Westbury Square Developments

[NenaE]

haha..that's great...no "promotional" toy of the week in your sack, just a balloon. Was happy to get it, and it entertained us for hours.

[SchwinnChopper68]

The Candle Shop, 632 Westbury Square

[Dub]

That's a great pic Schwinn, I managed the Cook Paint & Varnish store next door to it in 1970~1971. Ate many a Whopper there also.

Apologies for the double up.....

Edited July 23, 2009 by Dub

[EEKWestMeyer]

Hello. I am new to this forum. I Googled Westbury Square and found this site and was thrilled to read so many posts from several years back now on the topic. I haven't seen WS since going there as a child and am sad to see that it has deteriorated. I remember going there from '70 to '76 (I was five in '70) when my parents decided we needed a bigger house (hence we moved to Fleetwood on Memorial off of Highway 6 - what a culture shock that was). If memory serves me, wasn't there a little shop that sold imports from Holland in WS? I still have a pair of earrings from that store that I have kept all these years. I think there was also a candy store? I remember the glass store. Wish I could remember the names of these places.

This is somewhat off topic, but I have also been trying to research a place that I remember going to as a kid in elementary school. I grew up on the edge of West U on Bissonnet right across the street from the Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in a row of townhomes there. I attended West U Elementary and I remember going on field trips to a place that I think was called "The People's Place of Houston" - my closest comparison of it would be a mini-Epcot inside a building with different "countries" that we kids visited to learn about their culture. If anyone can confirm this for me, I would love it and if I am not off base, would love to hear any stories you have about it that might help jar my memory.

My mom passed away recently and I began making notes of things that I fondly remember as a child and these places are some of those wonderful memories.

Look forward to checking back for more info.

I also went to the The People's Place of Houston - and I attended Cynthia Ann Parker Elementary. From what I recall every year each teacher would select a boy and a girl to attend The People's Place. While at The People's Place of Houston, you toured different cultures - and you were given a People's Place passport. When you returned to your home school, you had to give a report to the other students about what you learned at The People's Place. I always thought that it was housed at Kolter Elem. I recall eating crispy noodles - the Dinty-Moore Chinese noodles from a can (they reminded me of Pringles) - and I recall using chop-sticks and eating a fortune cookie. I went to China and India while I was at The People's Place.....I always thought it was called "People's Place". I remember that it was a lot of fun!

[EEKWestMeyer]

Man what a great site!! I grew up off West Belfort and S. Post Oak just behind Wyatte's Caffateria (now gone) and used to go hunting in Meyer's field which is now Meyer's Plaza. Remember Honda Hill? That is long gone.

I use to ride my bike every freaking day to Johnston. Mr. Anderson was the assit. princicaple at the time and everybody used to rag on him because he was also a modle for Sears and he had a picture in the catalog the kids used to hang on the walls at school. Rember coach Ahr, Johnson, Fisher and Coach Walker? Coach Walker was the best.

Then there was good old Westbury. Does anybody remeber we had a smoking area at school. Wow now you can't smoke any where.

We used to skip class and go to Super-Surf on S. Post oak and shoot pool at lunch or we would go swimming at the sand pits at the end of Fondren. I had a pretty bad wreck my Sr. year on Willowbend by Johnston splashing the junior high kids after a rain one day.

I can remember there was a hamburger place at Westbury Square that had a Mery-Go-Round in it. After the football games we would hang out at the Pizzia Parlor at Westbury Square.

Man has it changed today. My mom still lives in Willow Meadows so I drive by Westbury every so often. Good memories but sad to see what it has turned into.

I remember Mr. Anderson; he was an AP when I attended Johnston - and he was one of a kind. I remember Goonie Golf best of all.

[devonhart]

Found this postcard of the candle shop for sale.

[spiderroller]

I remember Mr. Anderson; he was an AP when I attended Johnston - and he was one of a kind. I remember Goonie Golf best of all.

The hamburger place with the carousel wasn't actually in Westbury Square... it was on the far right corner of the Weingarten's shopping center. On the far left was Firestone... TG&Y... Weingartens.... the barber shop... on the end was BRITTAINS. It had a carousel. Believe it is now a Blockbuster.

