Telephone Rd.

[Telephoneroad]

I am a native Houstonian that just moved back after 27 years in Minnesota. I grew up all along Telephone Rd. My early years were spent in the Telephone Rd and Lawndale area. Lombardy Street, Forcade, Bell, Harrisburg etc. Does anyone remember the following businesses and do you have any history on them.

 

1 The grocery store at Telephone Road and Lombardy

2 The donut shop on Telephone Road close to the Gulf Freeway. They only served glazed and jelly donuts

3 The bar/store at the intersection of Telephone Road and Lawndale

 

Just as an FYI -- I remember my Grandmother having an open charge account at the Weingartens Grocery stores. I go back a ways.

[samagon]

I was too young to pay attention 27 years ago when my grandmother still lived on dismuke and truett, and didn't decide to move to this part of town until 8 years ago.

welcome to the forum. 

[Telephoneroad]

Thanks for the welcome. 

We also lived in that neighborhood on Newport for a while and on Eskridge. I worked at the Italian Beef house in 1969 and 1970  It was located right under the Coca Cola sign at Telephone Rd and the Gulf Freeway. 

There is a great Book titled "Telephone Road, Texas" available only on the web. It is a good book about some of the old history of Telephone Road. 

[mkultra25]

57 minutes ago, Telephoneroad said:

There is a great Book titled "Telephone Road, Texas" available only on the web. It is a good book about some of the old history of Telephone Road. 

Pretty sure it's been mentioned here before, but it certainly bears repeating for those who may have missed it. Anyone interested in Houston history should check it out.

Telephone Road, Texas

[djrage]

On March 10, 2016 at 4:27 PM, samagon said:

I was too young to pay attention 27 years ago when my grandmother still lived on dismuke and truett, and didn't decide to move to this part of town until 8 years ago.

welcome to the forum. 

 

Wow. I lived on Truett back in 73-75 (first house on the SE corner with the garage apartment behind it, I was really little but remember it). Attended J.P. Henderson for my first half of Kindergarten before moving to the Mykawa/Belfort area. I remember walking to the corner store on Bonsrell with my mom. On the way there would always be this old man sitting in his yard under a tree on Lawson, every time we went by he would tell me,"Hi boy!", never forgot him and anytime I pass through I look there. I'm sure he's long since passed (they've added a driveway in front of the house there where he used to sit). Also remember one night there was an accident on the corner of Truett and Dismuke. Car lost control and rolled into our back yard, knocked down our fence and right into the side of our garage. I remember all the commotion, the police and ambulance lights (as i could see through the kitchen window), but my parents wouldn't let me look outside, I guess in case there was anyone dead out there. I did get a quick peek and saw the car in the garage.

Edited March 15, 2016 by djrage
made a correction

[samagon]

small world for sure!

[msteele6]

Don't really remember the donut shop, however, I vaguely remember the grocery store at Lombardy, I knew some folks that lived very close by there on Godwin.

The bar at the intersection of Telephone and Lawndale was a landmark for many years in Houston as that intersection was at one time the main cut-off for people heading to Galveston via Old Galveston Road, it was called Lorino's the last time I remember (or Local Charm maybe), I read an article in the Chronicle that stated that it was the oldest operating bar in the city at the time of the article, don't know if it's still open.

The little neighborhood bounded by the freeway, Lombardy and Telephone was a predominately Italian neighborhood at one time.

 

[samagon]

There's no bar at that intersection that I'm aware of, which would be both fun and dangerous as I live less than a block from that intersection. 

The building at the corner of lombardy and telephone sells antiques now, at least the building I assume that's being talked about.

[mkultra25]

Lorino's/Local Charm has been discussed here before. The original location at Telephone and Lawndale closed in 1996 or thereabouts before reopening on Washington Ave. several years later. It's long gone now. 

