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I also remember us going skating at a roller rink (1962-64) that I think was on IH-610 west of Gulfgate Shopping Center/Mall. Was there such a place in that vicinity? Or in this case, has my memory failed me? Chet Cuccia

Didn't know if anyone was privy to what, if anything, will be added to Gulfgate. There is still the huge empty land between 610 and Donaraki. Also there appears to be some kind of construction action in the parking lot in front of the Marshalls.

I'm wondering if anyone knows about an underground bar that was located at Gulfgate Mall? I worked at the mall around 1989/90 and when we took out the trash for the day we would unlock a door within our tenant space, walk down two levels of stairs, unlock another door and come out in a long hallway that lead to a dock where the trash was picked up. Off this hallway were several rooms which held old storage racks and mannequins for other stores. There was one door down there that had signage indicating that it was a bar. Maybe it was at some point, but I can't remember ever seeing patrons down there. As if the old mannaquins weren't creepy enough, on our trip down we were faced with cobwebs, one or two lights flickering and a terrible sewage stench. My employer (The Limited) made us walk in pairs to take the trash out. The Limited's location was near the center of the mall. I don't think that this supposed bar would have anything to do with the bowling alley. Does anyone have any knowledge of this bar or these creepy areas beneath the mall?

How old is the Dot Diner at the old Gulfgate Mall location? It is next to the Pappas Bar-BQ place (formerly called Brisket House). Both are some of the oldest in the Pappas chain. They are probably from the 70's. Although not Houston....how old is Gaido's in Galveston? Has it always been at that seewall location? I went there in the 60's at least. Until it burned down maybe 5 years ago....how old was the "Sho 'Nuf" Bar-BQ place on I-10 east right past Mercury on the south side of the freeway? It looked old......... How old is Bonnie's on the Gulfgate freeway near Woodridge and how old is Dante's also on Gulfgate (a little further south on the freeway feeder road). Just some thoughts of old restraurant locations.....

The Gulfgate Cinema across the 610 frwy was really nice, I recall seeing the "original" Poseidon Adventure there many times that marks it at about 1972. Theater very nice/clean kept up. Families would line up all the way across the bridge to the mall. Screen was shaped as a huge curve all white appeared as if you could step into heaven. This is when Cinerama & Cinemascope were the big deal way before "wide screen" was even a phrase. I worked at Wilson's Jewelers dept store directly across. Large contemporary store with quality items. Joske's Dept was at the other end. Weingarten's grocery was at west end, I recall there was a guy (that worked at checkout) that all the girls were crazy about because he had a very Rod Stewart hair style. There was a of the very convenient & inexpensive Piccadilly Cafeteria used to pack em in. One of the women's clothing store had several models that would get in the display window and act like mannequins. The crowds would gather waiting to see her move and she seldom ever did. When you least expected it she would jump at you the crowd would flip out! Great publicity for the store though. There was always a Santa of course. Then there was the now legendary Bowling Alley downstairs beneath the record store. It was huge and very mod 60's. The best part of the mall was that it was created on a huge man-made hill. Way ahead of it's time as far as innovation so if there was flooding you were always safe on this big hill. There were and always will be shoplifting and car thefts but nothing as wide spread as today. Anyway I am gald to say I knew the area in its prime. I wonder what happended to all the cool friends I made while working there. Our cigarette buts are scattered under the rubble somewhere near the old bridge (this is where most of the teens would hide out to take a puff or 2) Thats the way it was. I am sure there are many with similar endearing memories!

I remember one of the department stores in The Gulfgate Mall having a made of wood place where they hung blue jeans. I remember thinking how cool it was. It was during the 1970s. It really looked 70s style too. It kind of reminded me of something that came out of a television series or sitcom from the 1970s. I wish that was still there in The Gulfgate Mall. So many memories are not there anymore, how sad!

Came across this in a January 1957 issue of Houston magazine: "With strong vertical lines soaring upward, the first skyscraper in southeast Houston – a $10-million 27-story International Center (the third largest scraper in Houston) – is scheduled for construction near Gulfgate Shopping Center. Contrasting the horizontal ranch house lines of the surrounding sprawling subdivisions, the office building (and a connecting $5-million hotel-motel) will be built by Southern Enterprise Corporation near Gulf Freeway on 20 acres purchased from Mayor Oscar Holcombe for almost $1-million – one of the biggest land deals in Houston in recent years."

