Jump to content

Town & Country Village (Pre-Mall) History


IronTiger

Recommended Posts

Wasn't where Town and Country Mall used to be...before the mall, supposedly there was an open-air mall anchored by Joske's (which carried over to the mall) and Sakowitz. Then they razed it to build the mall. Am I correct or do I have my facts all wrong?

Town & Country opened around 1966. I don't remember when Joske's was built, but Sakowitz opened in November of 1967. I know because I worked there from the time it opened until 1972. Behind Joske's was a mini mall containing a few stores, but the only store name I remember was The Berry Tree. There was also a store called The Mod Mart in the strip center that was on the east side of the street that runs from Kimberley to where Joske's was. It had nice gift items and I still have a glass lampshade that came from there. There was a Mini Max grocery store and SuperX drug store. There was also a James' Coney Island and Demaris Barbeque. They were both on Kimberley. The Mexican Restaurant was Casa Martinez.

Edited by Alpha
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...

Wasn't where Town and Country Mall used to be...before the mall, supposedly there was an open-air mall anchored by Joske's (which carried over to the mall) and Sakowitz. Then they razed it to build the mall. Am I correct or do I have my facts all wrong?

SOUNDS LIKE GULFGATE..............BOTH STORES WERE THERE...........OPENED IN 1957

Town & Country opened around 1966. I don't remember when Joske's was built, but Sakowitz opened in November of 1967. I know because I worked there from the time it opened until 1972. Behind Joske's was a mini mall containing a few stores, but the only store name I remember was The Berry Tree. There was also a store called The Mod Mart in the strip center that was on the east side of the street that runs from Kimberley to where Joske's was. It had nice gift items and I still have a glass lampshade that came from there. There was a Mini Max grocery store and SuperX drug store. There was also a James' Coney Island and Demaris Barbeque. They were both on Kimberley. The Mexican Restaurant was Casa Martinez.

MOST OF THE TENANTS MOVED INTO THE SHOPPING CENTER BEHIND TOWN AND COUNTRY AND TOWN AND COUNTRY WAS COMPLETELY TORN DOWN AND EVERYTHING THAT WAS STILL IN GOOD SHAPE WAS SOLD.................SEVERAL YEARS AGO NOW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Town & Country opened around 1966. I don't remember when Joske's was built, but Sakowitz opened in November of 1967. I know because I worked there from the time it opened until 1972. Behind Joske's was a mini mall containing a few stores, but the only store name I remember was The Berry Tree. There was also a store called The Mod Mart in the strip center that was on the east side of the street that runs from Kimberley to where Joske's was. It had nice gift items and I still have a glass lampshade that came from there. There was a Mini Max grocery store and SuperX drug store. There was also a James' Coney Island and Demaris Barbeque. They were both on Kimberley. The Mexican Restaurant was Casa Martinez.

As I remember, two of the anchor stores were Joske's (later Dillard's) and J.C. Penney. The Wiki link to old Mall is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Town_&_Country_Mall

Also, we used to go on the roof of the parking structures and watch the fireworks on July 4th.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Long time lurker, first time poster. I feel I had to reply to the original poster to set the record straight.

My family moved to Houston in 1972 while I was in high school and we lived right off what was then called West Belt and Memorial so I was quite familiar with the Town and Country area. When we moved here, there was a Joskes that was connected to a small outdoor mall type area on the north side of Joskes. Palais Royal was in another parking lot in a completely different building south of Joskes and further south, bordering on Memorial there was Sakowitz which also had an attached outdoor mall type area at the north entrance. All I remember being there was a restaurant called the Refectory.

There was a Minimax grocery store just north of the Sakowitz area with a James Coney Island and a drugstore to the north of that.

Where the post office now stands there was a large building called the Farmers Market where around 1973, a large part of it was converted to the Ice Haus skating rink where the old WHA Houston Aeros used to practice on occassion. I believe just south of that was a Pier One type store.

The Town and Country Mall did not open until the early eighties where the anchors were Joskes (might of been Dillards by then), JC Penneys, Marshall Fields (wish they'd come back to Houston) and Neiman Marcus.

In 1972 the Sheraton had just opened on the corner of the Katy Frwy and West Belt. Just a bit further south were the Town and Country 6(?) theater and next to it was a Lowe's Theater.

