1100 Westheimer Rd.

[sevfiv]

Via Swamplot:

http://swamplot.com/swamplot-street-sleuths-chances-are/2010-07-13/

and the Commgate listing:

http://www.commgate.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=property.detailFS&ln=192832

Entire block in busy Midtown commercial area with frontage on Westheimer and street access on Waugh, Waughcrest and California streets. Prime retail/ restaurant/ redevelopment space with already existing building, currently in use as a nightclub.

Anyone think the buildings will stay? Is Chances relocating?

[porTENT]

Is there a negative connotation to the term Montrose? Why say "Midtown" ?

[barracuda]

I hadn't heard they were closing or moving. Kinda sad to hear, as Chances is a fun and very welcoming environment, not to mention a Montrose institution.

[Subdude]

Is there a negative connotation to the term Montrose? Why say "Midtown" ?

Real estate agents seem to think so. That's how they came up with "Neartown".

[RedScare]

Real estate agents seem to think so. That's how they came up with "Neartown".

Not true. This myth has been debunked numerous times on this very forum.

Neartown's creation

Edited July 15, 2010 by RedScare

[kylejack]

It doesn't say that Chances is closing...Just that ownership of the property is being offered, right?

[ricco67]

It doesn't say that Chances is closing...Just that ownership of the property is being offered, right?

Once a new owner looks at the area and does some rough studies, he could keep it as a club, change it to a restaurant, or bulldoze it to another strip mall.

[sidegate]

Ah....was wondering when this would be up for grabs. With the pending redevelopment of the marquee opposite there is an opportunity here for the bend to develop into something....he said hopefully....

[musicman]

Is there a negative connotation to the term Montrose? Why say "Midtown" ?

yes. both are hanging on. feel sorry for the midtowners esp post the rich's takeover by the state.

[Astro]

I remember when it was a 24/7 diner in the 90's, called Charlie's I believe? It's a great old landmark building in a very prominent location across from the Tower Theater, on the curve of Westheimer. Anyone know what the original use of the building was?

[brucesw]

I remember when it was a 24/7 diner in the 90's, called Charlie's I believe? It's a great old landmark building in a very prominent location across from the Tower Theater, on the curve of Westheimer. Anyone know what the original use of the building was?

I remember coming across a newspaper ad a few years ago when I was doing some research in the 1940s for a restaurant on the curve across from the Tower called Angelo's, a seafood restaurant/oyster bar. I remember thinking that must've been Charlie's but I didn't compare addresses so I don't know if it was that same building or if that was the original use.

I think that Angelo's may have later moved out on South Main outside the Loop where it was known as Angelo's Fisherman's Wharf.

[sevfiv]

In the early forties to mid fifties it was an auto service/repair place. HCAD lists the building as built in 1954 but who knows what was what and when since there are multiple buildings (1955 directory lists "Tower Auto Service and Repair," 1942 lists "Romeo's Service Station").

The only listing I could find for 1976 was 2715 Waughcrest (the back end of Chances now) - it was an American Legion post..

I remember going to Charlie's once in a while. I think the bar behind it (on Waugh - the American Legion space) was called Bacchus (II?) in the 1990s..

In 1942 Angelo's Cafe was at 1012 Westheimer (about where the Burger King parking lot is located).

[NenaE]

IMO - That bldg. design looks much older than 1954. Would be a shame to see it fall. That whole area has some very nice old structures.

[ricco67]

In the early forties to mid fifties it was an auto service/repair place. HCAD lists the building as built in 1954 but who knows what was what and when since there are multiple buildings (1955 directory lists "Tower Auto Service and Repair," 1942 lists "Romeo's Service Station").

The only listing I could find for 1976 was 2715 Waughcrest (the back end of Chances now) - it was an American Legion post..

I remember going to Charlie's once in a while. I think the bar behind it (on Waugh - the American Legion space) was called Bacchus (II?) in the 1990s..

In 1942 Angelo's Cafe was at 1012 Westheimer (about where the Burger King parking lot is located).

Charlie's was actually pretty good, but I can vouch that the bar's name was "Bacchus" after the god of wine and drunkenness. The Waugh side was, at one point (90-92?), a stage. The whole thing was converted into a club sometime in 96 or so.

Used to go eat at charlie's quite a bit, and I only missed the Cheesecake shooting by an hour.

