Historic Houston Shopping Places

[citykid09]

Past Shopping Places in Houston That Are No Longer Here.

Name places you can remember.

[citykid09]

Service Merchandice

Soon to be Foley's

Woolworth's

[HoustonianInColorado]

Sakowitz

Weingartens

U-Tote-'M

Joske's

Best

Federated Electronics

Woolco

[Heights2Bastrop]

Battelstein

[UrbaNerd]

Town&Country, of course.

Also, Montgomery Wards (I THINK this one is gone...)

[citykid09]

did Houston ever have Food Lion?

[Heights2Bastrop]

There was a Food Lion at Antoine and Pinemont. It was HEB until a few months ago, and now it is closed down.

[citykid09]

What about Archons or how do you spell it?

[sevfiv]

oooh auchan's - there was one on 610 south going east past the astrodome...

[lowspark]

oooh auchan's - there was one on 610 south going east past the astrodome...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There was also one on the West Belt & Beechnut.

I also remember

Meyer Brothers in Meyerland

W Bell

What was the name of that store that was on the corner of Fondren & 59 or maybe it was Fondren & Beechnut where you had to belong to their club before you could shop there. Along the lines of Sam's club but it wasn't groceries, just clothes & stuff like that I think. It lasted a few years before going out.

There was a Food Lion in Sugar Land on the corner of Eldridge & Jess Pirtle. I think it's Gerlands now but could be wrong about that.

There was also one on W. Airport west of Kirkwood that turned into a school or something like that.

[HoustonianInColorado]

There was also one on the West Belt & Beechnut.

I also remember

Meyer Brothers in Meyerland

W Bell

What was the name of that store that was on the corner of Fondren & 59 or maybe it was Fondren & Beechnut where you had to belong to their club before you could shop there. Along the lines of Sam's club but it wasn't groceries, just clothes & stuff like that I think. It lasted a few years before going out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You are probably thinking of Gemco, which I believe was an acronym for Government Employees something something something.

[HoustonianInColorado]

Remember Handy Dan home improvement centers?

[MidtownCoog]

Handy Dan Home Improvement is a now-defunct home improvement retailer. The retailer is probably best-known today for its April 1978 firing of executives Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. The day after their firing, Marcus and Blank began a series of actions that led to their founding of The Home Depot.

[lowspark]

You are probably thinking of Gemco, which I believe was an acronym for Government Employees something something something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

GEMCO! Yup! That's it!

I also remember in Sharpstown Mall:

Chandler's Shoes

Margolis Shoes

Adrien's Fashions

And old Grocery Stores:

Food Giant

There was either a Food Giant or Weingarten's in Sharpstown Mall.

Food Giant was also somewhere on W. Belfort west of Post Oak, and I think there was one on the corner of N. Braeswood & Chimney Rock which is Belden's now.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Pol Parrott Shoes

[ssullivan]

did Houston ever have Food Lion?

Yeah they didn't last too long in Houston or Texas for that matter. No loss there IMO -- I've been in a number of their stores in the southeast while traveling for work and have never been impressed. Most Super Wal-Marts have a nicer grocery department than the Food Lions I've been in, and I think Wal-Mart is pretty darn bad.

[ssullivan]

Battelstein

[citykid09]

Which spot was Marshall Field's in in the Galleria?

[UrbaNerd]

How about those oddly designed stores, particularly, the one that looked like a bunch of bricks were missing from the side? I think they were called "BEST's" or something like that.

EDIT: Ahh, I did not see it earlier in the list

[Gary]

Sakowitz

Weingartens

U-Tote-'M

Joske's

Best

Federated Electronics

Woolco

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's funny you mentioned Federated, I didn't know they were in Houston. I used to live off of Sunset and Lebrea (LA) and there was a huge Vegas like Federated there. They had this crazy blond haired guy who did all the commercials.

[gnu]

It's funny you mentioned Federated, I didn't know they were in Houston. I used to live off of Sunset and Lebrea (LA) and there was a huge Vegas like Federated there. They had this crazy blond haired guy who did all the commercials.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

the blond haired guy for Federated was Fred Rated. brilliant ad agency, huh?