I was born on June 13, 1972 in Houston Texas! I was born and raised in Houston Texas (I still live in Houston Texas), but I have traveled a lot though. My grandfather (my mother's stepfather) died on Friday October 02, 2009 and my grandmother (my mother's mother) died on November 15, 2011 (I believe that is the correct date). But all my grandparents has passed away. Let's get started on my topic! I remember going to the Gulfgate Movie Theater in the 1970s and the 1980s, and I remember the stain glassed window (pardon my grammar and spelling), does anyone remember that beautiful stain glassed window? I also remember that fun video game with the race cars at the Gulfgate Movie Theater, too. I do remember going to the Women Restroom in the Gulfgate Movie Theater and remember that neat tile work throughout the Gulfgate Movie Theater too. And in the Women Restroom they had a sink and a place to wash your hands in the stall (pardon my spelling, again). How about that neat orange round couch or sofa in the middle of the lobby, where you can look at that beautiful stain glassed window while sitting on that circlar sofa/couch. I remember a lot of beautiful and neat stuff from the Gulfgate Movie Theater. How about when you drove on I-45 and you could see the Carousel Hotel/Motel Sign? That was a very neat sign, in my opinion. I miss seeing that sign, now. All these things reminds me of my mother's parents (my grandparents). I was especially close to my grandfather (my mother's stepfather). We spent every waking hour with each other. He was such a good man! I also remember Peppermint Park, too. I didn't realize that Peppermint Park was located in the Gulfgate Area. I remember seeing both the 1970s movie 10 with Dudley Moore and the 1970s movie Saturday Fever with John Travolta at the Gulfgate Movie Theater. We stop going to the Gulfgate Movie Theater in the mid-1980s or the late-1980s, because the Gulfgate Movie Theater got to be a danger place. A lot of scary people hangout there.

When we went to Gulfgate Shopping Center back in the early 1960s, I remember going down some stairs to an underground bowling alley. I also remember my mother buying groceries in a Weingarten's store which was located at the end on the center next to Woodridge (I think that was the name of that side street). I can also remember going into a Newberry's store which was at the end of the center where a pedestrian bridge that traversed IH-610 from a movie theatre was. Does anyone out there have any updated information on Gulfgate, such as if any of those old store from 40 years ago are still there or not? Chet Cuccia

Apologies if this has been mentioned before -- I was looking at some aerial maps of the Gulfgate area and was wondering what the building(s) is/are on the south side of the 610 pedestrian bridge from the mall (in the red triangle). This image is from 1989 but it was all demolished by 2002 when Gulfgate Mall was being overhauled. TIA!

Does anyone have any pics of the old Peppermint Park? I loved that place! I remember going there for a birthday party, it was awesome!!! Moderator edit: According to Wikipedia (user generated database, could be incorrect) Peppermint Park had several locations during its existence. 1958 located in the Sears parking lot, Pasadena, TX. 1963 located on the Gulf Freeway, near Gulfgate Shopping Center. 1972 located at 2701 North Loop West. 1979 located on Highway 59 at Beltway 8. 1986 located at 17164 Blackhawk Blvd. In Friendswoods, TX.

Letter found in East End estate @ 20 yrs ago. Found it again last week. Written Sept 1956. I've posted the letter in Historic Houston under heading 1956 Gulfgate Shopping City & Weingartens Grocery. It's a folksy, interesting invitation to see the first shopping center in Houston. I think Northline followed a couple of yrs later. Anyone remember this opening?

Today Mayor White will announce plans for "The Animal Campus at Gragg Park" in the Gulfgate area. Gragg Park is on South Wayside at Brays Bayou. Fundraising will begin to find $10 million for the project, designed by English Associates Architects and Connolly Architects. I poked around the intarwebs and found this web site. I think this is the project: Construction begins in 2011.

Someone posted an aerial photo of Gulfgate Shopping Center taken many years ago. I read that the center opened back in 1956. If you look at that photo, you will see mostly vacant land on Woodridge. I remember when I lived near there (1962-64) that Globe Department Store and a car dealership was on that street, but you can't see them on that photo. So I deduce that that photo was taken either in the late 1950s or in the very early 1960s before those two businesses were built.

I remember "One's A Meal" in Gulfgate, with those traditional coffee cups. It was close to the pet store.

I used to hang out at the Gulfgate bowling alley as a kid. Last time I was in that place was around 1985 then it closed shortly after that. Whenever any of us kids waited for our parents to pick us up we always said "Pick us up in front of the bowling alley" and everyone knew what that meant. Was right under Picadilly Cafeteria and the record store on the right. Maybe I misunderstood the topic starters question is he asking for old now gone alleys or if there are still ANY period. Thats not really historical then. There are tons of modern bowling alleys around.