.

[sidegate]

Charlie's was actually pretty good, but I can vouch that the bar's name was "Bacchus" after the god of wine and drunkenness. The Waugh side was, at one point (90-92?), a stage. The whole thing was converted into a club sometime in 96 or so.

Used to go eat at charlie's quite a bit, and I only missed the Cheesecake shooting by an hour.

.

From the bend down to Montrose has the potential to really become one of the cool places in Houston, but there's so much tired stuff there at the minute. If there is any development here, I really hope it's of the sort that can spark something.

[NenaE]

Leon Hale's Houston book says the Charlie's location was actually one of two Sinclair service stations, in the 1930's, that Glenn McCarthy owned and ran, before he struck it big in oil.

[dbigtex56]

In the early forties to mid fifties it was an auto service/repair place. HCAD lists the building as built in 1954 but who knows what was what and when since there are multiple buildings (1955 directory lists "Tower Auto Service and Repair," 1942 lists "Romeo's Service Station").

The only listing I could find for 1976 was 2715 Waughcrest (the back end of Chances now) - it was an American Legion post..

I remember going to Charlie's once in a while. I think the bar behind it (on Waugh - the American Legion space) was called Bacchus (II?) in the 1990s..

In 1942 Angelo's Cafe was at 1012 Westheimer (about where the Burger King parking lot is located).

1981 recollection: the Chances building was covered under a sort of shingled A-frame, and was called the Booby (Boobie?) Rock (seriously), and was a .... , well, not a gentlemen's club. It was a tittie bar.

Across Waugh Dr, the parking lot next to (east of) Mary's (1022 Westheimer) was occupied by an abandoned carwash. The site now occupied by Burger King was Dorsey's Auto Glass, and appeared to be a converted 1920's-30's gas station, in the Spanish Mission style. East of Lincoln St (present site of Velero) was Prince's Hamburgers.

Might Angelo's Cafe have been located on Mary's parking lot?

Some previous posts on this topic:

[ricco67]

Don't forget "tribal hut" was located on the corner of California and Lincoln streets.

Someone once told me that charlies was a T-bar at one point, but thet didn't tell me the time frame.

Not a gentlemans bar?? For leboneses only?

[brucesw]

I looked through my notes and found the reference I was remembering: "Big ad for Angelos Cafe (Oyster Bar) opposite Tower Theater. Grand cabin (?) dining room w/2 (...some kind of...) fireplaces, meat counter too." (my handwriting can be a little hard to read, even for me).

This was p. 17, 10/4/46 - Houston Press, if someone has access to the papers and wants to look it up. I think there may have been a picture of the restaurant in the ad that I intended to go back and get a copy of some time.

I'm almost certain this was the Press although this particular page of my notes I didn't remember to write the name of the paper I was scanning at the top; if it had been the Chronicle, there should have been a section citation along with the page # and the Post was virtually worthless in that era for my subject matter so it's not likely the Post.

If it was where Mary's was 'opposite the Tower Theater,' i.e., caddy-corner, would have been appropriate but I took it to mean directly across.

[dbigtex56]

Don't forget "tribal hut" was located on the corner of California and Lincoln street.

Tribal Hut is now Tribal Grounds 2404 Montrose. Still a cool place for authentic hippie products.

Not a gentlemans bar?? For leboneses only?

Ironic, isn't it? that a cheesy strip club was taken over by a women's bar. They've hosted some great live music acts, and I've always been treated with respect on my rare visits.

[HoustonMidtown]

New restaurant coming to the old Chances bar...

http://swamplot.com/thanks-for-the-mammaries-chances-bar-closing-restaurant-moving-in/2010-11-19/

[kylejack]

And Chances closes Saturday, for those who didn't click through.

[roadrunner]

If this turns out to be a high end restaurant then that's kind of cool. That stretch of Montrose is turning into quite the restaurant-row. Too bad the actual intersection of Westheimer and Montrose is still terrible.

[dbigtex56]

If this turns out to be a high end restaurant then that's kind of cool. That stretch of Montrose is turning into quite the restaurant-row. Too bad the actual intersection of Westheimer and Montrose is still terrible.

For such an iconic intersection, I agree - it's not pretty.