I will post more if I remember.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Randall's is in the general area of the old Sakowitz ...maybe a little further east.

Remember there was also a strip center right along Memorial just east of West Belt where there was originally a Budget Tapes and Records which later became Evolution Tapes and Records. This was a little east of where Panjos Pizza used to be.

Come to think of it, I think where Sakwitz used to be it's now a parking lot.

Also remember Alfred's Deli and a Demeris barbeque somewhere in there.

The Randall's is in the general area of the old Sakowitz ...maybe a little further east.

Remember there was also a strip center right along Memorial just east of West Belt where there was originally a Budget Tapes and Records which later became Evolution Tapes and Records. This was a little east of where Panjos Pizza used to be.

Come to think of it, I think where Sakwitz used to be it's now a parking lot.

Also remember Alfred's Deli and a Demeris barbeque somewhere in there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • 4 months later...

Long time lurker, first time poster. I feel I had to reply to the original poster to set the record straight.

My family moved to Houston in 1972 while I was in high school and we lived right off what was then called West Belt and Memorial so I was quite familiar with the Town and Country area. When we moved here, there was a Joskes that was connected to a small outdoor mall type area on the north side of Joskes. Palais Royal was in another parking lot in a completely different building south of Joskes and further south, bordering on Memorial there was Sakowitz which also had an attached outdoor mall type area at the north entrance. All I remember being there was a restaurant called the Refectory.

There was a Minimax grocery store just north of the Sakowitz area with a James Coney Island and a drugstore to the north of that.

Where the post office now stands there was a large building called the Farmers Market where around 1973, a large part of it was converted to the Ice Haus skating rink where the old WHA Houston Aeros used to practice on occassion. I believe just south of that was a Pier One type store.

The Town and Country Mall did not open until the early eighties where the anchors were Joskes (might of been Dillards by then), JC Penneys, Marshall Fields (wish they'd come back to Houston) and Neiman Marcus.

In 1972 the Sheraton had just opened on the corner of the Katy Frwy and West Belt. Just a bit further south were the Town and Country 6(?) theater and next to it was a Lowe's Theater.

I will post more if I remember.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The ice rink in the Farmers Market was just west of where the post office is now and on the site now located where the Brownstones are. The road that goes between the post office and the Brownstones did not exist and the road actually was due west of the Brownstones lots. It was actually the road that now goes between the Brownstones and Luby's (now covered by a parking garage). I remember going back there years later and being confused by the placement of the road because it now borders a neighborhood and the Farmers Market was on the east side of the road and there is no room for it there with the current road. A check of the historical photos on Google Earth (from 1978) confirms the layout in the 70s.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember being excited when the Farmer's Market was announced, which I expected to be like the one in LA by CBS Television City. The one here was a big disappointment, tho' ... i remember the one here as mostly a collection of made-on-a-shoestring-budget curio shops. It was pretty much customer-free all the time, except for the adjacent ice rink. (I wish the COH and developers of the later, ill-fated Mercado del Sol -- east of downtown -- had taken a lesson from it. Seemed like it had the same pathetic junk shops and little else.)

To the west of that, there was a development called "The Mall of Fountains" connected to the Joske's store. I remember it having mostly stores selling shoes and handbags, plus maybe an Orange Julius. It was pretty dead. Later, we were again excited when the Town & Country Mall was announced to replace it. That mall was completed just in time for the big recession in 1983; also, Hurricane Alicia blew off the canvas-domed roof and drenched the interior. After that ill-starred beginning, it never really seemed to be able to draw much of a crowd.

The mall was replaced by City Centre, which apparently has been a big success (despite the ugly brownstones). So, I'm happy that the apparent jinx on that plot of ground appears to have been finally killed off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the Mall north of Joske's there were a couple jewelry stores, a Godon's and a Zale's and maybe a Michael's. On the street that ran into Sakowitz's big circular drive going to the big main entrance was a Sweeney E. Co. Jewelers store. I did some high end watch repair for both Joske's and Sakowitz between 75-79. I was delivering watch repairs twice a week out there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