Gooney Golf was the best.... but have another one for you all.... Gooney Golf was next to Meyer Branch Library.... A.J. Foyt comprised a large mass of that land... was also a shopping center with a Cunningham Drugs.... but... my favorite hamburger place of all time was also on that property... and the building is still there now: it was called KINGS. Had several birthday parties there as a child.

[spiderroller]

Read last week in the Chronicle or somewhere that the owner was to appear in court (again)... but his snake attorney file a motion or something because the owner was (again) out of the country or something.... I know that is probably repetitive within this thread... but...

.... when they begin tearing this place down... whenever that may be... I'm going to go over there and grab one of the old original light posts and throw it in my truck.... if you drive by there... the original lamp posts still align Bellfort and some other areas....

I'll keep one as a souvenir to go along with my stained glass looking Shakey's ceiling light fixture!

Edited August 12, 2009 by spiderroller

[SchwinnChopper68]

Yah, Kings was the best!! You would pick up the phone to order. I think they were red phones like Batman. If you had the right table you could watch the person in the kitchen as they picked up the phone and took your order.

I would die to find a place today that made those cheese sandwiches dipped in crumb batter. I can still taste it after all these years. Their onion rings were not too far behind either.

While you are at it save me a brick from the front of Village Inn Pizza.

Edited August 12, 2009 by SchwinnChopper68

[spiderroller]

Yah, Kings was the best!! You would pick up the phone to order. I think they were red phones like Batman. If you had the right table you could watch the person in the kitchen as they picked up the phone and took your order.

I would die to find a place today that made those cheese sandwiches dipped in crumb batter. I can still taste it after all these years. Their onion rings were not too far behind either.

While you are at it save me a brick from the front of Village Inn Pizza.

Okay.. will put the bricks on the list.... KINGS....... unbelievable.... yep... ordered using the phone....

.... I remember another place.. not related to Westbury Square... think it was on Kirby... think it was named "Across the Street" hamburgers or something like that... think it was the first place I ever saw someone put chili on a burger...

KINGS!!! My recollection is that their burgers seemed to be handmade too or something.. different texture to meat... not just a frozen patty slapped on a grill....

[Native Son]

Here is a pic of how the S. Post Oak Burger King looked like when I grew up. Forget the snow Still remember buying cigarettes for my dad for 35 cents from the machine in the dining room. Back then they would undo the top of the cellophane wrapping and slip in a Burger King book of matches. Yea, believe it or not the entire dining room would be filled with kids eating lunch with most of the adults puffing away on a Saturday afternoon. Never bothered me growing up.

what year did you move into Willowbend?

[nm5k]

You all are making me hungry with all this vintage burger talk.

I forgot all about Kings.. Went there a few times.

When we walked or biked down to Kings, we would always

also hit Westbury Yamaha and drool over the latest and

greatest mini bike, or bike. At one time, they had a store

facing Bellfort that sold the little Benelli<sp>? 50cc

mini-motorcycles. We thought those were the cats meow

back then, but of course couldn't afford one..

We would ride off on our pedal powered models..

I went to Brittains all the time as it was real close.

I still remember my usual order I think.. A #5..

Which was a burger with bar-b-q- sauce. I always got

that one.

I went to the Burger King on Post Oak when it looked like

that. I remember you walked in and went to the left where

the line looped around to the counter. But the first Burger

King I ate at was in Overland Park KS, when I lived up there

in the mid to late 60's.

I think it opened about 1965 or so. And I think it also

looked about the same as that one.

If I remember right, when I first went to the Post Oak BK,

a whopper was 55 cents. That was around 1970.

But seems to me I remember a 35 cent whopper way back

in my memory banks from the mid 60's.. :/

[SchwinnChopper68]

I moved into Willowbend in June 1965. I lived directly across from Johnston Junior High.

I had forgotten about the Benellis at Westbury Yamaha. I was more into mini enduros and rupps.

From 1969

From mid 60s What trip to Westbury Square was complete unless you stopped here on the way home.

