A First For Houston

[matty1979]

I have got to know a few things about the "Space City". I was curious about a few "first's" in our great city. Maybe some of you can help. For instance: Where was the first McDonalds, Jack In The Box, Taco Bell...just to name a few....in Houston?

Also, when did HISD High Schools start to include 9th Grade?

When did Houston open its first XXX movie theateres?

When did Houston get COORS BEER?

Oh, one more...why is there a street off of 610 named "MINIMAX"?

Thanks for the help!!

[samagon]

I know the answer to the minimax question. It was a grocery store chain, I think based in Houston.

[Firebird65]

Also, when did HISD High Schools start to include 9th Grade?

Presumably they've always had a ninth grade. In Aldine ISD they had a ninth grade in high school at the very beginning, but in the 1950s, again in the 1960s and then permanently after 1999 they were out as there was no room for them. After 1999, ninth graders had their own dedicated schools.

As for Houston ISD, sorry, that I can't say.

Now, a better question, and one I'm looking for an answer for, is when 12th grade became mandatory in Texas. At Aldine ISD, when the first high school opened in 1933, there was no 12th grade. I know 12th grade existed and that several Southeast Texas schools had it at the time. I've read stories of schools refusing to play one another in football because one school had 12th graders (a few of whom were 19 years old) and the other school didn't. So while it existed, it apparently was up to the individual school district. It wasn't mandatory in the early days of the UIL.

[trymahjong]

The old El Fenix restaurant on Grant and Westheimer is within the Avondale area-- most of the Civic club "news" lists it as the first Mexican restaurant in Houston.

[FilioScotia]

I have got to know a few things about the "Space City". I was curious about a few "first's" in our great city. Maybe some of you can help. When did Houston open its first XXX movie theateres? When did Houston get COORS BEER? Oh, one more...why is there a street off of 610 named "MINIMAX"?

Thanks for the help!!

The first XXX porn theater in Houston was the Cinema West, which opened in 1971 or 72 in a strip center on West Alabama where it meets Westheimer. It was owned and managed by a young guy named Joe Spiegle. He was an interesting guy. Spiegle took a business degree from the University of Houston in the mid 60s, and as a graduation gift his father gave him 100 thousand dollars to start his first business. Soft-core porn was common in the 60s and early 70s, but hard-core porn was starting to slip into the mainstream. Spiegle spotted that trend, and he saw it would be profitable, so he opened Houston's first hardcore porn house.

He made so much money he was able to move out of the strip center to his own free-standing adult theater on Richmond, and open another in the Rice Village off Kirby - Cinema West II. His long range plan was to use his adult theater profits to buy legitimate family movie houses and ultimately get out of porn altogether, which is exactly what he did. At one time in the 80s, Spiegle owned about half a dozen neighborhood movie houses around the city, the names of which I can't remember.

Spiegle was also a big softball fan and player. He organized and sponsored teams in the city softball leagues and tournaments for a long time, and they were good. He had their trophies on display in the Cinema West lobby. I always liked Joe Spiegle. He wasn't a porn-meister, and he never got involved in producing adult films. He was, and probably still is, a smart businessman, and he used the growing popularity of adult movies to get started. I have no idea what he's doing now, but I'm betting he's successful. He's that kind of guy.

As for Coors Beer, I'm thinking it made it into the Houston market sometime in the 1980s.

And Minimax Street has that name because it was once the location of the Minimax Stores' warehouse and distribution center. Minimax -- Minimum Price - Maximum Value. That particular area off West 18th and the Loop 610 had a lot of large distribution warehouses for various stores. They're all gone now. There's nothing but endless stretches of vacant lots there now.

[cowboybud]

Presumably they've always had a ninth grade. In Aldine ISD they had a ninth grade in high school at the very beginning, but in the 1950s, again in the 1960s and then permanently after 1999 they were out as there was no room for them. After 1999, ninth graders had their own dedicated schools.

As for Houston ISD, sorry, that I can't say.

Now, a better question, and one I'm looking for an answer for, is when 12th grade became mandatory in Texas. At Aldine ISD, when the first high school opened in 1933, there was no 12th grade. I know 12th grade existed and that several Southeast Texas schools had it at the time. I've read stories of schools refusing to play one another in football because one school had 12th graders (a few of whom were 19 years old) and the other school didn't. So while it existed, it apparently was up to the individual school district. It wasn't mandatory in the early days of the UIL.

Perhaps sometime after WWII? I suppose that some schools passed on 12th grade before then, since it was expected that young men would leave school and join the military when they turned 18.

Re: Coors beer; I remember my dad drinking Coors as a kid, this would have been in the 70s. And as any good movie fan knows, taking Coors beer east of Texarkana is bootleggin'.

[Firebird65]

Re: Coors beer; I remember my dad drinking Coors as a kid, this would have been in the 70s. And as any good movie fan knows, taking Coors beer east of Texarkana is bootleggin'.

Oh yeah... a Smokey and the Bandit reference. A+ LOL!