The ice rink in the Farmers Market was just west of where the post office is now and on the site now located where the Brownstones are. The road that goes between the post office and the Brownstones did not exist and the road actually was due west of the Brownstones lots. It was actually the road that now goes between the Brownstones and Luby's (now covered by a parking garage). I remember going back there years later and being confused by the placement of the road because it now borders a neighborhood and the Farmers Market was on the east side of the road and there is no room for it there with the current road. A check of the historical photos on Google Earth (from 1978) confirms the layout in the 70s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

It's interesting to think that the T&C Village part has always kept it's profitable layout. That's a good b/w photo of it in the Houston Chronicle article. There is an old grocery store around the corner from the TC Village. Or, it may be in an adjacent one. It has a similar 1950-1960's slender suburban design. I believe it is by that bank building with the nice horse mural. You can tell it's a very old grocery store building. It sits on Memorial Dr. What store is it, Rice? and which one was it originally? Lewis & Coker, maybe?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's interesting to think that the T&C Village part has always kept it's profitable layout.

Not really. If you look at Google Earth, what part of Town and Country Village wasn't torn down for the mall was "redeveloped" in the late 1990s or early 2000s.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm speaking of the photo in the HC link - see post #8. 1965 - The trees/ medians layout/ main curved road/ and shops to the left. There is info. on original tenants and 40 yrs. plus. shops.  I've been to the bookstore Barnes& Noble, I think it is, that now sits in this area. The layout, although re-developed, probably several times, seems somewhat similar to that photo. I know the large store (Joske's) to the west of this area I speak of was added in 1969. The photo captions state this info. This all would have pre-dated the T&C new "mall". 

 

I need to look at HistoricAerials for a 1950-60's layout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This conversation brings up interesting memories.  Although, I cannot be sure that I remember all things better than folks have already related here.  I remember the MiniMax grocery store that was kinda close to the Sakowitz store.  It seemed strange that Sakowitz would have a store there, but the marketing angle I remember for T&C Village was that it would be super-convenenient because people could park right in front of the store they wanted to shop at, rather than having to walk a bit.  Apparently, that concept didn't work out so well.

 

The site where City Centre is now was developed (in my time at least) as "The Mall of Fountains", which as I recall consisted mostly of shoe and clothing stores.  It was never busy.  The 3-story T&C Mall came later, which opened just in time to have the roof blown off -- by what, Tropical Storm Allison, I forget -- and had to endure the ensuing oil-related recession in Houston.  As I recall, the ill-fated "farmers market" next door had already failed, to be followed by the ice rink in the same place.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's funny ArchFan, how customer tastes change, we are back to parking outside the individual stores again.

 

Well, I guess you are correct, IronTiger. Looks like those stores weren't standing in the area I am thinking of. I like to discuss it all, to see if there are some remnants of original design we can uncover. I looked at HistoricAerials. One thing is for sure, T&C Village development started between 1964 and 1966. That main road may have been either the current feeder road or the precursor to the beltway. Looks like there were some low profile shops, in a row, near that main road. Maybe someone recognizes it, and can verify for us. There is also a large T&C sign in that photo, at the center entrance, coming off that same main drag. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's funny ArchFan, how customer tastes change, we are back to parking outside the individual stores again.

 

Well, I guess you are correct, IronTiger. Looks like those stores weren't standing in the area I am thinking of. I like to discuss it all, to see if there are some remnants of original design we can uncover. I looked at HistoricAerials. One thing is for sure, T&C Village development started between 1964 and 1966. That main road may have been either the current feeder road or the precursor to the beltway. Looks like there were some low profile shops, in a row, near that main road. Maybe someone recognizes it, and can verify for us. There is also a large T&C sign in that photo, at the center entrance, coming off that same main drag.

The closest thing that may be original is a strip mall portion, northeast corner of Town & Country Blvd. and Kimberley Lane. These have remained intact since at least 1978, though the facades were altered in the 1990s re-do.

There are some more shops at Beltway 8 (West Belt Road, then) and Memorial Drive, but they've been expanded (if not outright rebuilt). A long skinny strip mall at Bough and Memorial appears to have remained intact since at least the late 1970s, but that's not part of T&C Village.