[Native Son]

I moved into Willowbend in June 1965. I lived directly across from Johnston Junior High.

I had forgotten about the Benellis at Westbury Yamaha. I was more into mini enduros and rupps.

From 1969

From mid 60s What trip to Westbury Square was complete unless you stopped here on the way home.

we moved in 9 years later.....do you remember Ben's Schwinn Shop on Willowbend, on the other side of the tracks?

[spiderroller]

we moved in 9 years later.....do you remember Ben's Schwinn Shop on Willowbend, on the other side of the tracks?

I remember that place.... right before you hit Stella Link?

If so... I remember one of my best friends took me there a a kid back in the 70s to buy parts to "build" a "homemade" bike.

[JebReb74]

Sorry for being late in noticing and there are far too many replies to know where we are but this would or could have been a great place for shooting a movie or anything film related.

After viewing the photos it could have been mistaken for Italy or somewhere far away. The area around the fountain is (or was) a great focal point. What a waste. Save if not too late!

Hi all, newbie here....

I recently found this thread and I remember Westbury Square was used in a scene in a TV movie back in 1986. The movie is 'Gone to Texas' starring Sam Elliot as Sam Houston. About 40 minutes into the movie, Sam Houston goes to Washington to meet with the President and as he arrives, you can see him coming around the corner of what used to be the book store (you can see Rumpleheimer's in the shot in the background) and then he walks down the sidewalk (the side of the square next to the sunken parking lot) until he stops at the location of the Candle Shop (the postcard above by devonhart is the exact spot) where some dialog takes place. The scene is long enough that all those familiar with Westbury Square will be able to recognize it.

There are also scenes filmed at Sam Houston Park in downtown Houston and Stephen F. Austin State Park.

[nm5k]

DING! DING! DING!

The Double Eagle on Gasmer, right across from Westbury High School. Pinball, foosball and air hockey. Awesome. Didn't last too long though.

I also remember, maybe after the Double Eagle shut down.... another place that opened up right down the street... right before Gasmer split into S. Willow.... by the little convenience store? Could be wrong... after all it was the 70s.

I went to all those places. Also don't forget "Ernies" on Chimney Rock.. Was in the center across Gasmer from Westbury H.S.

I remember that was the summer of 1975 when they were open, and I lived across the street in the Madison Apt's.

That was a wild summer.. :/ I remember we pretty much partied non stop the whole summer. I remember one night this

guy from Atlanta Ga. came by, I guess with someone else we knew. He had been hitchhiking across the country and was

passing through Houston on his way to CA. I remember we all spent the night inhaling adult beverages and by daylight

he had talked me into going with him. At 8 AM, I was on the road to CA. We left out on 90a, and hit 36 to I-10..

The first night I ended up out near Junction TX. The next night I was in Tucson AZ.. Two days later I was in Barstow CA..

We made pretty good time for hitchhiking.. :/ We also ran into some girl from N.C. and she traveled with us most

the rest of the way.

We toured around CA. for a while, camped in Yosemite for a week. Yosemite was a non stop party in the mid 70's.

Kind of like Memorial Park on a Sunday Afternoon except much bigger trees.

I even ran into other people from Houston when I was there.

I remember being in the bay area for a few days. Stayed in Berkeley. Went to the U.S.C there to check out the

seismic recorder in the hallway.. :/ Noted that all the taxicabs and most of the houses were painted psychedelic

colors. Stayed at one house for about three days, until one day we were sitting around and one of the guys

that lived there asked me if he could massage my feet I decided Berkeley was not my type of place and promptly

hit the road again that very night. Went across Nevada and Utah on I-80, which was like traveling on the moon.

Camped on the Bonneville Salt Flats one night. Into CO. and Steamboat Springs. etc, back down I-25 into N.M. and

down to El Paso. Back to Houston on I-10.. I remember I left El Paso at 6 AM, and got a ride in an old

Willys Jeep.. It must have held about 8 gallons of gas because we had to stop several times. Also, I think it's

top speed must have been about 52 mph.. I didn't get back to Houston until 1:30 AM where they dropped me off

at the McKee Street bridge. I was gone a total of two weeks. Went back to the pad at Madison Apt's, and partied

for a few more days. Then 4th of July, 1975... We went to the hill at Westbury Square to watch the fireworks

show. During the show, a fire developed at the Madison Apt's.. We could see it from the hill.