Chron piece on the reopening: http://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/The-blues-gets-a-new-home-at-Local-Charm-1994525.php

Previous HAIF thread: http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/10779-lorenos-local-charm/

[Telephoneroad]

I lived on Elliot Street, Lombardy and Forcade as a very young boy. I remember going into Lorino's and buying the old Monster trading cards with Frankenstein, Werewolf, Creature from the Black Lagoon, etc. I remember it was mostly dark and there was a shuffleboard table. It was great to live in that area in the early 1960's. The triangular shaped park on Elliot had a great Monkey bars that was a Cowboy on each end and the rungs were fairly high for a boy 6, 7 or even 8 years old. We played in that park a lot without supervision and we felt safe. Our doors were usually unlocked. My friends and I regularly picked up pecans from the ground in anyones yard and never got scolded for it. We had the Eastwood Theater a few blocks up Telephone towards downtown. Those were days when there was double features. I remember the first Jack-In-the-Box I saw going in there at Telephone close to Dumble. The old neighborhood is being renovated house by house and coming back into respectability. 

 

[Purpledevil]

The donut shop, I'm almost certain, was a Mrs. Baker's. Interesting story, from an old radio nerd, our Contemporary Hit Radio 104 KRBE facility wouldn't exist today had it not been for Edith Baker and her donut shops. She indeed only served glazed and jelly filled for the most of its existence. My mother worked at her location on Canal many, many years ago.

[djrage]

On April 23, 2016 at 11:13 PM, Purpledevil said:

The donut shop, I'm almost certain, was a Mrs. Baker's. Interesting story, from an old radio nerd, our Contemporary Hit Radio 104 KRBE facility wouldn't exist today had it not been for Edith Baker and her donut shops. She indeed only served glazed and jelly filled for the most of its existence. My mother worked at her location on Canal many, many years ago.

Was not aware of that Purple, wow!

[Telephoneroad]

I have a friend living in this neighborhood that has been trying for over a year to get a new garage apt built to move into and then do a remodel on their house. The inspectors are a joke. I think they drag their feet hoping for monetary incentives ( bribes). I have no proof of that but nothing else makes sense for the amount of BS and incompetence they have experienced from these incompetent inspectors. I am curious if others living in that area have had inspector issues with bad address and technical difficulties with permits? There has never been any issues with the work done just technical issues with the permits. Their story sounds more like they live in New York vs Houston Texas.

 

[plumber2]

On 6/9/2016 at 11:08 AM, Telephoneroad said:

I have a friend living in this neighborhood that has been trying for over a year to get a new garage apt built to move into and then do a remodel on their house. The inspectors are a joke. I think they drag their feet hoping for monetary incentives ( bribes). I have no proof of that but nothing else makes sense for the amount of BS and incompetence they have experienced from these incompetent inspectors. I am curious if others living in that area have had inspector issues with bad address and technical difficulties with permits? There has never been any issues with the work done just technical issues with the permits. Their story sounds more like they live in New York vs Houston Texas.

 

The real City of Houston Inspectors are mostly all gone, being replaced by entry level rookies, with no experience, little benefits, and no access to anyone with practical knowledge. I used to take a continuing education class taught by a former City of Houston inspector. He had to quit and go back in the field, just to make ends meets. City inspector careers used to be a job that older tradesmen could gravitate to once they got up in age. They would take the lower paying job, knowing that the non cash benefits would make up for the smaller take home pay. That has all changed. The pay is low and there are very few benefits. There is no incentive for trained people to take an inspector position with the City of Houston anymore. The talent is all gone.

Even some of the plan checking for permits are now outsourced to a "resource" in Plano.

There is no "bribe" incentive going on here. These guys your friend is dealing with just don't know what they are doing. They have never worked in the trade that they are expected to be knowledgeable in. It's not that they are dragging their feet, the fact is that they are truly clueless at what they are doing. It's a sad state of affairs, when an "apprentice" on the job has to explain to the inspector what he is there to look at. And these guys have to take a State exam to become inspectors. I'm not sure what kind of exam they give these guys. It's just truly sad.  

[OldHouseLover]

On Thursday, March 10, 2016 at 4:27 PM, samagon said:

I was too young to pay attention 27 years ago when my grandmother still lived on dismuke and truett, and didn't decide to move to this part of town until 8 years ago.

welcome to the forum.

