IronTiger Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Driving down to Houston yesterday I noticed that the truck stop in Hempstead (recognizable by a large Exxon/McDonald's sign) had completely closed, with the McDonald's sign only remaining (the McDonald's is actually next to it). From my observations: - The canopy had removed all Exxon branding and even appeared to be falling apart - It once had a Denny's inside; earlier this year it had been converted to a "Country Delight Cafe" - Sometime in late 2015 or early 2016 a Subway was added to the end, I remember it being perhaps the first Subway I've seen opened post-Jared - Today, the gas station is boarded up entirely (looks like Country Delight is also gone) with Subway still open inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slash Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 My understanding is they did not pay their liquor license and couldn't keep up with the lease payments. One thing leads to another and Exxon shuts the place down. I believe Exxon is still interested in someone to lease the location. Denny's tried to shrink the menu with just the basics but couldn't generate enough revenue. I don't have facts beyond that on the Exxon, but locals that I know have often talked about questionable sells practices, expired goods, improper temperature controls, pump equipment problems, and I speak from experience that it was one of the dirtiest places I have ever been in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slash Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Just hearsay, and hopefully real information soon, but they are gutting the property now and have heard it is supposed to be a larger truck stop with restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted March 1, 2018 Author Share Posted March 1, 2018 12 hours ago, slash said: Just hearsay, and hopefully real information soon, but they are gutting the property now and have heard it is supposed to be a larger truck stop with restaurant. From what I heard stopping at the Subway it's being converted to a Pilot, and the clerk mentioned a Starbucks inside. When I visited it was more apparent that the Subway was never connected to the gas station at all. From what I can make out of the old layout, the convenience store part was on the north side of the building with an entrance facing east, and Denny's was on the south side with an entrance facing south. The Subway was carved out of excess Denny's seating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slash Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Following your information, which is correct, here is the job listings for Pilot Store #573 Pilot Flying J - Store 573 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted May 26, 2018 Share Posted May 26, 2018 Has further progress been made? The job listings look like they're still open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted May 28, 2018 Author Share Posted May 28, 2018 On 5/25/2018 at 8:54 PM, dbigtex56 said: Has further progress been made? The job listings look like they're still open. I drove by Saturday. The Pilot signs are up on the blue highway signs and the gas canopy, but the building isn't ready yet. The stucco is redone, it looks like they're redoing what was the Denny's entrance, and it looks like the Subway is still there but the signage isn't there on the building (not even a banner, only a few bits of window advertising signage). No replacement of the big Exxon sign on the roadside, though, at least not yet. I'm not sure if the end plan is for Subway to remain as an exterior-access only store or if they intend to gut the current Subway space and move it inside the main complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted June 21, 2018 Author Share Posted June 21, 2018 The store was open when I went by Monday. Some notes: - The Pilot sign replaces where the Exxon sign was on the highway sign. - It's accompanied by a brighter price display and a moved Subway sign (with the new logo) - The highway "food" signs advertise a Dunkin' Donuts but it's just a kiosk in the store - Other than the Dunkin' Donuts Express there's no other food options inside except PJ Fresh, a Pilot/Flying J concept - The west entrance (the Denny's entrance) is completely sealed up - The Subway has the new logo but it retains its outside configuration untouched from the previous incarnation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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