How about Kroger FAMILY CENTERS??? I know kroger's is here but I don't think they have these anymore.

they had stuff other than groceries..like super target does now.

I remember on sunday's - When the Texas Blue Laws were still active - they would have parts of the store roped off. You couldnt buy tools on sunday cause then you might be tempted to work on the sabbath!

[rps324]

Did we mention Wilson's, that was bought up by Service merchandise? There was one in Champions Village 3, along with the now defunct Sakowitz chain.

Is Gerlands grocery store stilll around anywhere?

[gnu]

tg&Y

ben franklin's

gibson's

the fair

venture

the store that went into half of several of the woolco's...can't remember the name..

[tigereye]

I cant believe nobody's mentioned Weiner's, with a weird name like that.

Builder's Square also comes to mind.

[ssullivan]

Which spot was Marshall Field's in in the Galleria?

They were where Saks is now. The same situation existed with Town & Country. When Marshall Field's announced they were leaving Houston they sold the two stores to Saks. The Saks store at Town & Country only lasted a couple of years before it closed.

[Hunter]

Is Gerlands grocery store stilll around anywhere?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There is one on the corner of Spencer Hwy and Underwood in La Porte, Texas. It is a 24 hour store now.

How about Michaels Jewelry Store.

[KatieDidIt]

Children's Collection. Post Oak and San Felipe. It was a great place to shop if you didn't want you boy dressing like a skate boarder or a gangsta.

[Trophy Property]

Jumbo Grocercy Stores

Sage Stores

[Ashikaga]

Actually Battlestein's was acquired by Frost Department Stores, and the stores that weren't closed at that time were rebranded as Frost about 1983. A few years later (1987/88?) Frost went under and the remaining stores all closed. Beall's never was involved in the transactions except to go into some spaces that had been vacated by the Frost liquidation. Of course Beall's went on to have its own problems, and was acquired by Stage Stores, along with Palais Royal. And Stage doesn't exactly have a history free of financial difficulty itself.

While on department stores that are no longer here, don't forget Marshall Field's, which had locations at the Galleria and Town & Country. Lord & Taylor will soon join the list as well, after the planned closure of the Memorial City store. They were once in a variety of malls around the city, including Greenspoint of all places, back in the day when it was the only northside suburban mall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As probably most of you now know, I lived in Houston from 1962-64, which was over 40 years ago. Here's the stores that I remember from back then.

These were in the then Gulfgate Shopping City:

Weingarten's, Sakowitz, Joske's, Newberry's, and an underground bowling alley.

Next to Gulfgate on Woodridge I remember Globe Department Store.

Down where Telephone Road intersects Reveille there was a supermarket called Henke & Pillot (now called Kroger).

[Watchful]

OK it seems like there was a Globe store on 59 North (maybe near Little York) that also had the name Jubilee City at one time. I remember going there with my grandparents.

I think the building still stands.

[brucesw]

Homer's - a DIY place like Handy Dan

Meyer Brothers

Levy's - a big competitor of Foley's, in fact, at one time larger than Foley's; I think Levy's stuck with clothing and never got into appliances, etc., like Foley's.

Zindler's Men's and Boy's Wear - yes, that Zindler. Maybe Zindler's Big and Tall is still around.

Mosk's for Men - a big 3 or 4 story men's store downtown in the 50s, right next to the downtown Battlestein's as I recall. Wrestling promoter Paul Boesch did their TV commercials, so it was kind of like Harold's in the Heights.

Here's one that goes waaaay back: W. C. Munn Co., also a dry goods merchant downtown.

Haverty's and Stower's furniture stores. More recently, Suniland.

7-11, after all! and U-Totem, Circle K, even Stop'n Go, which was formerly U-Totem.

Weingarten's - the few remaining stores were Grand Union for a while, then most became Safeway I think. When Safeway pulled out of Houston, they became the shortlived Appletree.

Super-Valu (grocery) - I think Randall's started as a Super-Valu.