After many years on the forum, I'm seeing the corner of Dismuke & Truett mentioned.  Hubby grew up in EE & we owned house on NW corner of Dismuke/Truett for @ 30 yrs.  The estate we bought "as is" with the trappings of a person who could not throw away much of anything.  We spent 6 weeks cleaning out the 2 story house & the city hauled away @ 6 trucks of trash.  We learned an imprtant lesson about dumpster divers:):).  For reasons unknown, that area [subdivision leagl name:  Sunnylan ..yes, no "D" in spelling] was difficult to sell for as much per sq ft as other areas.  But it offered quick access to Freeway, short cuts to Gul Gate Mall viaTelephone/Dismuke/Wayside without getting on Freeway.  Plus Henderson Elem. School was 2 blocks away.  Very good family community.   When we bought in mid 80s, 2 city  busses ran on Dismuke.  By 2005, had to walk to Lawndale to catch bus.  The petty crimes in the area seemed to get more attention than other areas of EE making it a tough sell for owner/renting.   Sunnylan offered a good low price per sq ft and condition in the EE & prime location.  It also offered good access to the Medical Center/U of H/Port of Houston/Hobby Airport/Before the beltwey, Wayside was used as connection from I-10 to SE Houston & Med Ctr [via McGregor/OST].  The East End/town of Harrisburg was vital to the growth of the City of Houston.  My Grandmother emigrated from Germany to Port of Galveston & she told the story many times of coming from Galveston to Harrisburg by oxen drawn wagon in axel deep mud ca. 1885.  The family settled in Washington Co., TX.  Nothing has been said of the mode of travel from Harrisburg to Burton, Washington Co., TX.  Harrisburg, TX.  was very instrumental in the growth/settlement of central Texas.  Hopefully, the future of EE can be recognized for it's contribution to the growth of not only Houston, but all SE Texas.

 

RE:  City inspectors........  In the middle 80s, we were "red tagge" & went thru the permit process.  When project completed, we left red tag in window & wrote our names/phone #s/etc. & called inspector for final inspection.   No response.  We just gave up.  My opinion=someone called in on us.  The permit money was paid & the important thing [$$].  Never had issue with permits again.  Now, the internet can handle the mundane tasks:).

[jaminnj]

I lived on Kolfahl Street near where it met Telephone Road in the early 1970s.  There was a bar on the corner.. I can't remember the name.  I also walked to J.P. Henderson Elementary school.. and I would stop at a store on the way there and buy candy.  If someone remembers the name of that bar.. or that little store.. I want to say the store was called Jerusalem but I don't know why.  I was baptized at Lawndale Baptist church and while there were many things about my childhood in this area that were hard.  I have fond memories too.  The house I lived in has since been torn down.. and I suspect the bar and perhaps the store too.  Any information would be appreciated. Blessings to all!

[Charista]

Hello all,

My aunt purchased a 50 year old (possibly older) house off of Telephone and Polk back in the early 2000’s. She and her kids experienced some weird things, but never really researched the history of the house. My aunt has since passed and multiple family members,  myself included, have lived in the house and have all experienced things. I have not been able to find any negative history on the house. I was wandering if any residents of the area prior to 2000 remember of anything happening in that area. Thanks in advance. 

[samagon]

weird things I have noticed in the area:

trains stopping on the tracks for really long periods of time

city installed speed bumps which make you slow down slower than the speed limit to go over them

removal of traffic lights and installation of stop signs in the area

that Kroger is weird.

[samagon]

update, the background music in the Kroger this morning was straight out of Club 6400. welcome, but very weird.

[Montrose1100]

On 9/5/2021 at 1:51 PM, samagon said:

update, the background music in the Kroger this morning was straight out of Club 6400. welcome, but very weird.

Last time I was in there, "There Must Be An Angel" by Annie Lennox was playing on full blast. It was surreal. 

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

so the Kombat Kroger is the new Disco Kroger?