Gurgis

Yes, Maplewood Center, not too far away on Beechnut at Hillcroft. I remember many meals at a Mexican restaurant on the left / east end, with a grocery store at the right / west end. Foodarama has been there decades (I used to take my grandmother there to get groceries). In the middle it was enclosed, like you say. I remember it being a bit dark in there during the day, but a nice way to shop outside of the heat. Farther to the west there were a few more stores, including a record store. Then continuing west across Hillcroft, the Jack in the Box that's still there.

I first went in the mid 1960's as a child, with my family. Later went there as a teen in the late 70's. I remember a model shop, which was popular back then. Could assemble a kit of a car, plane, ship, etc. and paint it. Someone previously mentioned a possible name: Kits Inc. Hobby. A friend worked at Walter's Pyes (business suits, etc.). I remember the open atrium, TSO, Wyatt's Cafeteria, Hickory Farms, etc. All my early movies were at the cinema. Lots of meals at Los Tios across the street to the north (which I guess is still there, wow). And much farther back in time, across the freeway to the east, Globe department store (where Lowe's is now).

Great topic, and nice map there! When I lived in Clear Lake, I sometimes took day trips to look for sections of land where the track used to be. If you know where to look, you can see quite a bit of the straight cleared path (usually with electrical lines overhead). The online aerials (Google and Bing) do help show the traces where the track used to be. I think they eventually pulled up the track, and sold it as metal scrap.

I'm pretty sure I know what you are talking about, as I was usually looking out the window at that, as others (older than me) were driving. It wouldn't have been a Steak N' Ale, but something else. Seemed fairly large and distinctive, getting your attention. Hopefully someone will confirm, and maybe provide a picture.

There's a Facebook page with quite a bit of pictures: https://www.facebook.com/westburysquare/ Also, this great website: https://arch-ive.org/westburysquare/

Here's a good article on the subject, in case that hasn't been mentioned yet: https://thebuzzmagazines.com/articles/2014/11/restaurant-memories Includes a great picture of Rumpleheimer's and the clock tower at Westbury Square

That's been discussed on this forum before. Across the Street (the location I remember) was essentially on Hillcroft, just south of Westheimer.

I remember Kings (and the telephones used to place orders), and want to say I remember eating onion rings there. Facing the front, to the left was AJ Foyt dealership. To the right of it Goony Golf, and then further the library. I remember Brittain's Broiler Burger, and having great grilled burgers there, though don't remember the exact location. Someone else indicated that it was at the nearby strip mall (probably at Bellfort and Chimney Rock) where TG&Y was, and a haircut place I used to go.

It's currently the location of Eddie's Welding Equipment, 10710 Craighead Dr, Houston, TX 77025. Maybe that address could help. There are a couple of "Teen Ave" streets near where the track was, which could be relevant. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Eddie's+Welding+Equipment/@29.6652828,-95.4465888,338m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sWillowbend+Blvd.+on+Craighead+Drive+houston,+TX!3m5!1s0x8640e8bd41206ca7:0x1307454afa5a99db!8m2!3d29.6650498!4d-95.4461597!15sCi9XaWxsb3diZW5kIEJsdmQuIG9uIENyYWlnaGVhZCBEcml2ZSBob3VzdG9uLCBUWFovIi13aWxsb3diZW5kIGJsdmQgb24gY3JhaWdoZWFkIGRyaXZlIGhvdXN0b24gdHiSARR3ZWxkaW5nX3N1cHBseV9zdG9yZeABAA

Might need to access some maps from around 1943 to see exactly what and where Maplewood might have been at that time, to narrow it geographically for searching. I'm sure the Maplewood that I know of was probably a field at that time.

I was curious how many of those buildings still exist that NASA used in the early days, and how they look now. See attached images. I tried to get basically the same camera angle as the pictures in the first document / link above. Only a few appeared to no longer be standing.

I remember a book store in Westbury Square - even though just a kid - and that probably was the name of it. Thanks. Great memories of that whole complex.

I used to live in Clear Lake, and came across those same old maps showing Camp Killkare. It was on several updates of essentially the same map. I also did research into aerial photography and old USGS maps. I once went over to that area, as close as I could get to the site, to see if I could see anything. There were thick trees in the way, and private property beyond. Another way to view the area is from the piers at the park on Taylor Lake, and you can look north to the bend (as shown above). The site still remains a mystery to me. More than likely, it was just a feature recorded on the original map, as something special to the cartographer, or something that was planned to be significant, but never turned out to be. Maybe it was something of temporary use, and just happened to be active when the map was first being prepared. Perhaps there is some information in the Clear Lake or Seabrook libraries...

Good post there about Babbage's. I completely forgot about that place. Definitely went there in the early days of computing (maybe at Westwood, Sharpstown, or Meyerland malls). I can't remember what I purchased, but probably was DOS books or early software.