Handy Andy - a somewhat upscale grocer from San Antonio; the Randall's Flagship on Voss was a Handy Andy.

IGA Supermarkets

Remember Magnolia Gas - their symbol was Pegasus, the winged horse from Greek mythology; some stations, like the one on W. Gray @ Shepherd had a 3-D Pegasus revolving on a pole for their sign, others had just a 2-D representation. Magnolia merged with Socony-Mobil in the 50s to become Mobil.

Sinclair Gas - still in business elsewhere - with Dino the Dinosaur.

Okay, I confess, I've been working on a research project and reading a lot of old newspapers, dating back to the 20s. But I remember all of the above except W. C. Munn, which goes back to the 20s. Zindler's had a huge, 3 or 4 story store downtown in the 20s.

[Kirzania]

Sinclair Gas - still in business elsewhere - with Dino the Dinosaur.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny story about Sinclar Oil... Anyone remember the show Dinosaurs? It used to be on ABC's TGIF (back when it was good.) Of course, if that doesn't jog your memory "Not da mama!" should. :wince:

All the dinosaurs on the show were named after big names in the oil industry. The family was the "Sinclair family," after all. Sinclair Oil works the northwest region now; they're based in Utah. Gratuitous Wikipedia link.

[Ashikaga]

You are probably thinking of Gemco, which I believe was an acronym for Government Employees something something something.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That insurance company called GEICO is the acronym for "Government Employees Insurance Company."

[UrbaNerd]

Funny story about Sinclar Oil... Anyone remember the show Dinosaurs? It used to be on ABC's TGIF (back when it was good.) Of course, if that doesn't jog your memory "Not da mama!" should. :wince:

All the dinosaurs on the show were named after big names in the oil industry. The family was the "Sinclair family," after all. Sinclair Oil works the northwest region now; they're based in Utah. Gratuitous Wikipedia link.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, I remember that show. Sigh...TV just isn't what it used to be.

[Ashikaga]

Yeah, I remember that show.  Sigh...TV just isn't what it used to be.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny you should mention Sinclair. Back during my Houston years (1962-64) we went out one night. Naturally, I, as a little kid fell asleep in the back seat of the car. When I woke and sat up, I was confronted by a big green dinosaur! Man was I scared! It took me a few minutes to learn that it was a cartoon painted logo of a dinosaur on an oil storage tank at a refinery. I'm not certain, but I think that the refinery was in Pasadena.

[Subdude]

Remember Magnolia Gas - their symbol was Pegasus, the winged horse from Greek mythology; some stations, like the one on W. Gray @ Shepherd had a 3-D Pegasus revolving on a pole for their sign, others had just a 2-D representation. Magnolia merged with Socony-Mobil in the 50s to become Mobil.

Isn't there a Mosc store sign still embedded in the sidewalk along Main near the former location?

[Ashikaga]

Funny you should mention Sinclair.  Back during my Houston years (1962-64) we went out one night.  Naturally, I, as a little kid fell asleep in the back seat of the car.  When I woke and sat up, I was confronted by a big green dinosaur!  Man was I scared!  It took me a few minutes to learn that it was a cartoon painted logo of a dinosaur on an oil storage tank at a refinery.  I'm not certain, but I think that the refinery was in Pasadena.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Speaking of gasoline, I don't know about in Houston, but over here back in the 1950s and the 1960s I remember these stations that had a sign of a hand with a pointing finger and the word "GAS" inside of the hand. There was no name brand. You'd simply choose between Regular & Ethyl (and the sign on the side of the pumps always said "CONTAINS LEAD"). Does anyone out there remember such stations?

[Heights2Bastrop]

If we are talking stores and gas stations, then we might as well get a bonus

[Subdude]

Haverty's and Stower's furniture stores

Havertys. The one on the right was demolished, but the other buildings still exist in some form.

[Kirzania]

Havertys.  The one on the right was demolished, but the other buildings still exist in some form.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is the one on the right in downtown, near the Icon? It's a park now, right?