By the way, there is a map of the Town & Country Village with photos at the Houston Today scan I linked a while back.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The site where City Centre is now was developed (in my time at least) as "The Mall of Fountains", which as I recall consisted mostly of shoe and clothing stores.  It was never busy.  The 3-story T&C Mall came later, which opened just in time to have the roof blown off -- by what, Tropical Storm Allison, I forget -- and had to endure the ensuing oil-related recession in Houston.  As I recall, the ill-fated "farmers market" next door had already failed, to be followed by the ice rink in the same place.

That would be Hurricane Alicia (Allison was the one in 2001, and converted any sunken highway into a canal). The map on the "full" Houston Today scan is a bit low-res, I'll have to dig out my copy, which is a higher resolution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
  • 11 months later...

I was born in 1970 and lived in Fonn Villas until we moved in 1977. My brothers and sister were quite a bit older than me and grew up in our house on Val Lena. They went to Bendwood elem., Memorial Jr. High (I THINK it was called Jr. High back then or maybe it has always been Memorial Middle School), and all 4 graduated from Westchester High School. I attended Bendwood only for kindergarten and 1st grade. I LOVED playing in Bendwood park. My sister has always affectionately referred to it as “Pimple Park,” lol. I guess it was because of the big asphalt hill that looked like a giant pimple. I alsoremember going to Brownies at Pines Presbyterian Church. My friend and I would walk to Town & Country to go eat at James Coney Island (I think it was originally located where Escalantes currently is). I also remember MiniMax, Continental Finer Foods and Demeris BBQ (which was over where the James Coney currently is, near LaMadeline). I think the pharmacy that was in T &C was eventually replaced by Eckerd Drugs. I absolutely ADORED going to Panjo’s! Getting to watch them make a pizza through the glass was such a treat! My mom would take me to Sakowitz with her sometimes. I hated it because there was nothing in the store for children. I grew up wearing clothes from Chocolate Soup, Joske’s and Foley’s (the one in Mem City mall). I vaguely remember an Orange Julius somewhere near Joske’s. Going to eat a Luby’s always sucked. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED Luby’s, but they ALWAYS had a long-ass line. There was also a Burger King (which my sis worked at for a minute, lol) and an International House of Pancakes on that side of T & C. There were the two movie theaters over there as well. I always thought it strange to have 2 different theaters standing side by side. I kind of remember a Pacific Stereo near where the Sheraton was. On the west side of Westbelt there was a Globe or a Sage (cannot rightly remember). Bert Wheeler’s liquor store was at, or near Westbeltc and Kimberly. There was a pet shop on W. Bough, I believe. I also remember Oshman’s was in that area as was a bank (a Savings and Loan maybe?). Our dad took me and my sis to open an acct there and they gave us Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy piggy banks (I got stuck with Raggedy Andy...I guess because I was 10 years younger than my sis so she got first choice). Taste of Texas was right over in that area too. Opened in the mid to late 70s, I do believe. Going around the bend there was a Baskin Robbins, a record store (I bought my very first record there...the Beach Boys, Endless Summer), and a dry cleaners (I think). Across from Lantern Lane, just down Memorial Dr. was Buckner Baptist Haven (a really nice nursing home). A few of the stores that I can remember in Lantern Lane were Wagner’s hardware, Beasley’s Hazel or maybe it was Hazel Beasley’s delicatessen, Interurban pharmacy and Lewis & Coker. Across the street was a UtoteM, the Burlap Barrel, Colony Florist, Dr. Dorris (dentist), State Farm (Fred Poole), and the Lantern Inn restaurant. Sorry I rambled on. It was so nice to reminisce. Not to get too terribly off the topic of T & C but does anyone remember where Uncle Sam’s was? How about Goony Golf, Peppermint Park, The Hungry Tiger, Don the Beachcomber, Night Hawk restaurant, Steak & Ale or the  Old San Francisco Steakhouse? Good times!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
On 12/30/2009 at 2:08 PM, bababooey said:

The Randall's is in the general area of the old Sakowitz ...maybe a little further east.

Remember there was also a strip center right along Memorial just east of West Belt where there was originally a Budget Tapes and Records which later became Evolution Tapes and Records. This was a little east of where Panjos Pizza used to be.

Come to think of it, I think where Sakwitz used to be it's now a parking lot.

Also remember Alfred's Deli and a Demeris barbeque somewhere in there.

The Randall's is in the general area of the old Sakowitz ...maybe a little further east.