Betcha can't guess who's apartment it was.. :/ yep, it was ours.. This guy we knew fell asleep in the

arm chair that was in my bedroom with a cigarette, and caught the chair on fire. Almost burned that

whole section of townhouses down..

I forgot where I went after that.. Yep, the summer of 75.. Not for the timid or faint of heart..

BTW, I think the first place I really got into foosball was at the Sir Pizza next to 7-11 on Burdine

and Chimney rock.

[debmartin]

"When I was a child, the year of 1985 Westbury Square had a Halloween costume contest which I won first place as a home made robot. And today I still have the trophy which is what I wanted to share with this forum. Here are two photos of it which I snapped. Yet I wondered if anyone else here has photos from those costume contest or stories about them." (Aland11223)

i posted over the summer about my dad's shop in westbury square in the early to late 80's but did not get any feedback, so i'm glad to read about your memory. perhaps you visited our family business, it was called "roy's collector showcase" and was located in the clock tower. i remember the halloween costume contests and each merchant would give candy for trick-or-treat kids in costume of all ages. we also went to plays at company onstage, and my dad was good friends with the owner of cromwells. my dad's store sold comics & cards, and he also had a very large collection of original movie posters and vintage vinyls and 45's. we were in westbury square from '84 to '89, i recall my dad had to leave because the lease went up to unaffordable and he'd come in on a lower 5yr amount when westbury square was being "revitalized". so they ran off good businesses out of greed looking for higher rent and it fell apart (again). what a shame small mom & pop businesses cannot find affordable lease space, but of course walmart sells cards which means my dad's business would be obsolete nowdays. thank you for sharing your westbury square memory and photo!

[aggieengineer]

My wife and I made a long-postponed trip to Houston this week and visited Westbury Square. The condition is basically hopeless. One can look through the windows of many of the old shops and see sunlight streaming in through the roof, or what's left of it. I think this was the old glassblower's shop, and it's in the the best condition of any of the buildings.

The Christmas decorations give some indication of how long this place has been idle. In fact, the whole place has a kind of Omega Man feel to it. There's not a soul in sight, but there's scattered evidence of human activity - the occasional illuminated outdoor light, and lots of trash. There was considerable police presence in the area, and we watched one guy being driven off on West Bellfort in the back of a cruiser. It's not a place I would go after dark. How sad. I grew up a few blocks away, and it was such a nice place to spend an evening. I suspect the bulldozers will be along shortly, but the area is so blighted, I don't know who would want the property.

[capt. kirk]

Several days ago I happen to drive by what used to be Westbury Square and almost did not recognize it. In fact I was a little surprised that any of it was still there. I got curious about what had become of it and found this forum in a web search.

The last time I saw the place was probably in the early 80s or late 70s. I grew up in the Houston area and Westbury Square was THE PLACE to hang out when it was in its hey day, even if you did have to drive all the way from Bellaire or Spring Branch : ). I was still young and impressionable so the place seemed almost magical to me. I worked part time for a while in a store there called Cargo Houston that was like Pier 1 Imports, only much, much better. I can remember what most of the stores were and where they were. Behind Home Depot is where the main parking lot was and the front of Cargo Houston faced the fountain, the remnants of which can still be seen through the wooden fence behind Home Depot. There was also a really cool restaurant, book store and clothing store facing this same main parking lot. The other stores I remember, I think, where a Pizza Shop, a oriental import shop, a Dutch or Danish import shop, a glass art shop, a photography shop, and an high end outdoor equipment (hiking and climbing, etc.) shop sort of like REI. They also had stores at Town and Country and eventually in the Galleria (all apparently out of business now). The guys that owned Cargo Houston also owned a place there called the Candle Shop. I believe there was also a Baskins and Robbins or something like that across the fountain from Cargo Houston. I also think there were a small number of upstairs apartments within the square and above the shops.

