Ivy Russell Ford Building At 1102 Yale St.

[RedScare]

Maybe it is getting rehabbed to its former glory. That would be sweet.

[lilyheights]

Thanks for posting these. We had every good intention of taking some photos this w/e. The baby, however, had other ideas about how to use our time.

I wonder what they'll do. I never knew an old building was under all that Eckard-ness. Very interesting, indeed.

[lunchbox]

What exactly were "Big Bonus Stamps"?

[nm5k]

Basically kind of like S&H green stamps, but just a different

brand.. Or if I remember right anyway. I remember them

being used, so they were around until at least semi recent

history anyway.

MK

[houwest]

Big Bonus stamps were given out by Weingartens, which was probabally had the most grocery stores of any chain in Houston through the early 70's. Minimax grocery stores and a lot of service stations gave out S&H Green Stamps. Other trading stamps that I remember in Houston were Top Value and Black and Gold.

The way it worked was, for each 10 cents you spent at a store, you got one stamp. 1200 stamps filled a book. When you redeemed your stamps for valuable merchandise, one book was worth about $3.00. I remember hearing stories about churches, schools and other orgainzations redeeming their pooled stamps for cars and buses. The biggest thing I ever remember getting was a croquet set for 12 or 15 books.

One thing to remember, these stamps were "lickers", not peel and stick. When you first started filling a book, it was kinda fun licking those stamps. After a book or so, it wasn't all that much fun.

That's when you called your little brother and had him come help you by sticking out his tongue.

[h8s]

I just did a permit search on the City Of Houston site and the only permit I found for 1102 Yale is a recent one for the removal of a non-load bearing wall. I guess that means maybe someone is restoring the building. (Or at least didn't purchase the demo permit yet.)

[SpaceAge]

Is this 1102 Yale? That was a Henke & Pillot (Pealot) grocery store for many years. My father worked there while he was in high school from about 1953-1955. About 1955-56 they relocated the grocery store to Merchants Park. Later it was bought out by Kroger and it is still in business at that location today. My father worked long hours at the store and diligently saved his money to buy his first new car from Johnson Motors on North Main Street in 1955. Tommy Vaughn married into the Johnson family I believe and took over the dealership, moving it to N. Shepherd about 1956 where it remains. I can't imagine why another Ford dealership would open at the old Henke's store location when there was already a Ford dealership less than a mile away. In the 1960s, the Henke building was used as a Big Bonus Stamps showroom and redemption center.

Growing up, my father was never proud to tell anyone he was from the Heights. It was, and still is by many from that generation, considered an undesirable part of town. They called it The Hungry Heights and everyone worked hard to leave the Heights as soon as possible.

[tmariar]

I found this flyer regarding the renovation. This site plan makes it look like they're hoping for a bank branch, three retail tenants, and a "cafe".

The "Big Bonus" signs were all down when I drove by earlier today.

Is this 1102 Yale? That was a Heinke & Pilot (Pealot) grocery store for many years. My father worked there while he was in high school from about 1953-1955. In 1955 they relocated the grocery store to Merchants Park.

Some history on Henke & Pillot:

Louis F. Aulbach article on Texas State Fair ("The state fair began informally as farmers and haulers who brought goods to Houston gathered in Henke's wagon yard north of the current site of Landry's Aquarium near Washington Avenue....")

HAIF thread with mentions of H&P ("Past Shopping Places in Houston")

Another HAIF thread ("Old Grocery Store...")

From Shopping Center and Store Leases by Emanuel B. Harper (1979) at sec. 9.01[4]: "A Houston, Texas grocery chain, Henke and Pillot resolved to attract the growing ranks of automobile owners early on and provided parking facilities for its customers in the 1920's. [H&P's] first branch store opened in 1923. Its customers could park in an adjacent 300 car parking lot developed by [H&P] itself. In one early 1920s photograph, a big crowd of [H&P] customers gather near their automobiles in the store's parking lot. Another 1920s photo shows [an H&P] parking lot swarming with automobiles. [H&P] must have been satisfied with the results of its parking experiment because it built a 450 car parking lot to serve a new store in 1926."

1896 H&P advertisement:

Henke & Pillot whiskey jug:

Photo that Alpha posted, which shows the Village H&P in the early 1940's:

[Lynne77009]

Does anyone know what is happening with the closed Eckerd's? There has been a lot of activity lately on the building. I was pleasantly surprised to see a lovely art deco building exposed once all the existing exterior was taken off. Hopefully the building isn't coming down. I hope they aren't turning it into a new CVS.

