Baybrook Mall History

[Randyt7801]

I can remember the fountain located in the food court and the tall glass kiosks in the grand court. Was the current Dillards (old Macys) added on after the mall opened?

[plumber2]

Yes, it was built with the last expansion during the 80's, creating the 4th anchor. It all started with Sears about 1971, freestanding for awhile, then Montgomery Wards and Joske's joined with the building of the mall itself, making up the 3 original anchors. Mervyn's was there for a short while creating what would seem like a 5th anchor, but that was a flash in the pan. Wards crashed and then J.C. Penny's built on that site. I think Foley's temporarily occupied the Wards site while it remodeled the original Joske's/Dillard's store. Dillard's even ran two stores for a short while (most unusual). I'm sure others, especially Musicman can add details that I'm not aware of.

[musicman]

i don't remember a sears out there in 71 but that's not saying much (the aerial website doesn't appear to indicate there was one there either). i remember the mall opening ~1979 with sears, montgomery wards and joske's. this was a good complement to almeda since it had penney's and foley's. i do remember then mervyn's and macy's were added but can't pinpoint a year( 85 is what one website says macy's opening yr was). then in the mid to late 90's macy's closed in baybrook (joske's had already been bought out and changed to dillards in ~87) and dillards opened their 2nd store in baybrook where the former macy's was. this "newer" dillards was expanded and the original dillards closed.

here's where my memory goes cause i never was a fan of baybrook. if someone remembers what was, where macy's is now, then i can probably continue. i'm thinking it was ward's.

Edited January 4, 2009 by musicman

[memebag]

I'm with Musicman. I don't remember a Sears being there before the mall opened in '79.

[flipper]

Woo Hoo! I worked at baybrook from '97-'01!!!!!1

flipper

[rreini]

i don't remember a sears out there in 71 but that's not saying much (the aerial website doesn't appear to indicate there was one there either). i remember the mall opening ~1979 with sears, montgomery wards and joske's. this was a good complement to almeda since it had penney's and foley's. i do remember then mervyn's and macy's were added but can't pinpoint a year( 85 is what one website says macy's opening yr was). then in the mid to late 90's macy's closed in baybrook (joske's had already been bought out and changed to dillards in ~87) and dillards opened their 2nd store in baybrook where the former macy's was. this "newer" dillards was expanded and the original dillards closed.

here's where my memory goes cause i never was a fan of baybrook. if someone remembers what was, where macy's is now, then i can probably continue. i'm thinking it was ward's.

There was definitely NOT any Sears there in 1971. That corner was vacant until the mall was constructed. Sears has always been at that location since the mall's opening in 1978. Where Macy's is today, Joske's originally was, although I don't believe that the building is the original. The Penney's building is definitely not the old Ward's store remodeled; that store was leveled and rebuilt.

Can't really help with a precise dating of when the Mervyn's and original Macy's were built (I'd left the area by then), but 85 is in the right neighborhood.

[plumber2]

I'm with Musicman. I don't remember a Sears being there before the mall opened in '79.

Holy crap!, 1979?. I can't believe I was off by that many years . But I do recall going to Sears when it openned and the rest of the mall not being finished. They were open before the rest of the mall.

[musicman]

But I do recall going to Sears when it openned and the rest of the mall not being finished. They were open before the rest of the mall.

i can definitely believe this.

[Retama]

I rented my prom tuxedo from a shop in Baybrook Mall in the spring of 1979 when the mall was brand new. I worked in the office building at Glenwest and West Bay Area Blvd. in the 1980s and watched them overhaul the mall twice in that time. one of those overhauls was the addition of the Macy's (now Dillard's).

Edited January 5, 2009 by Retama

[rreini]

Holy crap!, 1979?. I can't believe I was off by that many years . But I do recall going to Sears when it openned and the rest of the mall not being finished. They were open before the rest of the mall.

I'm pretty sure everything opened at the same time. When my family first went up there, the entire mall was open, though every storefront was not necessarily filled. If there was a period where Sears was open before the rest of the mall, it was very short.

[bred]

I remember as a kid playing in a sunken area towards the middle of the mall (not where the food court is). I think it had brown carpet and I just remember myself and a bunch of kids running around with an endless amount of energy. It was where the help desk is now I think?

