Kaplan's Ben-Hur Department Store At 2129 Yale St.

[Heights2Bastrop]

I just heard from my mom this morning that Kaplan's is closing its doors next month. If you are familiar with this store, if, like me, you frequented this wonderful store since the time you were a kid, and if you knew the Kaplan family over the years, then maybe you can understand how really sad this news was to me.

I suppose it is tough for a specialty store like Kaplan's to compete with Internet buying. I guess this closing was inevitable. But it is like losing a member of the family for me.

[west20th]

I just heard from my mom this morning that Kaplan's is closing its doors next month. If you are familiar with this store, if, like me, you frequented this wonderful store since the time you were a kid, and if you knew the Kaplan family over the years, then maybe you can understand how really sad this news was to me.

I suppose it is tough for a specialty store like Kaplan's to compete with Internet buying. I guess this closing was inevitable. But it is like losing a member of the family for me.

That is awful news. The store was one of a kind. Walking in that place was like walking into a JCPenney's with my granmother in the '60's. The Heights is a great place but we seem to have trouble with getting retail into the area.

[sevfiv]

http://www.kaplansbenhur.com/

[kjb434]

I think if the heights were a little more open to new development, the 19th street area could become a better pedstrian friendly shopping place.

It would be a great place to build a town center like area, the good thing is that it won't be artificial. The street grid is already in place. Many of the buildings could be saved and renovated.

I'm sure some national chains would love to move into the area, but hostility from some of the neighbored groups is stopping them.

[smartalek]

I just heard from my mom this morning that Kaplan's is closing its doors next month. If you are familiar with this store, if, like me, you frequented this wonderful store since the time you were a kid, and if you knew the Kaplan family over the years, then maybe you can understand how really sad this news was to me.

I suppose it is tough for a specialty store like Kaplan's to compete with Internet buying. I guess this closing was inevitable. But it is like losing a member of the family for me.

I read an article that the store is closing because younger family members had no desire to continue the tradition. Kaplans was very similar to Hemphill and Wells and Dunlaps in Lubbock we I lived. Good customer service and unusual items. Sorry to see it go, if I had the money.................................

[west20th]

I'm sure some national chains would love to move into the area, but hostility from some of the neighbored groups is stopping them.

True. I've always heard that the Heights association ran off Starbucks. I see their point that the chains may ruin the "charm" of the area but what is worse a Starbucks or empty storefronts?

[kjb434]

And I'm not saying a complete makeover and redo. Most of the storefront can be easily restored to their former glory. I think the area could be revitalized. Build some urban apartments and condos along with some revamped retail and restraunts, an the area could be a great asset. In the process, areas can be set up for the festivals that are hosted in the area too.

[Heights2Bastrop]

I read an article that the store is closing because younger family members had no desire to continue the tradition.

I had not heard this, but I had the feeling that might have been at least a part of the reason. I never knew Dave, but I remember Ben and Herman from the early 50s. I knew Martin, although not that well. But I knew he was getting up near the age where he might want to retire. I hate to see Kaplan

[Guest danax]

True. I've always heard that the Heights association ran off Starbucks. I see their point that the chains may ruin the "charm" of the area but what is worse a Starbucks or empty storefronts?

Keep the storefronts and signage original and as historic looking as possible but allow some flexibility with chains, although I could see how, if they let Starbucks in, McDonald's might complain if they can't and before you know it, the neighborhood looks like Anywhere, USA.

[MarthaG]

This saddens my heart as well.

I have been going to Kaplan's for as long as I remember. If I'm ever needing a classy gift for someone, I can find it at Kaplan's. And be sure to get it gift wrapped because they have the best bows!

I remember getting my first two piece swimsuit there as a small child. I remember my father was not too happy about the ideal, but my mom had made a big deal about going to Kaplan's and getting something "nice". I was probably about 9 or 10 yrs old.

And I can remember my dad taking me there to pick out gifts for my mom. Again, you can always find just the right thing at Kaplan's.

And what is a trip to Kaplan's without going across the street to Yale St. Pharmacy for a Chocolate Malt?

I will truly miss this wonderful establishment!

[brucesw]

Keep the storefronts and signage original and as historic looking as possible but allow some flexibility with chains, although I could see how, if they let Starbucks in, McDonald's might complain if they can't and before you know it, the neighborhood looks like Anywhere, USA.

There's a Mickey Dee's at 20th and Yale; been there for years.

And what is a trip to Kaplan's without going across the street to Yale St. Pharmacy for a Chocolate Malt?

I will truly miss this wonderful establishment!

Not to change the subject or anything -- but, anybody know how long Yale St. Pharmacy has been around? I think that current building has only been there since the 40s, but wasn't it across the street or something before?