To be fair, Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine (northeast corner - 912 Westheimer) is pretty good. review

[sevfiv]

The "New Barn" is being torn down (wasn't this the old Bacchus II location?) to make room for Hay Merchant parking, I assume:

http://swamplot.com/daily-demolition-report-cutting-the-chances/2011-02-09/

I'll cross-post this to the other thread.

[LTAWACS]

Sounds like it's time for a new 30+ story mixed use tower.

[ricco67]

Ironic, isn't it? that a cheesy strip club was taken over by a women's bar. They've hosted some great live music acts, and I've always been treated with respect on my rare visits.

<mumble>

<chauvinistic pig>

I wouldn't mind a lebonese strip bar...

</mumble>

</chauvinistic pig>

The stories that I could tell you when it was Charlie's, then the weird theater, until it's chances incarnation.

Let's not forget the Cheesecake killing.

[DrLan34]

<mumble>

<chauvinistic pig>

I wouldn't mind a lebonese strip bar...

</mumble>

</chauvinistic pig>

The stories that I could tell you when it was Charlie's, then the weird theater, until it's chances incarnation.

Let's not forget the Cheesecake killing.

nearby remodeling http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2010/12/westheimer_montrose_1.php

[HoustonMidtown]

Not sure if this is the best location for this....but the old clothes store that went out of business across the street (attached to El Real) has a sign in the windows that says:   Coming soon....Adam and Eve Stores -- for those who don't know, thats an Adult toy store !!  

 

 

 

 

[gene]

is this the end of 1100 Westheimer as we know it and the beginning of some new redevelopment?! wowsa! Montrose you are changing and changing QUICK! 

https://houston.eater.com/2021/8/31/22650178/the-hay-merchant-montrose-houston-closing-2021-georgia-james-relocating-regent-square

and

https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/08-31-21-georgia-james-steakhouse-new-location-regent-square-hay-merchant-closing-underbelly-hospitality-chris-shepherd/

Edited August 31, 2021 by gene

[hindesky]

Noticed the old Georgia James has a construction fence around the block. Anyone know what is taking its place?

[ToolMan]

It's there to keep the homeless out. It was looking like tent city

Edited October 21, 2022 by ToolMan

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 10/20/2022 at 4:16 PM, hindesky said:

Noticed the old Georgia James has a construction fence around the block. Anyone know what is taking its place?

 

Vandelay Hospitality is opening two dining concepts at 1110 Westheimer Rd. The Dallas-based hospitality group are the minds behind East Hampton Sandwich Co. (both Houston outposts are no longer open) and Hudson House, which opens soon in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

The 1110 Westheimer building was previously home to Underbelly Hospitality's Georgia James and the Hay Merchant.

Taking over the Hay Merchant's former digs is  D.L. Mack’s. It's an American tavern concept. 

Drake's / Drake's Hollywood is moving into Georgia James' previous location. It's billed as a "swanky, old Hollywood-inspired restaurant," according to its website. Some publications label Drake's as a steakhouse, but looking at the menu, there aren't many steak options listed. 

I don't know the opening timeline for either restaurants. However, both are listed as coming soon on Vandelay Hospitality's website:


https://vandelayhospitality.com/locations

https://www.dlmacks.com/

https://www.drakeshollywood.com/

 

Thanks @Urbannizer for adding the correct address of this property. 

Edited November 9, 2022 by IntheKnowHouston

[trymahjong]

I wonder what is was about locating in lower Westheimer ( $$$$ rents)that prompted them to "give it a try"- after their sandwich shop couldn't make it at the Velvet Taco location but a concept for "swanky" restaurant will.

 

 

[IntheKnowHouston]

21 hours ago, trymahjong said:

I wonder what is was about locating in lower Westheimer ( $$$$ rents)that prompted them to "give it a try"- after their sandwich shop couldn't make it at the Velvet Taco location but a concept for "swanky" restaurant will.

I don't know.

I think Drake's will do okay in the former Georgia James/Underbelly location. As for D.L. Mack's, I don't know how well it will be received in the long run. 

 

[bookey23]

On 11/9/2022 at 8:39 AM, trymahjong said:

I wonder what is was about locating in lower Westheimer ( $$$$ rents)that prompted them to "give it a try"- after their sandwich shop couldn't make it at the Velvet Taco location but a concept for "swanky" restaurant will.