Remember there was also a strip center right along Memorial just east of West Belt where there was originally a Budget Tapes and Records which later became Evolution Tapes and Records. This was a little east of where Panjos Pizza used to be.

Come to think of it, I think where Sakwitz used to be it's now a parking lot.

Also remember Alfred's Deli and a Demeris barbeque somewhere in there.

In response to bababooey:

 

I moved to Houston in June 1972, the Memorial Villages. Regarding the Ice Haus, I played hockey there as a member of MHHA. We also skated at Sharpstown and the Galleria Ice Rink (rarely). Over next to Panjos Pizza was an Oshman's and the Tropical Fish Store. Directly across from the Ice Haus was the Joske's and the Orange Julius. Ice time was at a premium

so practices were late night and games were super early on the weekends. The Sheraton Hotel was our team sponsor for 1975 - 1976, we were the Pee Wee Blue Champions. Our coach

was Augie DeCapitie, a great man.

Scan0004_0004.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
On 2/1/2018 at 4:45 PM, Pepperkris said:

I was born in 1970 and lived in Fonn Villas until we moved in 1977. My brothers and sister were quite a bit older than me and grew up in our house on Val Lena. They went to Bendwood elem., Memorial Jr. High (I THINK it was called Jr. High back then or maybe it has always been Memorial Middle School), and all 4 graduated from Westchester High School. I attended Bendwood only for kindergarten and 1st grade. I LOVED playing in Bendwood park. My sister has always affectionately referred to it as “Pimple Park,” lol. I guess it was because of the big asphalt hill that looked like a giant pimple. I alsoremember going to Brownies at Pines Presbyterian Church. My friend and I would walk to Town & Country to go eat at James Coney Island (I think it was originally located where Escalantes currently is). I also remember MiniMax, Continental Finer Foods and Demeris BBQ (which was over where the James Coney currently is, near LaMadeline). I think the pharmacy that was in T &C was eventually replaced by Eckerd Drugs. I absolutely ADORED going to Panjo’s! Getting to watch them make a pizza through the glass was such a treat! My mom would take me to Sakowitz with her sometimes. I hated it because there was nothing in the store for children. I grew up wearing clothes from Chocolate Soup, Joske’s and Foley’s (the one in Mem City mall). I vaguely remember an Orange Julius somewhere near Joske’s. Going to eat a Luby’s always sucked. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVED Luby’s, but they ALWAYS had a long-ass line. There was also a Burger King (which my sis worked at for a minute, lol) and an International House of Pancakes on that side of T & C. There were the two movie theaters over there as well. I always thought it strange to have 2 different theaters standing side by side. I kind of remember a Pacific Stereo near where the Sheraton was. On the west side of Westbelt there was a Globe or a Sage (cannot rightly remember). Bert Wheeler’s liquor store was at, or near Westbeltc and Kimberly. There was a pet shop on W. Bough, I believe. I also remember Oshman’s was in that area as was a bank (a Savings and Loan maybe?). Our dad took me and my sis to open an acct there and they gave us Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy piggy banks (I got stuck with Raggedy Andy...I guess because I was 10 years younger than my sis so she got first choice). Taste of Texas was right over in that area too. Opened in the mid to late 70s, I do believe. Going around the bend there was a Baskin Robbins, a record store (I bought my very first record there...the Beach Boys, Endless Summer), and a dry cleaners (I think). Across from Lantern Lane, just down Memorial Dr. was Buckner Baptist Haven (a really nice nursing home). A few of the stores that I can remember in Lantern Lane were Wagner’s hardware, Beasley’s Hazel or maybe it was Hazel Beasley’s delicatessen, Interurban pharmacy and Lewis & Coker. Across the street was a UtoteM, the Burlap Barrel, Colony Florist, Dr. Dorris (dentist), State Farm (Fred Poole), and the Lantern Inn restaurant. Sorry I rambled on. It was so nice to reminisce. Not to get too terribly off the topic of T & C but does anyone remember where Uncle Sam’s was? How about Goony Golf, Peppermint Park, The Hungry Tiger, Don the Beachcomber, Night Hawk restaurant, Steak & Ale or the  Old San Francisco Steakhouse? Good times!!!

 

The Record Gallery Town and County0001 (2).jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...