I would be interested in history about he place including pictures, list of stores, maps, etc. It was a great place to hang out, shop and work, but I don�t think it ever turned the profits once anticipated. It attracted mostly the hippie types in my age group and older.

i am from the east side of houston around the ship channel area, harrisburg and broadway. the best i remember is that westbury square was new in the early 60's. most of the pictures in the yearbooks were taken in 65 so the square wasnt that old. maybe an ice cream shop, a candle shop and a restuarant or two. and even westbury h.s. was fairly new. i havent been by the square in about 35 years. there is no telling what it looks like now.

Several days ago I happen to drive by what used to be Westbury Square and almost did not recognize it. In fact I was a little surprised that any of it was still there. I got curious about what had become of it and found this forum in a web search.

The last time I saw the place was probably in the early 80s or late 70s. I grew up in the Houston area and Westbury Square was THE PLACE to hang out when it was in its hey day, even if you did have to drive all the way from Bellaire or Spring Branch : ). I was still young and impressionable so the place seemed almost magical to me. I worked part time for a while in a store there called Cargo Houston that was like Pier 1 Imports, only much, much better. I can remember what most of the stores were and where they were. Behind Home Depot is where the main parking lot was and the front of Cargo Houston faced the fountain, the remnants of which can still be seen through the wooden fence behind Home Depot. There was also a really cool restaurant, book store and clothing store facing this same main parking lot. The other stores I remember, I think, where a Pizza Shop, a oriental import shop, a Dutch or Danish import shop, a glass art shop, a photography shop, and an high end outdoor equipment (hiking and climbing, etc.) shop sort of like REI. They also had stores at Town and Country and eventually in the Galleria (all apparently out of business now). The guys that owned Cargo Houston also owned a place there called the Candle Shop. I believe there was also a Baskins and Robbins or something like that across the fountain from Cargo Houston. I also think there were a small number of upstairs apartments within the square and above the shops.

I would be interested in history about he place including pictures, list of stores, maps, etc. It was a great place to hang out, shop and work, but I don�t think it ever turned the profits once anticipated. It attracted mostly the hippie types in my age group and older.

i am from the east side of houston around the ship channel area, harrisburg and broadway. the best i remember is that westbury square was new in the early 60's. most of the pictures in the yearbooks were taken in 65 so the square wasnt that old. maybe an ice cream shop, a candle shop and a restuarant or two. and even westbury h.s. was fairly new. i havent been by the square in about 35 years. there is no telling what it looks like now. westbury to us was the rich side of town in those days

[DarthKelly]

My husband and I currently reside in one of the upstairs apartments in Westbury Square. We have purple lights strung up on our porch, and sometimes have them turned on (if we remember to plug them in at night). My husband likes to sit out on the balcony and smoke while playing the internet.

If you go through the archway, and turn left, you'll be in a courtyard that our balcony looks in on.

If you want to drop by some time and get a tour, PM me. Best not to show up unannounced, though, as one of the other residents (there are three others) is likely to call the cops, since we've had some thefts.

Edited October 8, 2009 by DarthKelly

[sevfiv]

^Welcome to HAIF - how long have you lived at Westbury Square? How many units are there? (Surprised at the total of four occupied!)

[sevfiv]

I'm not sure if this has been posted before but there is a Facebook group called "Anyone remember Westbury Square" with some neat pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67579610630

[Croberts]

once magical place. My love for Architecture began as a young boy, hanging out at Westbury Square.

(Tom Williams)

Very well put. I had the same experience, and also it stimulated my interest in architecture. Now I teach an upper division college course on the American Cultural Landscape, with an emphasis on vernacular architecture, and it started with the contrast between tacky ranches (not the tasteful mods) and the european influence square. We have many new urbanist projects that attempt a similar thing here in south Florida, but none of them have the feel, the smell, the magic of that amazing collection of independent craftsmen and shops. I cant imagine how such a collection could have come together.

