? Remember the children's play area with the rubber floor with the yellow and red cubes we climbed and played in?

Has anyone got any of the old pictures of Greenspoint in its heyday? Remember the fountain you could walk through with the water falling on both sides and the cafe with yellow umbrellas on top? It was a high quality place at its zenith. I have alot of the old circulars and sale brochures the mall would send out in the 1970s and 80s listing all the stores, events, etc. I worked at Things Remembered by Wards in 1983 (10th grade) and at Foley's Men's Clubhouse in 1984-86. It was one of their top grossing stores at that time. I also attended Aldine High School with the Bekiri's that own Brother's Pizza. They were into Duran Duran bigtime. Great family. I, too, moved from Aldine to Spring to The Woodlands. By the way, who was the school teacher mentioned at Aldine? I am curious if I had him in a class as well.

Thanks for the information!! Boy, that brings back memories. Lord & Taylor opened in 1979.

You are so right. The restaurant had no windows, the red vinyl chairs with placemats built into the tables. Remember the chip baskets with the maple sugar candy at the bottom? I do remember the Sound Warehouse, too. Do you remember Victoria Station?

You are correct, There was a restaurant above the fountain in the center court. It had yellow umbrellas and served sandwiches and the like. I can't, for the life of me, remember the name of it, though. Remember TJ's Hobbies? That was there when the mall opened. It faced the Children's Court. Anyone have any photos of Greenspoint in its heyday?

There was Casual Corner by Sears that had brick walls on the outside wood trim. You may be thinking of Jeans West or County Seat. They were further down the corridor towards The Patio. Remember W. Bell over by Target? There were a catalog place like Best Products. We loved going to Dalts after the football games. They had the best malts and homemade chips. They were at the mall entrance by Joske's with Houlihans right across from them. TGI Fridays was just bulldozed recently. I have not been to the mall in years either.

The stores in the Foley's wing were Video Concepts, Gap, 579, The Berry Tree, Silverman's, Champs, Regal Touch, Sweeney's, (later J Riggings that moved from the Sears wing) and Bag N Baggage/Houston Trunk Factory. Do you remember these? : Going towards Wards - Piccadilly, Kathy James, Coach House, Graves, Footgear, Southern Fabrics, Wicks N Sticks, Funway Freeway, Things Remembered, Lerner, DoctoRX pets, Ritz Camera, Jewels by Jason, (later Chick Fil A) and Dunderbaks. Of course, the General Cinema was down there, too. Down towards the Scuplture Court and the Waterfall main corridor - Jarrods and Body Shop, Isabell Gerhart - a very nice dress salon, Gordon's, OakTree, Bealls/Battelsteins with Palais Royal down from them, Haus Edelweiss, Hickory Farms, Levitz Jewelers, Bennetton, Foxmoor, Contempo Casuals, Joyce Bertram Bath and Boudior, Chess King, County Seat, Morrow's nut house, Florsheim, Corrigans, American Express Travel, Oshman's, Florsheim, Oshman's, Berolina (outside Lord & Taylor), Johnston & Murphy, Timex AllTime watch store, Hanover Shoes and Danskin Dancewear. Outside Penney's - Southern Fabrics, Leopold, Price and Rolle - which also had an entrance in the main corridor, The Limited. Outside Lord & Taylor - Berolina, Storehouse, Gingiss Formalwear, Intellitrix game shop, Ventura Formalwear, Rings and Things. Sears Wing: Casual Corner, Thom McCan shoes, Pickwick Music, Jean Nicole, Baldwin Lively Organs/Pianos, TSO, Children's Place, World Bazaar, Margo's LaMode and B Dalton's Books. There was a fabric place that I can't remember the name to. Remember the Children's court? It had those three dimensional cube things that we could play in. They were yellow and red. It had a rubber floor so you could jump without getting hurt. The stores around it were: Zales, Kinderfoto, Shelley's Tall Girls. The Patio: Brother's Pizza, Steve's sandwich shop, Taco Spot, Baskin Robbins, Original Cookie Co. Famous Ramos Pretzel shoppe, The Polar Bar, Famous Ramos hot dog shoppe, Hamburger Station and Chinese Wok. Joske's wing: York Steakhouse, Petite Sophisticate, Ups N Downs, Shelley's Surf Shop, Model A Station, Black, Starr & Frost Jewelers, James Avery, Houlihans, Dalts, Kay Bee Toys, Walter Pye's, StrideRite and Accessory Lady. Across from the mall was the Scooby Doo Fun Factory Pizza which later became Birra Poretti's. Maggie's was also across the street. Best and Victoria Station were a little further down Green's Road. Remember University Savings by Fajitas and Monterey House?

I grew up at greenspoint mall, too, and worked at Foley's in my junior and senior year in high school. The restaurant you are referring to by Joske's was called "Dalt's". It was across from Houlihans. The ficus trees that lined the mall were real. It was a beautifully designed mall. The waterfall in the center of the mall allowed one to walk under it and had a cafe on the top with yellow umbrellas. The scuplture court, down by Foley's, was called "high flyers" and was dedicated by Pat Foley at the mall's grand opening in July, 1976. Unfortunately, the statue disappeared years ago and is rumored to be in storage by the owners of the mall. The fountain by Wards was unique as it sounded like a music box...as the pipes would fill up with water they would raise and then fall as they emptied hitting the metal bar making the music. The Foley's store was their 3rd largest (next to Downtown and Sharpstown). It was added onto shortly after its opening in 1976. Other notable upscale stores were the addition of Lord & Taylor in 1979, Isabell Gerhart (from The Galleria), Walter Pye's and Battelsteins (that later became Beall's). Brothers Pizza is still there and is run by the same family - the Bekiri's. I went to high school with many of them. The mall as a huge draw for the north side of Houston and, at its zenith, was the highest grossing mall in the nation. Its fortunes began to change when Houston annexed the greenspoint area and the buslines came in 1986. Crime surged at that time and the flight from the area began. The opening of the Willowbrook, Deerbrook and Woodlands malls sealed the mall's fate. Foley's and Lord & Taylor also had their own restaurants - Foley's was called the "Greenhouse" and L&T was called "Cafe American Style." There was an El Chico's down by Penney's which later became Casa Ole. Foley's was much more upscale then with their fur salon, full size candy department, stationery/gifts, personal shopper, travel, portrait studio, beauty salon, etc. I absolutely despise Macy's. Anyone else feel that way? Does anyone have any pics from Greenspoint in its heyday?? I would love to see some..