 

 

It seems like everything in that building besides Velvet Taco has a tough time staying in business. Not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with the way parking is laid out or the Smoothie King next door. Either way, maybe they love the area but felt that that specific building wasn't right. Just a guess.

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 11/9/2022 at 2:24 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

 

Vandelay Hospitality is opening two dining concepts at 1110 Westheimer Rd. The Dallas-based hospitality group are the minds behind East Hampton Sandwich Co. (both Houston outposts are no longer open) and Hudson House, which opens soon in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

The 1110 Westheimer building was previously home to Underbelly Hospitality's Georgia James and the Hay Merchant.

Taking over the Hay Merchant's former digs is  D.L. Mack’s. It's an American tavern concept. 

Drake's / Drake's Hollywood is moving into Georgia James' previous location. It's billed as a "swanky, old Hollywood-inspired restaurant," according to its website. Some publications label Drake's as a steakhouse, but looking at the menu, there aren't many steak options listed. 

I don't know the opening timeline for either restaurants. However, both are listed as coming soon on Vandelay Hospitality's website:


https://vandelayhospitality.com/locations

https://www.dlmacks.com/

https://www.drakeshollywood.com/

 

Thanks @Urbannizer for adding the correct address of this property. 

There is a recent architectural barriers project filing for Houston outposts of Drake's / Drake's Hollywood and D.L. Mack's.

According to the filing, renovations could possibly begin March 2023. The estimated completion is August 2023.

Drake's is a steakhouse in the style of old Hollywood. D.L. Mack's  a tavern concept specializing in classic American fare and Chicago-style pizzas. Both restaurants are from Vandelay Hospitality out of Dallas.

The restaurants are opening at 1100 Westheimer Rd, previously home to Georgia James and Underbelly. 1100 Westheimer was also the site of one of Montrose's popular gay bar Chances. 


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2023006238

 

 

@Urbannizer @Triton Mods, please consider merging this topic with an existing one for 1100 Westheimer:

https://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/23601-1100-westheimer-rd-for-sale

 

[Urbannizer]

Merged

[hindesky]

[hindesky]

https://abc13.com/houston-body-found-homicide-woman-dead-montrose/12855182/

[IntheKnowHouston]

On 11/9/2022 at 2:24 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

Vandelay Hospitality is opening two dining concepts at 1110 Westheimer Rd. The Dallas-based hospitality group are the minds behind East Hampton Sandwich Co. (both Houston outposts are no longer open) and Hudson House, which opens soon in the River Oaks Shopping Center.

The 1110 Westheimer building was previously home to Underbelly Hospitality's Georgia James and the Hay Merchant.

Taking over the Hay Merchant's former digs is  D.L. Mack’s. It's an American tavern concept. 

Drake's / Drake's Hollywood is moving into Georgia James' previous location. It's billed as a "swanky, old Hollywood-inspired restaurant," according to its website. Some publications label Drake's as a steakhouse, but looking at the menu, there aren't many steak options listed. 

I don't know the opening timeline for either restaurants. However, both are listed as coming soon on Vandelay Hospitality's website:


https://vandelayhospitality.com/locations

https://www.dlmacks.com/

https://www.drakeshollywood.com/

 

On 11/29/2022 at 10:22 AM, IntheKnowHouston said:

There is a recent architectural barriers project filing for Houston outposts of Drake's / Drake's Hollywood and D.L. Mack's.

According to the filing, renovations could possibly begin March 2023. The estimated completion is August 2023.

Drake's is a steakhouse in the style of old Hollywood. D.L. Mack's  a tavern concept specializing in classic American fare and Chicago-style pizzas. Both restaurants are from Vandelay Hospitality out of Dallas.

The restaurants are opening at 1100 Westheimer Rd, previously home to Georgia James and Underbelly. 1100 Westheimer was also the site of one of Montrose's popular gay bar Chances. 


https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/TABS/Search/Print/TABS2023006238

A conceptual rendering of Drake's / Drake's Hollywood and D.L. Mack's.

Both restaurants are from Dallas-based hospitality team Vandelay Hospitality. The restaurants are replacing Georgia James and the Hay Merchant at 1100 Westheimer Rd.

The space is designed by Wallace Johnson Studio and Foxcroft Studio.




 

[MrFubbles]

Big shoes to fill

[j_cuevas713]

Oh wow I like it! Love that green color!