Can't remember much more about the mall back then. This was in the early 80s. If anybody has pics of this area or any other area of the mall please post them!

[brerrabbit]

I am pretty sure that the current Macy's (the old Dillards/Joskees) and the current Penney's (the old Wards) are in fact the same buildings. When we at the mall a couple of weeks ago I remember driving by the Penney's and thinking that the area that was automotive repair was still there and they had just covered the doors over. While we certainly don't go there often we go enough and have gone enough over the years to remember if there was ever a raise and rebuild.

I do remember the two Dillards after Macy's moved out and really thought that was wierd. I think the Food Court has been through about four changes and the center of the mall where Santa always is has gone through at least three changes. We bought our first house off the Gulf Freeway at Dixie Farm Road in 1983 an were frequent shoppers at the mall. Now living in East Pearland Baybrook is as easy (if not easier) as Pearland Town Center to get to so we still shop there a lot. The real growth has been the surrounding shopping centers and the changes they have gone through over the years.

[Randyt7801]

I am pretty sure that the current Macy's (the old Dillards/Joskees) and the current Penney's (the old Wards) are in fact the same buildings. When we at the mall a couple of weeks ago I remember driving by the Penney's and thinking that the area that was automotive repair was still there and they had just covered the doors over. While we certainly don't go there often we go enough and have gone enough over the years to remember if there was ever a raise and rebuild.

I do remember the two Dillards after Macy's moved out and really thought that was wierd. I think the Food Court has been through about four changes and the center of the mall where Santa always is has gone through at least three changes. We bought our first house off the Gulf Freeway at Dixie Farm Road in 1983 an were frequent shoppers at the mall. Now living in East Pearland Baybrook is as easy (if not easier) as Pearland Town Center to get to so we still shop there a lot. The real growth has been the surrounding shopping centers and the changes they have gone through over the years.

The Wards building was demolished in 04 or 05 after Macys (Foleys) moved into its current location from the Wards building.

[IronTiger]

I remember going to the Mall of the Mainland and it said JCPenney had moved to Baybrook! So was JCPenney not there before? Or did they move into the Wards pad?

[musicman]

I remember going to the Mall of the Mainland and it said JCPenney had moved to Baybrook! So was JCPenney not there before?

no they weren't. baybrook didn't have penney's nor foley's which helped almeda stay in biz IMO.

[plumber2]

no they weren't. baybrook didn't have penney's nor foley's which helped almeda stay in biz IMO.

Yeah, we were all pretty peaved when Penny's closed it's Mall of the Mainland store just as they were announcing the openning of their Baybrook store, only for them to open a store back up in Galveston County a few years later at Bay Colony. Go figure that out.

[IronTiger]

Question: Baybrook Mall did not have Foley's when it opened (it would compete with Almeda). When did Foley's open then?

From what I have, it was...

Joske's (mid 1970s-1987) -> Dillard's (1987-mid 1990s) -> Foley's (2005-)

Sears (mid 1970s)

Montgomery Ward (mid 1970s-2000) -> Foley's (2001-2004) -> razed -> JCPenney (2005-present)

Mervyn's (mid 1980s-2006) -> vacant

Macy's (mid 1980s-mid 1990s) -> Dillard's (mid 1990s-present)

[BryanS]

Question: Baybrook Mall did not have Foley's when it opened (it would compete with Almeda). When did Foley's open then?

From what I have, it was...

Joske's (mid 1970s-1987) -> Dillard's (1987-mid 1990s) -> Foley's (2005-)

Sears (mid 1970s)

Montgomery Ward (mid 1970s-2000) -> Foley's (2001-2004) -> razed -> JCPenney (2005-present)

Mervyn's (mid 1980s-2006) -> vacant

Macy's (mid 1980s-mid 1990s) -> Dillard's (mid 1990s-present)

All that matters on this list is Sears. And nothing else.

[IronTiger]

But did Foley's move into Dillard's (Joske's) after Dillard's closed the Joske's building to move to the original Macy's building, then temporarily moved into Wards then moved back after it reopened? That's what I'm wondering.