(Edit: this was posted prior to the topic merging)

[cottonmather0]

I noticed the old structure, too, a few days ago and hardly recognized the building. I doubt they're building a CVS since there is one just up the road @ 20th, but who knows?

My guess is that it gets torn down to build something residential, hopefully something custom and especially designed for as prominent a corner lot as that is.

[HtownWxBoy]

Does anyone know what is happening with the closed Eckerd's? There has been a lot of activity lately on the building. I was pleasantly surprised to see a lovely art deco building exposed once all the existing exterior was taken off. Hopefully the building isn't coming down. I hope they aren't turning it into a new CVS.

Not sure... I live like a block away, I hope whatever they are doing it's something nice.

[tmariar]

See discussion and links on this thread.

[pschawe]

I am the architect for the building.

I was very apprehensive at first, since the owner's original intent was to basically paint the old Eckerd's, but I was amazed at what we found hidden beneath the horrible mansard roof.

We will be adding new glass storefront replacing the Eckerd brick facade and little windows. The small clerestory windows above the canopy were a nice surprise as well and I hope to preserve them. The canopy will be replaced with a new one in the original style. The concrete block addition on the north end will be modified to match the historic deco structure. Most of the interior floor is terrazzo(!) and there is some very cool exposed clay tile along the back wall. Also hoping to actually take away some site concrete(site is totally covered in concrete) and add some landscaping.

We have been looking at historic designation and the developer is hoping to get some tax incentives. If anyone can point me in the right direction for this I would appreciate it.

Tenants are expected to be a deli/coffee shop, exercise studio, and credit union plus more.

Phil Schawe

[musicman]

^

Phil thanks in advance for trying to preserve some history and welcome to HAIF.

[tmariar]

Yes, thanks, Phil - your efforts are much appreciated. I changed the title of this thread slightly so that maybe it will catch the eye of those with information to offer regarding preservation and tax incentives. What I know regarding the historic designation ordinance mostly comes from the city's website, which also discusses the tax incentive program (which kicks in only after designation as an historic site). But there is also some information scattered throughout the Historic Houston subforum and elsewhere on this board (including the thread on the River Oaks Shopping Center).

[RedScare]

If I may repeat myself from post #2, that would be sweet!

[Heights2Bastrop]

Is this 1102 Yale? That was a Henke & Pillot (Pealot) grocery store for many years. My father worked there while he was in high school from about 1953-1955. About 1955-56 they relocated the grocery store to Merchants Park. Later it was bought out by Kroger and it is still in business at that location today. My father worked long hours at the store and diligently saved his money to buy his first new car from Johnson Motors on North Main Street in 1955. Tommy Vaughn married into the Johnson family I believe and took over the dealership, moving it to N. Shepherd about 1956 where it remains. I can't imagine why another Ford dealership would open at the old Henke's store location when there was already a Ford dealership less than a mile away. In the 1960s, the Henke building was used as a Big Bonus Stamps showroom and redemption center.

SpaceAge, thanks for the history of that spot.

I was pretty young when Merchant

[Guest danax]

I am the architect for the building.

I was very apprehensive at first, since the owner's original intent was to basically paint the old Eckerd's, but I was amazed at what we found hidden beneath the horrible mansard roof.

We will be adding new glass storefront replacing the Eckerd brick facade and little windows. The small clerestory windows above the canopy were a nice surprise as well and I hope to preserve them. The canopy will be replaced with a new one in the original style. The concrete block addition on the north end will be modified to match the historic deco structure. Most of the interior floor is terrazzo(!) and there is some very cool exposed clay tile along the back wall. Also hoping to actually take away some site concrete(site is totally covered in concrete) and add some landscaping.

We have been looking at historic designation and the developer is hoping to get some tax incentives. If anyone can point me in the right direction for this I would appreciate it.

Tenants are expected to be a deli/coffee shop, exercise studio, and credit union plus more.

Phil Schawe

Wow. The community is lucky that you're on this project and it sounds like it will be appreciated and loved.

The Heights website has some info on the Historic designation process.

