Sakowitz Department Store At 1111 Main St.

[citykid09]

Can someone tell me about Sakowitz? What was it like? What happened to it?

[ssullivan]

It was a pretty well known store in the area and very successful for many years. However, in the late 1970s/early 1980s they went on a building binge and rapidly expanded with new locations in Houston and across Texas. I think they even ventured out into some surrounding states like New Mexico. This was about the same time Foley's began to expand beyond the Houston market. Eventually the over expansion and poor sales caught up with them, and the company filed for bankruptcy. The downtown store was closed about 1985. I remember going to the going out of business sale for it with my mother. They held on for several more years but never really could recover. Finally, the last store, on Westheimer at Post Oak where the center with Barnes & Noble, CompUSA, and Old Navy is, was closed about 1990. The one remnant of the former department store is Sakowitz furs, located on Post Oak at Westheimer. It still has the same logo that the department store used.

[Subdude]

And the HAIF Research Department springs into action! The store was started in Houston as a men

[ssullivan]

I had forgotten they were at Gulfgate and in the Shamrock Hotel.

[citykid09]

what did they sale? Highend stuff?

Does anyone remember Weniers Department stores?

[ssullivan]

Sakowitz was a high end department store. Not quite as high end as Neimann Marcus or Saks, but on the upper end of the scale.

[jtmbin]

If you ever read Shelby Hodge's Chronicle society column, or PaperCity, or Vogue, you have no doubt seen and read about Lynn Wyatt, one of the first women inducted into the International Best Dressed Hall of Fame. She is the wife of oil man Oscar Wyatt and the sister of Robert Sakowitz, who was at the helm of the stores when the company went under. Lynn Wyatt is still the Queen of Houston society, although Becca Cason Thrash is the Crown Princess.

Lynn is known world-wide for her incredibly lavish and star-studded parties which are almost always charity events. Her birthday party held yearly at her estate on the French Riviera is attended by celebs, royalty, and some of the most powerful people on earth.

A recent column:

Oct. 9, 2004, 10:24PM

SOCIAL SCENE

Wyatt reveals plans for grand Jubilee

By SHELBY HODGE

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

The gilded wrapping slipped off of Houston Grand Opera's 50th-anniversary Golden Jubilee Weekend Celebration Tuesday night when chairwoman Lynn Wyatt unveiled enticing details at an announcement party at Hotel Icon. Mark your calenders

[groovehouse]

what did they sale? Highend stuff?

Does anyone remember Weniers Department stores?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

haha...

Sakowitz is on this

end of the spectrum

==================================================================== and Weiners is way over here

[ricco67]

This should test out a few memories.

anyone remember 'globe' dept. stores? If memory serves me correct it was the poor man's weiners.

Ricco

[MidtownCoog]

Globe! LOL. The Oshmans across from Memorial City used to be a Globe. There was also one near Monroe on the Gulf Frwy. They were out of business by the time I was 10, but it reminded me of going to a giant flea market.

Sakowitz' Christmas catalog set the standard that NM gets credit for now days.

Anyone remember Sakowitz II on NASA Rd. One?

And what about Sage? Globe's sleezy cousin.

[pineda]

Battlesteins, anyone?

[ssullivan]

Battlesteins, anyone?

I barely remember Battlestein's. Most of my memories of it are from after they were bought out by Frost and the stores were renamed under the Frost name for a few years before Frost finally went under.

While we're on the topic, remember Joske's? They were acquired by Dillard's about 1987, giving Dillard's an instant presence in cities like Houston and San Antonio where they hadn't really expanded yet. Some of the old Joske's stores that converted to Dillard's are closed now (Northline, Westwood) but some are sitll around like Post Oak and Greenspoint.

[bachanon]

ok, how about "FedMart"? 1969-1971 maybe?

jtmbin, great story. thanks. may the future of our fair downtown will hold such memories.

