Jump to content

Clark’s At 3807 Montrose Blvd.


thedistrict84

Recommended Posts

Spoke with one of the guys who works at Montrose Car Care on Saturday morning and learned that they are closing at the end of the month. Most of the people are relocating to another shop further south on Montrose as part of a "merger" of sorts. 

My immediate thought was that the property had changed hands and a new development might be forthcoming. This is one of the more prominent intersections in this part of Montrose, so I could see a new retail development doing well here. 

Property was listed on LoopNet for lease, but was pulled down about a month ago. Seems consistent with a new buyer. Laz Enterprises, Inc. has owned the lot since 2001--I assume this is an entity associated with everyone's favorite parking lot operator. Hopefully it has changed hands and isn't destined to be another parking lot (like what they did a few blocks east at Stanford). 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not just prominent - this is one of the most wasted intersections in the city. Even the St. Thomas corner is just a parking lot behind the small sign plaza thing. The only thing that remotely redeems this intersection is the breakfast tacos at the Chevron.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The County Clerk's site has a lease agreement between Laz Enterprises and Clark's Houston, llc dated last October. Clark's appears to be related to Clark's Oyster Bar in Austin, the signer of the lease is Larry McGuire from Austin.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, hindesky said:

Damn, I go there regularly to get work done on my vehicles because it's within walking distance. Oil change, body work, tires and inspections. Walk home and walk back when they call me.

I've used them off and on for a few smaller things that I just couldn't do on my project cars (inspections, alignment after I replaced a steering rack, etc.) over the last few years. They were just down the street from my old office, so very convenient.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Ross said:

The County Clerk's site has a lease agreement between Laz Enterprises and Clark's Houston, llc dated last October. Clark's appears to be related to Clark's Oyster Bar in Austin, the signer of the lease is Larry McGuire from Austin.

If that is the case, then I could see it being an adaptive reuse similar to something like Eight Row Flint or Flying Fish over on N. Durham. I guess that wouldn't be the worst thing ever. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, hindesky said:

Damn, I go there regularly to get work done on my vehicles because it's within walking distance. 

I used to do the same, for the same reason, when I lived nearby. That was when it was still John's Exxon, way before it became Montrose Car Care. Can't remember John's last name now, but he (along with several of his employees) was Greek. It was one of several Greek-owned auto repair places in the area, along with Demo's and Poutous in the Rice Village, both of which are still around.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Naviguessor said:

John’s xpresslube on Bissonnet is a great Greek shop in Bellaire.  They are my preferred place to go.  Very friendly and professional. May be the same family  

johnxpresslube.com

Their website says John Georgalos owns John's Xpress Lube. Although I still can't remember it, I'm certain that the John of John's Exxon had a different last name. I checked HCAD but it looks like the John's Exxon property was owned by Exxon, so no clues on his name there either. 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

From the Chronicle article: "Neighborhood car repair shop Montrose Car Care permanently shut its doors at 3807 Montrose Blvd after the landlord sold the property."
In the same article, they continue by stating "Laz Enterprises Inc. owns the property, according to public records, but declined to confirm the new tenant."
According to public records, Laz Enterprises Inc. has owned the property since 2001.
So did the landlord actually sell the property? or is this another frustrating example of amateur reporting by the Chron?
 

 
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, dbigtex56 said:

From the Chronicle article: "Neighborhood car repair shop Montrose Car Care permanently shut its doors at 3807 Montrose Blvd after the landlord sold the property."
In the same article, they continue by stating "Laz Enterprises Inc. owns the property, according to public records, but declined to confirm the new tenant."
According to public records, Laz Enterprises Inc. has owned the property since 2001.
So did the landlord actually sell the property? or is this another frustrating example of amateur reporting by the Chron?
 

 

Unless things have changed since I made the post up top, no, Laz hasn't sold. They have a lease agreement with Clarks out of Austin, and probably had to wait until the car place's lease expired.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
On 8/30/2021 at 11:26 AM, wilcal said:

Permit issued for repair shop demo (to Laz Enterprises)

waDPayj.png

Interesting, I was thinking they might utilize the shell similar to some of the other recent developments that have put restaurants within old service stations. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, HNathoo said:

Interesting, I was thinking they might utilize the shell similar to some of the other recent developments that have put restaurants within old service stations. 

The current structure is only about 2,200 sq ft (10%) of the lot. I guess it makes more sense to start over. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...

Story about the Clark's opening later this year in The Houston Chronicle.....

"Clark’s (which also has an outpost in Aspen), is set to take up residence later this year at 3807 Montrose, at the corner of West Alabama, in the home of the former Montrose Car Care auto repair shop."

https://preview.houstonchronicle.com/dining/popular-austin-seafood-oyster-restaurant-coming-16841262

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

Work started on Saturday. I live 2 blocks from here and could hear the noise of them breaking up the concrete so I walked over to see. This used to be a gas station so I'm assuming there are still underground gasoline tanks. I think it was an Exxon station simply based on the old colors of the building. It's always been a repair shop since I moved here.

mymmI6f.jpg

MDLGWS8.jpg

Edited by hindesky
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...