[Subdude]

The one on the right was on Fannin, adjacent to the Texaco building.

[Ashikaga]

If we are talking stores and gas stations, then we might as well get a bonus – stamps!

There was S&H Green Stamps, Top Value Stamps and Black Gold Stamps among others.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I was a kid, I remember my mother buying groceries at Weingarten's. That store gave out BIG BONUS trading stamps. I don't know if any of you remember those. Are there any stores at all left that give out trading stamps? I remember in Houston, our neighbor bought her groceries at A&P, and that store gave out PLAID trading stamps.

[HoustonianInColorado]

I remember S&H, Plaid, & Big Bonus. Also there was Top Value Trading Stamps at some stores. I think they were yellow.

[HoustonianInColorado]

The talk about Sinclair Oil reminded me that they had a pavillion at the NY World's Fair of 1964-1965. I remember they had a machine where you put in coins and it created a plastic, injection-molded green dinosaur toy on the spot for you. Very cool.

BTW, Sinclair is still here in Colorado, and typically one of the least expensive brands you can buy.

Edit to add: From Sinclair's website, I found out about the old H-C logo.

The Houston refinery also developed the famous H-C gasoline, Sinclair's first super-fuel marketed in 1926. The initials of this gasoline stood for "Houston Concentrate," but some advertising men preferred the term "High Compression."

Remember the slogan? "Drive with care, and buy Sinclair."

[Heights2Bastrop]

I think Henke and Pilot gave out Top Value stamps, and one day a week they gave double stamps. I think it was on Tuesdays. Other storesa gave double stamps as well.

[jm1fd]

My grandma always saved those...I remember going to the green stamp store with her back in the day.

If we are talking stores and gas stations, then we might as well get a bonus

[MidtownCoog]

Sinclair station loses another dinosaur to thieves

Manager Chris Richardson didn't seem too upset about the latest theft. (There've been two so far this year.) Perhaps that's because all she had to do was look across U.S. Highway 91 to see her long-necked green mascot perched on top of a McDonald's restaurant. (Herald Journal)

http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2005/0...news/news01.txt

[Ashikaga]

Sinclair station loses another dinosaur to thieves

Manager Chris Richardson didn't seem too upset about the latest theft. (There've been two so far this year.) Perhaps that's because all she had to do was look across U.S. Highway 91 to see her long-necked green mascot perched on top of a McDonald's restaurant. (Herald Journal)

http://hjnews.townnews.com/articles/2005/0...news/news01.txt

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, places where you buy gasoline are all changing, with all of the mergers, their name change before you know it.

[Ashikaga]

Great pic, subdude.  I had forgotten they referred to the Flying Red Horse.  In my memory, the one at W. Gray and Shepherd was white.  The Magnolia bldg in downtown Dallas has been restored as a hotel and the big Flying Red Horse on top of it restored, too.  There are pics on line.

I haven't been on the sidewalk on Main in many a year.

BTW, how far back does your collection of great pics go?  How about the Iris Theatre, 612 Travis, 1920s?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent photo of the Pegasus logo. It reminds me of the Goodyear blimp logo of the flying shoe.

[brucesw]

As a kid, riding along in the back seat of the car, I always looked forward eagerly to seeing the one on W. Gray, almost as much as passing the Mrs. Baird's bakery a few blocks east and smelling the fresh baking bread and seeing the loaves moving along the production line through the big glass windows.

Dino never did much for me, but I really dug the Flying Red Horse.

Several people have mentioned Henke and Pillot in this thread. I just came across a special section in the Chron in 1922 - August 15, Henke and Pillot was celebrating their 50th anniversary. Founded in 1872 in Market Square; Henry Henke hired Eugene Pillot as his produce manager and then made him a partner. They were sold in 1956 to Kroger.

Here's a couple more I came across in the old papers that were still around in my childhood:

Waddell's Furniture - I think they were in business up until about 10 years ago.

Ineeda Laundry and Cleaners - started out doing home laundry but by the 50s I think it was mostly commercial and industrial laundry and linen supply. Used to see their trucks all the time.