On Topic: I'd only been to Kaplan's a few times but my Mother, who grew up in the Heights, always raved about it and loved to get gifts from there. One of those institutions you think will be there forever.

[jgs1419]

I found out about Kaplan's closing when I got the flyer by e/mail that the property was for sale. If I could figure out how to post it, I would but I've reached the limit of my technical capacity on that one.

I'm sorry to see the store close. I have bought countless birthday presents, gift cards, last minute anniversary presents and even a baptism gown for my kids there. The service was spectacular. It's always nice to shop where folks know you.

Th 19th Street commercial corridor will continue to evolve as rents increase and surrounding demographics become more attractive. The Kaplan property is almost two acres. A right minded developer could do well with a mixed use project on that well traveled and centrally located location......wait.......maybe that's me!

I don't recall the whole story but the Yale Street pharmacy has been on or around 22nd and Yale since the 20s. The last pharmacist is still alive and kicking though the family no longer owns the property, they sold it a couple of years ago. My neighbor is part of the family and has some great photos of the pharmacy and its customers.

[cwrm4]

I heard today that offer had been made on the property by....Walgreens!!!

I suppose that shouldn't be a surprise given that there is already a CVS nearby on 20th.

[heights_yankee]

A woman on my neighborhood forum said the "For Lease" sign was down and it looked like someone was doing some work inside...

Any info from you wise folks?

[plumber2]

That's really sad. I remember family shopping at Kaplans. All of my clothes came from the men & boys dept. Yes, I was dressed as a nerd. I remember Abe Goldstein fitting me in shirts and pants all the way up to when I got married. My wife did not understand my fascination for the place so we eventually stopped shopping there. My grandmother was one of their oldest customers. In fact Herman Kaplan attended her funeral. Another Houston institution fades away...............

[Heights2Bastrop]

There were two guys I remember in the Men

[sunsetHeightsOwner]

There were two guys I remember in the Men's Department

[heights_yankee]

This is the big problem in the Heights. There needs to be a balance struck between the businesses and the residents. I am 26 years-old. I own a bungalow in the sunset heights and want all of the heights neightborhoods to remain historic and to retain that small town feel. I believe that as heights area residents that we should support our local businesses. On the other hand, the old businesses need to change and update to cater to the younger residents. If they stay the same, they will retain their older clientele and will begin to not make any money, being that most of their older clintele will be, if are not already, on a fixed income. I require different things than say a 60 or 70 year-old. This un-struck balance is the reason there is so much empty commercial real estate in the area. This is also the reason that the younger residents have to drive to the other side of the freeway to go to target and the river oaks shopping center area to get the things that we require. Change can occur while being respectful to your history and architecture.

There are a lot of great stores that carry things much more suited to the newer Heights residents. In fact, I would hardly say any of the boutiques on 19th cater to the older set. I am only 34 and much of their merchandise is too youngish for me! Harold's is a little old school but my husband still finds plenty of ties to spend money on there...

[Vertigo58]

There were two guys I remember in the Men's Department

[west20th]

I recall we had 2-3 ex-employees from Kaplan's come in to look for new employment. My coworkers and I (Worksource) tried to help them as much as possible. We were surprised to see how much they didnt know on how to market themselves. Blessed their hearts. They did not have to search for a job in decades and they had no typing/computer skills at all. We almost had to hold their hands through the simplest of details. It seemed as if they were from somewhere way, way back in the past. These are the kind of folks that have the hardest time accepting the now. Bet its the same ones you met.

That's really sad. It's too bad KBH couldn't hang on a bit longer. I would think they'd be a good fit for Harold's maybe?

[mkultra25]

I talked the grandson (Marvin?) before the store closed. He was actually pretty bitter about the closing, and especially by the lack of customers. He also seemed to not be interested in my reminiscing about past days.

He made some comment to me that if all those who came in

[Porchman]

Looks like it's going to be rental apartments

*Fence is up around the building, and there's a sign for a demo company tacked to it

*Martin Kaplan sold the property to Retreat at the Heights, LTD last year

*Retreat at the Heights registered agent is Tim L. Myers, managing partner of Allied Realty Services http://www.alliedrealty.com/

Anybody have any other skinny on this?

[plumber2]

There is a story among our family that my grandmother, being one of Kaplan's oldest customers, once went in shopping for shoes. Mr. Kaplan, (the father to Benjamin and Hermann) waited on her trying on all different types of shoes. After trying on almost every womens shoe in stock and not finding anything that suited her she got up to leave. Mr. Kaplan, desperate to make a sale, convinced her in his old word Jewish accent to go outside, come back in and we'll start all over again until we find something you like.