I remember our neighbor (also my godfather) was a big fan of Coors beer... he always seemed to have one in his hand and other cold one nearby ready to go when that one ran out. It was King of the Hill years before anyone had ever heard of Hank or Rainey Street. Naturally, despite my being only 12, I sneaked in a sip here and there. Ha! This was about 1978. I collected beer cans as a kid (in the late 1970s, who didn't?) and according to my unofficial survey of empty cans along the side of the road, Coors was in third behind Schlitz and Budweiser.

[FilioScotia]

Oh yeah... a Smokey and the Bandit reference. A+ LOL!

In 1974 and 75 I went to Fort Worth every other weekend to visit my kids, and I always made a point of coming back to Houston with at least half a dozen cases of Coors, which I had no trouble selling at cost to neighbors in my apartment complex. It got me invited to a lot of parties.

[readam]

Presumably they've always had a ninth grade. In Aldine ISD they had a ninth grade in high school at the very beginning, but in the 1950s, again in the 1960s and then permanently after 1999 they were out as there was no room for them. After 1999, ninth graders had their own dedicated schools.

As for Houston ISD, sorry, that I can't say.

Now, a better question, and one I'm looking for an answer for, is when 12th grade became mandatory in Texas. At Aldine ISD, when the first high school opened in 1933, there was no 12th grade. I know 12th grade existed and that several Southeast Texas schools had it at the time. I've read stories of schools refusing to play one another in football because one school had 12th graders (a few of whom were 19 years old) and the other school didn't. So while it existed, it apparently was up to the individual school district. It wasn't mandatory in the early days of the UIL.

HISD moved the 9th grade Junior High School students to High Schools in the 1981-82 School Year. High Schools then became grades 9-12 and the new titled "Middle Schools" had grades 6-8. I decided to move to Westbury HS from Fondren JHS since I taught 9th graders.

[Fringe]

In 1974 and 75 I went to Fort Worth every other weekend to visit my kids, and I always made a point of coming back to Houston with at least half a dozen cases of Coors, which I had no trouble selling at cost to neighbors in my apartment complex. It got me invited to a lot of parties.

Same here. I had Grandparents in Fort Worth and New Mexico and whenever we went to visit we would return with as many case of Coors as I could fit in the car. Was it really any better back then or was it just because it was so elusive? Of course there were not many choices back then either.

[little frau]

HISD moved the 9th grade Junior High School students to High Schools in the 1981-82 School Year. High Schools then became grades 9-12 and the new titled "Middle Schools" had grades 6-8. I decided to move to Westbury HS from Fondren JHS since I taught 9th graders.

I'm not arguing exactly when 9th grade was moved to `all` HISD high schools, but when we moved out S. Main in the late 50s, there wasn't even an elementary school nearby. We lived in a no man's land between Hiram Clarke and Post Oak. In 7th grade, we were bussed to Cullen Jr. High. 8th grade, after Johnston Jr. High opened, we were bussed there. But in 9th grade, San Jacinto High School added that grade and then we went there. The next year Westbury High School, with 10-11-12 opened and we finished school a bit closer to home. So, I guess that would put it at about 1960 that San Jacinto High had 9th grade. I have no idea if San Jac continued to include 9th graders or not after we left or if it was just a temporary fix until Westbury was completed. It's difficult to recognize San Jac now with all the buildings that have been added to the HCC campus.

[Urban Commando]

I have got to know a few things about the "Space City". I was curious about a few "first's" in our great city. Maybe some of you can help. For instance: Where was the first McDonalds, Jack In The Box, Taco Bell...just to name a few....in Houston?

Also, when did HISD High Schools start to include 9th Grade?

When did Houston open its first XXX movie theateres?

When did Houston get COORS BEER?

Oh, one more...why is there a street off of 610 named "MINIMAX"?

Thanks for the help!!

McDonald's came into Houston in the early 1970's...prior to 75.

Minimax Road was named for Fleming Foods, the parent company of Minimax Stores, whose warehouse and supply point

(a rather large campus) is now an empty field at Minimax and 610. I believe they were bought out by Grocers Supply Company and the facility was closed and stood vacant for several years.

[Bill Lins]

If I remember correctly, the first McDonald's was on Gessner north of Katy Freeway. It opened back in the early 70's. Coors came in in the mid- to- late 70's. Bob Aspromonte, the former Astro, was the first Coors distributor.

[brucesw]

This article from Texas Monthly, March, 1976, says the Houston distributors of Coors hoped to launch May 15 of that year (last paragraph). There were 6 distributorships awarded for the Houston area, due to the high initial investment cost.

[brucesw]

The old El Fenix restaurant on Grant and Westheimer is within the Avondale area-- most of the Civic club "news" lists it as the first Mexican restaurant in Houston.

According to Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Cookbook, the first Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston was the Original Mexican Restaurant on Main in 1907 owned by a man named Caldwell; it was a copy of the Original Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio which opened in 1900 and was owned by a Chicagoan named Farnsworth. These were the first Mexican restaurants aimed at Anglo diners.

Felix Tijerina worked as a busboy at the Houston restaurant starting in 1918 and eventually rose to manager; he was encouraged by Caldwell to open his own place and did so in 1929 just a block away on Main and called the Mexican Inn. There were other Mexican restaurants in the barrios by then but this was aimed at a broader clientele.

