Christie's Restaurant At 3512 South Main St.

[Highrise Tower]

Found this ad in the January 4, 1984 issue of The Southwest Citizen. I didn't even know Christie's Restaurant had a location at 3512 South Main St.  Here's the other locations that I know of. I wonder if there are any store numbers? I see the 9200 was the latest addition in January 1984. The ad says "Since 1917". I wonder their original location?

Christie's Restaurant At 5911 Bellaire Blvd.

Christie's Restaurant At 3512 South Main St.

Christie's Restaurant At 6703 South Main St.

Christie's Restaurant At 9200 South Main St.

Christie's Restaurant At 6029 Westheimer Rd.

 

[Ross]

Mention of the 3512 Main location in the 1980 EIS for rail https://books.google.com/books?id=Htg3AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA7-PA27&lpg=RA7-PA27&dq=christies+restaurant+3512+south+main+houston&source=bl&ots=FlA1VwGKQd&sig=ACfU3U3xuTg3v9FA-gha4XO_5f8qdcpvWA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjZ6Pbkqqz6AhVyrokEHVcMDrUQ6AF6BAg9EAM#v=onepage&q=christies restaurant 3512 south main houston&f=false

It would have been across the street from the Ensemble Theater.

No mention in a 1973 Texas Monthly https://books.google.com/books?id=BSoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=christies+restaurant+3512+south+main+houston&source=bl&ots=EncSIWuZku&sig=ACfU3U0ec3FzzGNdffBzkUmqqI9xLh_WhA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj3hdSJraz6AhWOADQIHZCqDWs4ChDoAXoECBwQAw#v=onepage&q=christies restaurant 3512 south main houston&f=false

[brucesw]

Christie's originated in Galveston in 1917.  I had read it was just a stand on Seawall Blvd but the website says it was in the Tremont at first.  Moved to Houston in '34 in the Med Center, then to 3512 Main.  Does 'Med Center' mean the 6703 S. Main location?

Website history

The website used to claim Christie's had invented fish sticks but that was removed some time ago.

I know I was in the 3512 location ca. 1971; I can't remember if we stayed to eat. If so, it probably was the only time I ate there.  I ate at the one on Bellaire and the last one on Westheimer several times and probably also the one that replaced Gaido's at 9200 S. Main.  I never knew of the one on S. Post Oak and possibly never the one at 6703 S. Main. 

I was puzzled by the Spanish Colonial style of 3512 but I see from Ross' link it wasn't originally built for Christie's.  I think that location closed in the early 70s and sat vacant for years, as best I can recall.

[mkultra25]

17 hours ago, brucesw said:

I was puzzled by the Spanish Colonial style of 3512 but I see from Ross' link it wasn't originally built for Christie's.  I think that location closed in the early 70s and sat vacant for years, as best I can recall.

I'm fairly certain that the 3512 Main location was open until the 1980s - I remember eating there several times when I was in college. The building had seen better days by then, and I seem to recall a Mexican restaurant briefly occupied it after Christie's vacated the premises. 

Can't seem to find any pictures of the 3512 Main location online, but here's a postcard of the 6703 S. Main location.

Edited September 24, 2022 by mkultra25

[brucesw]

Yes, you are right.  The ad in the original post is dated 1984 and shows that location still open.  I saw that and was going to come back and correct my post but got engrossed in looking for a pic, too, and forgot.

That ad does not list 6703.

[Highrise Tower]

On 9/24/2022 at 5:09 PM, brucesw said:

Yes, you are right.  The ad in the original post is dated 1984 and shows that location still open.  I saw that and was going to come back and correct my post but got engrossed in looking for a pic, too, and forgot.

That ad does not list 6703.

Theodore Christie, Owner.

[Earlydays]

Often ate at the one on Main.....outstanding fried shrimp.

[brucesw]

The book Lost Restaurants of Houston by the Galvanis has a brief chapter on George P. Kelley, for whom the Original Kelley's Steak House was built in 1936 @ 3512 Main.  Kellly had 5 restaurants at one time.  The building became Christie's in 1938/9? and was not demolished until 2007, according to the book.  Surely there have to be pictures out there somewhere.

 

Galvani has pics of the interior but none of the exterior that I can find in the book.

 

BTW, the book includes a brief chapter 'A Drive down Main Street in the 1960s,' starting with Elliot's Steaks @ 11321 and ending at One's a Meal in the  1000 block.  Fascinating.  A good book.