[Houston Retail]

Under the "Daddy, what was Sakowitz like?" category, I can offer the following.

(it seems that I cannot use the tag to post an image, so please click away at the links)

Sakowitz 1

Sakowitz 2

Sakowitz 3

Sakowitz 4

Sakowitz 5

Sakowitz 6

Sakowitz 7

Sakowitz 8

And for those of you who dont live in Houston, here is a clean scan of the 002 article

[H-Town Man]

There was also a Sakowitz on FM 1960 @ Champions Forest Dr. I remember being at the going out of business sale with my mother.

I had a friend in Chicago whose granddad had been in the clothing business, and he had a high opinion of Sakowitz. So they were known around the country, to some extent.

Speaking of Becca Cason Thrash, as a courier I once made a delivery from Houston Grand Opera to her house. Mine is one of the cheapest cars that have ever been inside those gates. Above the front door is a slab of granite in which is carved:

THE GREATEST DREAMS ARE ACHIEVED BY THOSE WHO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DREAM GREATLY

[jtmbin]

H-Town, In another life I was one of many chefs at Jackson & Company Catering, so I had the chance to be in the Thrash house many times. The house is more remarkable for its contents and its owners than for its actual architecture. They are actually very nice people. My mother always said that you can judge the true character of wealthy people by how they treat the "help", the Thrash's are good people. Also, I've lost track of the number of charity benefits they have hosted and underwritten.

They are big supporters of Houston Mod, the Rice Design Alliance, and other architectural/design organizations. No, I'm not leader of the Thrash fan club, I just find it remarkable when people of their means actually do more than just write checks, but are actively involved in the causes that they support. They don't have to do anything, most people don't. I wonder how many members of this forum give cash, time, or energy to support the ideas and causes that we discuss here. Talk is great, but it doesn't pay the bills.

From today's Chronicle:

Nov. 10, 2004, 9:04PM

Friends of Louvre party around Thrash pool

By SHELBY HODGE

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

President George W. Bush's take on world politics notwithstanding, it was a big French kiss for the American Friends of the Louvre Monday night at the megamanse of John and Becca Cason Thrash.

For the organization's first fund-raising gala on home soil, the cultural bridge-building was a seamless success. The black-tie crowd of 260 pushed proceeds for the Paris museum well beyond the $250,000 goal to a whopping $400,000 net.

"It's amazing," said American Friends founder and chairman Christopher "Kipp" Forbes of New York. "The nice thing is that whether it's business or culture, the political relationship doesn't seem to have done much damage."

With U.S. visitors to the Louvre numbering 1.2 million annually, Forbes explained the American Friends mission, "It's Americans making great art available for more Americans."

That U.S. market and the friends group is so important that Louvre director Henri Loyrette flew in from Paris just for the dinner.

Jet-setting in from New York, Palm Beach and Los Angeles were supporters including Didier Pei, son of I.M. Pei who designed the Louvre pyramid, and Sylvie and Olivier Chantecaille, founders of Chantecaille Beaut

[pineda]

Sometime just before the holidays last year, an article appeared somewhere that Becca Cason Thrash had a tradition at her parties that she was famous for. She would greet her guests at the door with a tray full of some particular kind of drink, like shots or martinis or margaritas, and offer one to the guest before they got to go inside, to kind of warm them up and take the edge off. We loved that idea and used it at several of our own parties last year. Her parties must have been a hoot!

[HeightsGuy]

I don't know if this is true, and please correct if wrong, but didn't Sakowitz have the first elevator in Texas at the downtown location?

[Astro]

So someone actually does read Shelby Hodge... I was wondering if her column served any purpose in the Chronicle...

[ssullivan]

I don't know if this is true, and please correct if wrong, but didn't Sakowitz have the first elevator in Texas at the downtown location?