Yeah, it was at what is now 7801 Hillcroft, at the southeast corner of Hillcroft and Pine Street. The A-frame building faced Hillcroft, with the length of it paralleling (and just south of) Pine St. I remember going to it as Der Wienerschnitzel possibly as early as the late 60s, but definitely in the 70s. By the mid 80s it was Niner's Hamburgers (they still had hot dogs too). I actually worked there. The owners also had a Niner's location in Pasadena, possibly also a former Der Wienerschnitzel. According to their website, there are currently 45 Texas locations: https://www.wienerschnitzel.com/location-results/texas/?address=tx The founder had an interesting and fun life: https://www.wienerschnitzel.com/drive-thru-life-the-story-of-john-galardi-founder-of-wienerschnitzel/

That's not true. For one thing, you can't "burn" a huge brick building. Secondly, it was demolished. Here is a link to an article referencing Dec. 1995 with the first mention of the mansion's planned demolition, and available sale of all items in the house prior: https://www.chron.com/this-forgotten-day-in-houston/article/The-Seabrook-Murder-Mansion-6705906.php There are other articles in the Chronicle with news of the actual demolition starting, possibly in 1996. I used to have copies of them. I visited the site around 2005, and it was already set up as a subdivision. Here's an article from 2014, detailing a man's dislike of living too close to the former Mansion site. 514 Villa Dr. is indeed essentially where the mansion was located. There are plenty of photographs and aerial images to confirm this. Others apparently don't want to believe that's true. https://www.chron.com/homes/article/Man-wants-out-of-lease-after-learning-of-5427481.php

Although it's called "The Hobbit Cafe" currently, I want to say that at one time (late 70s / early 80s) it was called "The Hobbit Hole Cafe". Does anyone remember if that's true? I also wonder if the building looks different or has been remodeled since back then. Driving by there more recently, it seemed to have a different appearance from memory.

Great to see the video (good quality!) and read the posted memories. I think I went two times, probably 8 or 9 years old. I remember the Oriental-looking tower, the water ride, and seeing some animals. I also remember a strange smell coming from the brewery (sort of like burn spaghetti). I'm sure it was hard competing with Astroworld, which had so much more to offer. Due to the animals, there would have also been unique expenses and personnel along the lines of zoo upkeep and handling. The location was sort of strange too, in the midst of freeways and buildings. You never really could escape the city/urban atmosphere surrounding the site like you could at Astroworld. I remember enjoying it though.

There was a large upscale restaurant and facility, maybe in the Memorial area, that my family occasionally went to in the 70s and 80s. I want to say it was called Valdo's or something. It was a big place, with lots of landscaping, and water near it - a pond or lake - with maybe swans. It was always the fanciest place we ever went to, for special occasions. It was definitely more than just a restaurant. It was a place for weddings, etc. Wait a second.... I think it was Vargo's. That sounds right...

Ha ha! I remember Texas Tumbleweed on Fondren at S. Braeswood because I worked there. In fact, it was my first job. I helped it get prepped to open, then stayed another month or two. That must have been about Summer 1979. The restaurant wasn't quite at the southern end though. I was fairly centered in the middle of the side facing Fondren. Edit: August 2, 1979 Texas Tumbleweed which was located at 9950 Fondren at South Braeswood.

I was going to mention the Lewis & Coker on the southeast corner of Hillcroft and S. Braeswood, but aggieengineer beat me to it. To address brucesw though, the grocery store wasn't on the corner of the two sides (i.e. the old Blockbuster location). It was at the far south end on the side facing Hillcroft. In other words, if you faced the Hillcroft side of the center, Blockbuster would have been at the far left (the corner), and Lewis & Coker was at the far right. The large space of the grocery store was later divided up into smaller sections for the later tenants. I remember going to that strip center for different purposes over time: in the early years (Lewis & Coker with my mother), teen years (game room - Gold Dust Saloon??, Blockbuster), and later for haircuts on the Braeswood side. Rice Food Market was a completely different and unrelated venture on the opposite (west) side of Hillcroft. I used to work there. I also remember Zinnante's Delicatessen. Was that in that small strip center at Hillcroft and Queensloch?

Great post! I haven't thought of those restaurants in a long time. There was at least one in the SW Houston area, possibly on S. Post Oak. I only have a very vague memory of what it looked like on the outside (i.e. location-wise). I do remember the great steaks and potataoes.

I remember a Del Taco on S. Braeswood, just west of Hillcroft. It and McDonalds were next to each other. Then McDonald's built a bigger building on the corner of that intersection, and is still there as far as I know. An aerial picture still shows the old Del Taco building, and a smaller building in between it and the McDonalds. I remember them having really good tacos.

Another great picture! Wow, this really goes back to my early days. I do remember heating up the colored squares / flat cubes in the plastic chamber, and slowly seeing the small creatures emerge

Great pictures! I remember the atrium area not so empty and open. It seemed more cluttered and filled with planters, trees, concrete benches, etc.