Us grandkids never knew if this was a true story or not, but it is a good one nonetheless.

[Porchman]

Update: The building is almost completely torn down as of yesterday.

[TexasArchitect]

Update: The building is almost completely torn down as of yesterday.

what?!?!?! oh man that sucks. that corner is going to look diff w/o kaplans there....

[Porchman]

what?!?!?! oh man that sucks. that corner is going to look diff w/o kaplans there....

It's going to look and feel really different if they put a huge apartment complex there.

[jm1fd]

Update: The building is almost completely torn down as of yesterday.

Indeed. It is now Kaplan's BenFlattened.

[tanith27]

FYI, from the Chron this weekend:

Heights apartments

A $30 million apartment complex under construction on a century-old commercial site in the Heights is further proof of how this neighborhood is continuing its evolution from a quaint residential area to an urban enclave.

The 195-unit development at 2125 Yale is being built on the site of the old Kaplan's-Ben Hur department store that closed about two years ago.

Designed by Meeks + Partners for Allied Realty Services, the modern multifamily building, with four stories of apartments over two levels of parking, will sit on a 2-acre site between 21st and 22nd streets.

One- and two-bedroom apartments will range from 700 square feet to 1,378 square feet.

The sidewalks surrounding the building will be friendly to pedestrians, the developer said. The first occupants should be able to move in next August.

Just a few blocks away is 19th Street, a commercial area that's become lined with hip boutiques and restaurants.

Remembering old store

But the developer isn't letting go of the past entirely.

The clubhouse and leasing center will include restored southern yellow pine flooring that was salvaged from the retail building.

Kaplan's department store was a family-owned Heights fixture since 1913 when it opened as a feed store.

It eventually came to sell everything from clothing to glass trinkets and Christmas cards to bakeware.

[crunchtastic]

urban enclave

But will it have good lighting?

[Jmo2187]

So, my hoa purchased some big pointy stones that apparently used to be part of Kaplans. The original plan to use them has been nixed by the new homeowners. Now we are stuck with 6 capstones that we would love to sell but we don't have any pictures to prove their Heights history! Anyone happen to have one? Google is failing me.

Thanks.

[Purpledevil]

I have interior pictures of the store in my grandmother's old picture album, but nothing of the outside that would show those rocks. I have one outside picture of me standing up in the guard shack in the main lot, but no rocks.

Sorry I'm not more help. I saw the name Kaplan's and thought I could come to the rescue with my virtual library of old pictures. Wasn't meant to be...

[Ross]

Here's a post card on eBay from way back (40's?): http://www.ebay.com/itm/POSTCARD-Kaplans-Ben-Hur-Department-Store-1931-Houston-Heights-Texas-/151204814200

 

 

[mkultra25]

Martin Kaplan would likely be able to help with this, but I don't have contact info for him and wasn't able to find any after some admittedly cursory Googling. Perhaps someone else here knows how to get in touch with him.

[Mab]

I have interior pictures of the store in my grandmother's old picture album, but nothing of the outside that would show those rocks. I have one outside picture of me standing up in the guard shack in the main lot, but no rocks.

Sorry I'm not more help. I saw the name Kaplan's and thought I could come to the rescue with my virtual library of old pictures. Wasn't meant to be...

Can we still see the interior pictures please?

[Jmo2187]

Thanks for the help, guys. The post card did not show the stones. I wonder if they were even part of it. Anyone know what type of construction company would be interested in them. We have offered them to the stone place on yale and they weren't. 

 

I would like to see the interior pics. 

 

Thanks again.

[plumber2]

The store was added on to several times. You would notice as you walked around that the floors would slope up and down as you went from one addition to the other. The Men's and the shoe department's that faced Yale were in the original store. The entrance that faced 22nd street was a later addition (probably late 40s) and then the entrance on the back, facing the parking lot was the last addition (late 60's). I remember at Christmas time they hired security guards that posted themselves in little elevated huts in the parking lot to watch out for purse snatchers.

 

I remember Abe, a salesman in the men's department, gave me a back of house tour once. There was a little employee breakroom that required you to traverse up a small narrow stairway. There was also a narrow passageway around the back of the store that led to the offices and storeroom located above the newer section.  Cool memories!   

[Coxonthe19th]

A long time employee of Kaplan’s, Claudia Frazee has passed away.   Does anyone have any timeline of her long time employment at Kaplan’s?  We are trying to put together her history for the service. 
Thanks in advance,

Amy Cox

[bonappettit]

Kaplans Benhur was opened by Dave Kaplan in 1913.The name was derived from his two sons Bennett and Herman.They closed in 2006.Building was demolished.