I don't think that could be correct. The Sakowitz building across from Foley's opened in 1951 - that would be pretty late for the first elevator in the state. If they did, it would have had to have been in one of their previous locations downtown. There are a number of tall buildings downtown from the 1920s like the State National Bank, Gulf, and Niels Esperson buildings, all of which had elevators.

I've heard it said that Foley's downtown had the first escalators in the city and possibly the state. That one sounds more possible. When Foley's first opened, they had attendants to help customers get on and off the fast moving escalators. To this day, I swear the downtown Foley's escalators are the fastest moving ones anywhere.

[neuman]

I don't know if this is true, and please correct if wrong, but didn't Sakowitz have the first elevator in Texas at the downtown location

Sakowitz moved from it's original location at 308 Main in 1918 to the Kiam Buildings located at 314-320 Main. The Kiam Buildings were built in 1893 and boasted the 1st electric elevator in Houston and the 3rd in the nation according to old news accounts. I've seen no references to elevators, either electric or otherwise, before this so, yes, Sakowitz had the first elevator in Houston, though it was 25 years old when they purchased the building. As recently as 10 years ago, the original car was still in the building.

[dbigtex56]

An interesting aside - Houston was (I believe) the 2nd city in the US to have electric street lights, only a few months after NYC's (1882). This was in the days when DC (not AC) power was used, and electricity could be transmitted only within a limited area.

The earliest elevators ran on DC electricity, and for that reason HL&P kept the original generating plant (Gable Street- it's right on Buffalo Bayou, downtown) in operation until the 1950's, for the sole reason of supplying power for elevators.

I'm not sure which building had the first escalator, but the old Music Hall (where the Hobby Center now stands) was built in 1937 and the escalators looked to be original. Also the Sears on Main and Wheeler, which pre-dates Foley's, had beautiful brass escalators (which were replaced only a few years ago.)

Edited November 11, 2004 by dbigtex56

[H-Town Man]

H-Town, In another life I was one of many chefs at Jackson & Company Catering, so I had the chance to be in the Thrash house many times. The house is more remarkable for its contents and its owners than for its actual architecture. They are actually very nice people.  My mother always said that you can judge the true character of wealthy people by how they treat the "help", the Thrash's are good people.  Also, I've lost track of the number of charity benefits they have hosted and underwritten.

They are big supporters of Houston Mod, the Rice Design Alliance, and other architectural/design organizations. No, I'm not leader of the Thrash fan club, I just find it remarkable when people of their means actually do more than just write checks, but are actively involved in the causes that they support. They don't have to do anything, most people don't.  I wonder how many members of this forum give cash, time, or energy to support the ideas and causes that we discuss here.  Talk is great, but it doesn't pay the bills.

From today's Chronicle:

Nov. 10, 2004, 9:04PM

Friends of Louvre party around Thrash pool

By SHELBY HODGE

Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

President George W. Bush's take on world politics notwithstanding, it was a big French kiss for the American Friends of the Louvre Monday night at the megamanse of John and Becca Cason Thrash.

For the organization's first fund-raising gala on home soil, the cultural bridge-building was a seamless success. The black-tie crowd of 260 pushed proceeds for the Paris museum well beyond the $250,000 goal to a whopping $400,000 net.

"It's amazing," said American Friends founder and chairman Christopher "Kipp" Forbes of New York. "The nice thing is that whether it's business or culture, the political relationship doesn't seem to have done much damage."

With U.S. visitors to the Louvre numbering 1.2 million annually, Forbes explained the American Friends mission, "It's Americans making great art available for more Americans."

That U.S. market and the friends group is so important that Louvre director Henri Loyrette flew in from Paris just for the dinner.