[rreini]

But did Foley's move into Dillard's (Joske's) after Dillard's closed the Joske's building to move to the original Macy's building, then temporarily moved into Wards then moved back after it reopened? That's what I'm wondering.

I'm pretty sure that Foley's moved into the old Wards store first, then arranged to have the old Joske's expanded after Dillard's had moved out. All of which led to one net result: Dillard's and Macy's switched buildings!

[Vertigo58]

I'm pretty sure that Foley's moved into the old Wards store first, then arranged to have the old Joske's expanded after Dillard's had moved out. All of which led to one net result: Dillard's and Macy's switched buildings!

Yes that was a tad bizarre.

I never gave it any thought but this place goes back to 1971? Whoah! I assumed it wasn't opened until after early 80's. Hmmm.

That Sears Automtive has always been one I always could always rely on. Managers and staff always quick and attentive. No comparing to the Sears on Main st.

Anyone know when the Luby's was inserted into that mall?

[musicman]

Yes that was a tad bizarre.

I never gave it any thought but this place goes back to 1971?

no according to aerial shots.

[gnu]

Anyone know when the Luby's was inserted into that mall?

Luby's was an original tenant. Unfortunately they closed a few months ago.

[Vertigo58]

Luby's was an original tenant. Unfortunately they closed a few months ago.

WHAT!? They used to pack em that place...always.

I was just dreaming of a hot turkey w/dressing, cranberry sauce, brocolli & cheese, steamed vegetables & salad plus a tall ice tea & fresh cornbread. (bewildered look)

Remodeling perhaps? I was in dire need of that of course.

[iliketurtles]

Hey, guys, sorry for the 7 year old bump, but I had some info to add to the thread. Here are all the original stores when Baybrook first opened. Surprisingly, some of these stores are still at Baybrook (Visibile Changes, Sears, Foot Locker, etc). There are also some pictures, but I don't have a subscription to post them. 

 

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/16987886/

https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/16986494/

Aladdin's Castle

American Uniforms

Baker's Shoes

The Bank Store

Bejeweled

The Berry Tree

Burger Express

C's Chicken & Fish

Casual Corner

Corngan's Jewelry

The Dipping Station

Famous Ramos Hot Dog Place

Fashion Conspiracy

FlaggBros.

Florsheim Shoes,

Footlocker

Fowles Gallery

Foxmoor 

Frame It

Fredericks of Hollywood

General Cinema

General Nutrition Center

Gingiss Formal Wear

The Go Round

Gordon's Jewelers

Hanover Shoes 

H & H Music

International Tours of Baybrook 

J. Riggings

Jeans West

Joske's

Joyce Bertram

Bath & Boudoir

Kid's Casuals

Kinney Shoes

The Knife Shop

Leopold Price & Rolle

Lerner Shops

The Limited

Luby's-Romana Cafeteria

Margo's La Mode

Morrow's Nut House

Mr. Music

National Shirt Shop

Naturahzer Shoes

01' Dan Tucker's Bar-B-Que, Pizza & Subs

Radio Shack

Record Town

Red Cross Shoes

Royal Optical

Sears

Silverman's

So-Fro Fabrics

Steve's Sandwich Shop

Stride Rite Shoes

Susie's Casuals

Sweeney's Jewelers

The Swiss Colony

The Taco Spot,

Thorn McAni shoes

Thomason Keepsake Diamond Center

Topps 'n Trowsers

Topsy's food 

Toys by Roy

Visible Changes

Waldenbook

Ward's

Western Junction

Wicks 'n Sticks

Wild Pair

World of Cookery

Yogurt 'n Things

Zales Jewelers 

[torimask]

 

An aerial shot published 5/3/78 in the South Belt Leader: Baybrook Mall Coming This Summer

 

The Macy's opened in 1985. I was in the Dobie Band and we played at the Grand Opening, marched through the new store, and out into the mall that day to great fanfare.

[Lanmanna]

Anyone have any more pics?

[sootycat]

Does anyone know what became of the movie theater that was once in Baybrook mall? I think there was a restaurant close to the theater, away from the food court. What became of that? Thanks for any info.