The Mexican Inn failed during the Depression but in 1937, Tijerina opened his first Felix Mexican Restaurant somewhere in the Montrose area. I don't know if that's the one still standing on lower Westheimer, though. There were eventually 6 Felix Mexican restaurants including one in Beaumont. As I recall, there was a history on the website which stated the one on lower Westheimer was actually the last of the chain, opened in 1948.

Since the publication of Walsh's book, he published an article in the Press with further findings including a mention of a taco stand in downtown Houston in the 1880s as I recall (can't find the article). Presumably that was not crispy Tex-Mex tacos though.

[Fringe]

This article from Texas Monthly, March, 1976, says the Houston distributors of Coors hoped to launch May 15 of that year (last paragraph). There were 6 distributorships awarded for the Houston area, due to the high initial investment cost.

My wife managed a Walgreens liquor store back in those days and I remember going to a grand opening at one of the Coors distributorship's. Seems like it was in the old Astroworld area. Earl Campbell was there and I got his autograph.

[dbigtex56]

According to Robb Walsh's The Tex-Mex Cookbook, the first Tex-Mex restaurant in Houston was the Original Mexican Restaurant on Main in 1907 owned by a man named Caldwell; it was a copy of the Original Mexican Restaurant in San Antonio which opened in 1900 and was owned by a Chicagoan named Farnsworth. These were the first Mexican restaurants aimed at Anglo diners.

Felix Tijerina worked as a busboy at the Houston restaurant starting in 1918 and eventually rose to manager; he was encouraged by Caldwell to open his own place and did so in 1929 just a block away on Main and called the Mexican Inn. There were other Mexican restaurants in the barrios by then but this was aimed at a broader clientele.

The Mexican Inn failed during the Depression but in 1937, Tijerina opened his first Felix Mexican Restaurant somewhere in the Montrose area. I don't know if that's the one still standing on lower Westheimer, though. There were eventually 6 Felix Mexican restaurants including one in Beaumont. As I recall, there was a history on the website which stated the one on lower Westheimer was actually the last of the chain, opened in 1948.

Since the publication of Walsh's book, he published an article in the Press with further findings including a mention of a taco stand in downtown Houston in the 1880s as I recall (can't find the article). Presumably that was not crispy Tex-Mex tacos though.

A book has been written on the history of Felix Tijerina and Felix Mexican Restaurant.

"I have a friend who did some research for Thomas Kreneck, the author of Mexican American Odyssey: Felix Tijerina, Entrepreneur & Civic Leader, 1905-1965, a biography of Felix's founder.

There's a glowing review of this book on amazon.com by Robb Walsh (who is, I assume, the restaurant reviewer from Houston Press.)"

[icepickphil]

I have to think that there were some x rated hardcore movie theaters downtown before Cinema West opened in the early 70s.

From the book Cinema Houston: from Nickelodeon to Megaplex by David Welling and Jack Valenti (p. 246) several other theaters are mentioned during a 1970 vice raid. These would include: Cinema X, Zipper Lounge, Cinema Arts, Kitty Arts, Kazba Art Cinema, the Rex, and the Houston Mini-Art Theatre.

Here's a story related to Cinema West. I was at the Continental Club downtown watching some bands for New Year's eve about ten years ago. Backstage leaning against the wall was an original outdoor Cinema West sign. I'll never forget their distinctive logo.

The first XXX porn theater in Houston was the Cinema West, which opened in 1971 or 72 in a strip center on West Alabama where it meets Westheimer. It was owned and managed by a young guy named Joe Spiegle. He was an interesting guy. Spiegle took a business degree from the University of Houston in the mid 60s, and as a graduation gift his father gave him 100 thousand dollars to start his first business. Soft-core porn was common in the 60s and early 70s, but hard-core porn was starting to slip into the mainstream. Spiegle spotted that trend, and he saw it would be profitable, so he opened Houston's first hardcore porn house.

He made so much money he was able to move out of the strip center to his own free-standing adult theater on Richmond, and open another in the Rice Village off Kirby - Cinema West II. His long range plan was to use his adult theater profits to buy legitimate family movie houses and ultimately get out of porn altogether, which is exactly what he did. At one time in the 80s, Spiegle owned about half a dozen neighborhood movie houses around the city, the names of which I can't remember.

Spiegle was also a big softball fan and player. He organized and sponsored teams in the city softball leagues and tournaments for a long time, and they were good. He had their trophies on display in the Cinema West lobby. I always liked Joe Spiegle. He wasn't a porn-meister, and he never got involved in producing adult films. He was, and probably still is, a smart businessman, and he used the growing popularity of adult movies to get started. I have no idea what he's doing now, but I'm betting he's successful. He's that kind of guy.

As for Coors Beer, I'm thinking it made it into the Houston market sometime in the 1980s.

And Minimax Street has that name because it was once the location of the Minimax Stores' warehouse and distribution center. Minimax -- Minimum Price - Maximum Value. That particular area off West 18th and the Loop 610 had a lot of large distribution warehouses for various stores. They're all gone now. There's nothing but endless stretches of vacant lots there now.