[SaintCyr]

Anyone else in this area? I'm almost across the street from it and think its great... Hoping that it will spark some change along Yale... Anyone know anything about the buildings at 12th and Yale? Seems like that would make a great coffee and/or sandwich shop....

[Guest danax]

See discussion and links on this thread.

Topics merged.

[SaintCyr]

BTT... Anyone know of any other commercial plans or projects in this immediate area?

[Shamrock]

If there is another thread on this topic, let me know, and we can move this discussion over there -- but any intelligence on the shopping center that is being renovated? Appears to have originally been an old garage, and then it was a Walgreens or CVI.

[heights_yankee]

there is another thread, but i don' remember where. someone will surely move this for you.

i do want to say, i am thrilled to see that they look to be keeping the deco facade. well done!

[sevfiv]

topics combined

[NenaE]

Thank Goodness, something is not being torn down...thanks for all the info guys on this store. Very interesting topic. Good photos...It's amazing what you can find underneath so-called "improvements".

Anyone have a recent pic?

[Rusty_S]

SpaceAge, thanks for the history of that spot.

I was pretty young when Merchant's Park opened, and I well remember Henke and Pilot there. But I didn't remember it being on Yale. I remember Ivy Russell because we bought our '59 Ford station wagon from there. Daddy was considering one at Tommy Vaughn, but Russell was a better deal. The guy at Vaughn called him about his car, and when Dad told him he went with someone else, the Vaughn salesman cussed him out over the phone.

I don't remember Johnson Motors either, but I well remember a auto repair shop a couple of blocks down from Tommy Vaughn named Parks and Johnson. They later moved to W 16th across from Roundtree's Barber Shop. I was wondering if that was the same Johnson?

I remember the stamp place being there, but I thought it was Green Stamp. Was that always Big Bonus?

I would have to agree with you. I do not know of another Ivy Russell in houston in the 50`s and my Grandfather who lived in the heights in the 50`s bought a brand new 1956 ford from Ivy-Russell and I have the orignal dealership warranty so I would have to say that was a Ivy-Russell as far back as 1955. Too bad I couldnt find any pictures of the dealership taken around 1955-57 would sure love to have that at car shows I plan on taking the vehicle to.

I just hope this place is restored like it was in the 50`s or still be around cause I would like to get a picture of the car back on the same lot it was on at one time for sale.

[redraider]

My Grandmother was the Parts Manager for Ivey Russell Motors for 30+ years when they were at the original location on Main and then they move to Milam and the named changed to Russell/Smith. She would take me to Sears for lunch from time to time. She retired just before they moved again to the current location at 610.

[Subdude]

The pictures at the top are not showing on my side probably due to the fact that they are not recent pictures. But I have tried looking all over on the internet have been for about a month now and can not find any pictures of the Ivy-Russel Motor Co. dealership. I am seeking a picture of the Ivy-Russel Motor Co. dealership taken roughly in 1955-1959 and of the one on Yale Street if possible. I have a vehicle I obtained from family that bought the car from Ivy-Russel Motor Co. (not sure if its the Yale one or not but is close to his place of residence at the time of the sale) and I would like to have a picture of the dealership then and if possible one between the time it was converted or one after they removed the sign showing the old painted sign behind it.

Here you go!

[sevfiv]

This got a mention in Lisa Gray's current story:

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/ar...ay/5821475.html

[Rusty_S]

Subdude, Thanks. I forgot about this site when I got busy with the other messageboard I am a member of till I got a email saying I hadnt been here in a while and desided to check. Place actually looks pretty good especially the paint layout with FORD being above the doors on the flat sided corner. I would have to say that this pic was taken between late 1957 to early 1958 considering the sign says 1958 Ford, and the model year is different than the actual year 1955 would have been released to public late 1954 and sold through the middle of 1955 then around the middle of 1955 the 1956 year model would come out and be sold late 1955 to the middle of 1956.

Either way though its great to have this picture I can atleast use it to put in the shop after I get the car rebuilt with the new pictures showing the orignal paint scheme after the signs were removed.

Now the only picture I need to find is two pictures of the Dallas, Ford assembly plant. I know in the 80`s or close to the 80`s the plant was closed down and turned into a storage facility and is now supposed to be some kind of attraction. Just amazing that you can search on askjeeves, or yahoo, or even google and no pictures of Ivy Russel ever came up nor any pictures of the Dallas plant. Oh well I will find those pictures eventually.