And starting wednesday, I teach my first graduate historical preservation course, with field trips to St. Augustine, Savannah and Charleston, and local hoefully, some south florida building documentations for HABS and the national register. I shall start with a discussion of Westbury Square as a "new urbanist, pedestrian oriented development" and go through the decline to the present state. Someone should document the square for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Thats typically where historical tear downs end up as measured drawing and photographs and other details.

[nm5k]

I'm not sure if this has been posted before but there is a Facebook group called "Anyone remember Westbury Square" with some neat pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67579610630

Dang.. Hunter Chapman and Paul Findley.. I knew those two..

[GBryant]

I also went to the The People's Place of Houston - and I attended Cynthia Ann Parker Elementary. From what I recall every year each teacher would select a boy and a girl to attend The People's Place. While at The People's Place of Houston, you toured different cultures - and you were given a People's Place passport. When you returned to your home school, you had to give a report to the other students about what you learned at The People's Place. I always thought that it was housed at Kolter Elem. I recall eating crispy noodles - the Dinty-Moore Chinese noodles from a can (they reminded me of Pringles) - and I recall using chop-sticks and eating a fortune cookie. I went to China and India while I was at The People's Place.....I always thought it was called "People's Place". I remember that it was a lot of fun!

I'm another one, but I always thought that it was called People Places. I like your recollection better as I always thought that was a dumb name. I attended Horn Academy on Pine Street in Bellaire and would have gone to People Whatever in or around 1984. I'm afraid I can't confirm any specific memory of it other than it existed and that I had to ride on a bus to get there.

[NenaE]

http://citemag.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/RemeberingWestburySquare_Moore_Cite65.pdf

Cite, gotta love 'em.

[EEKWestMeyer]

I was teaching in the 5th ward in the early and mid 70s and there was an elementary school near the area, I believe it was Anson Jones, that had a multi-cultural center that was set up for elementary field trips for young students from all over HISD to learn about cultures from around the world. I think they also had teachers of different ethnicities there to guide and inform the students about their particular cultures. Could this be what you remember?

Ok...so I finally found something about about People Place Multicultural Magnet Center (People Place)....please see the attached document....the following text was taken from the document: Program Description In September 1999, People Place Multicultural Magnet Center (People Place) entered into its twenty-seventh year of operation. Located inside Turner Elementary School, this diversity education program was designed to foster an appreciation, understanding, and respect for cultural differences among HISD students. Further, it assists pupils in developing good citizenship, self-esteem, effective communication skills, and critical thinking abilities.

People_Place_Magnet_2000.pdf

[Lloyd-TX]

5300 block West Bellfort Blvd.

Westbury Square

(1960) William W. Wortham, Jr.

developer: Ira Berne (also developed Westbury Subdivision)

Stephen Fox (AIA Architectural Gd.) mentions "shoddy design standards" and "confusing layout" as possible causes of slow revitalization.

Here is a block book layout of the design. I love that fountain, sad what happened to it, surprised it is still even there.

http://books.tax.hct..._86-87_0009.jpg

Thanks everyone for those pics.

Never heard a strip called a "centerette" before, looks very similar to the 1950's strips in my old neighborhood. Those colored tiles are always nice. Reminds me of the Utotems.

Mucho thanks for posting that survey jpg!

If you blow that survey up so you can read the lower RH corner, you can see the engineer's info and signatures.

Bennett Coulson, who passed away December 2003, is my father.

I recall that he spoke VERY highly of Ira Berne. Ira thought so much of my Dad that he paid for central A/C to be installed in my parent's first home (on Durness Way, in Braes Heights) in the mid-50's!

Ah . . . the memories!

[Tigerjag]

I just started reading this thread today. I grew up in Spring Branch, so only occasionally got to visit Westbury Square as a kid, and usually on a Sunday afternoon. I remember Rumpelheimer's and Britan's Broiler Burger quite well though. I also vaguely remember visiting as a teenager, but it was way out of my boundary lines for dates and hanging out.

Being new to the thread, I was following all the links at the beginning. I haven't seen it noted here, but one of the first page posters, Stu, died in 2008. Here's the link.

I followed the link for his website that was on his first post and found the story from there. http://rhythmweb.com/

Edited July 26, 2010 by Tigerjag