Jet-setting in from New York, Palm Beach and Los Angeles were supporters including Didier Pei, son of I.M. Pei who designed the Louvre pyramid, and Sylvie and Olivier Chantecaille, founders of Chantecaille Beaut

[jtmbin]

H-town,

This wouldn't be the first time that you have misinterpreted something that I written. I wasn't offended by your comments at all. I apparently wasn't aware that you had a "thing" about rich people. Who cares why they give or that they dress up to do it? The less fortunate who benefit from their largess couldn't care less about their motives as long as the checks keep coming. The caterers, florists, bands, waiters, valet parkers, hair stylist, jewelry and fashion store sales clerks, photographers, and Spec's don't care about motives either as long as they keep making a living off of these types of people. I didn't intend to put them in line for sainthood, BUT this forum is often discussing the importance and significance of public places and spaces. I can't think of a single public place that we hold dear that has been built in this city or any other that did not benefit from these efforts of these types of "gods and goddesses". Ego or not, there is reason it's called the Mecom Fountain, the Hobby Center, the Beck Building, the Menil Collection, Hermann Park, Jones Hall. Is there a single hospital building in the Medical Center that isn't named for it's number one check writing benefactor? Houston's newest library will open in January, it's named the John P. McGovern-Stella Link Branch precisely because Dr. McGovern wrote a $450,000.00 check to the Library Department. Did the city debate his motives before cashing his check? Did the Friends of Hermann Park, did the Houston Medical Museum? He has written millions of dollars worth of checks. Is that a problem for you?

Buildings around the world are better than they had to be, some of them great because of someone's ego; the developer's ego, the CEO's ego, the home owner's ego, a city's ego, or in many cases some would argue the architect's ego. I've never heard Mr Wright described as modest.

I don't see your point in trashing the Thrash's or people like them. Without someone's money, extra money, lots of extra money, besides what's available through taxes and bonds for capital projects, the existence of some of the greatest structures on earth would not have been possible. Incidently, the Thrash party raised $400,000.00 towards conservation of the Lourve. Perhaps you think that's trivial? I think it's great.

[dbigtex56]

Are the expenses incurred by the hosts of these fund-raisers tax deductable?

[H-Town Man]

H-town,

This wouldn't be the first time that you have misinterpreted something that I written. I wasn't offended by your comments at all. I apparently wasn't aware that you had a "thing" about rich people. Who cares why they give or that they dress up to do it? The less fortunate who benefit from  their largess couldn't care less about their motives as long as the checks keep coming.  The caterers, florists, bands, waiters, valet parkers, hair stylist, jewelry and fashion store sales clerks, photographers, and Spec's don't care about motives either as long as they keep making a living off of these types of people. I didn't intend to put them in line for sainthood, BUT this forum is often discussing the importance and significance of public places and spaces.  I can't think of a single public place that we hold dear that has been built in this city or any other that did not benefit from these efforts of these types of "gods and goddesses".  Ego or not, there is reason it's called the Mecom Fountain, the Hobby Center, the Beck Building, the Menil Collection, Hermann Park, Jones Hall. Is there a single hospital building in the Medical Center that isn't named for it's number one check writing benefactor? Houston's newest library will open in January, it's named the John P. McGovern-Stella Link Branch precisely because Dr. McGovern wrote a $450,000.00 check to the Library Department.  Did the city debate his motives before cashing his check? Did the Friends of Hermann Park, did the Houston Medical Museum? He has written millions of dollars worth of checks. Is that a problem for you?

Buildings around the world are better than they had to be, some of them great because of someone's ego; the developer's ego, the CEO's ego, the home owner's ego, a city's ego, or in many cases some would argue the architect's ego. I've never heard Mr Wright described as modest.

I don't see your point in trashing the Thrash's or people like them. Without someone's money, extra money, lots of extra money, besides what's available through taxes and bonds for capital projects, the existence of some of the greatest structures on earth would not have been possible. Incidently, the Thrash party raised $400,000.00 towards conservation of the Lourve. Perhaps you think that's trivial? I think it's great.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Who's misinterpreting who?

I didn't trash the Thrashes. In fact, I said "I'm sure [they] are nice people." What I did say was that just because someone's lavish balls are for charity doesn't necessarily say anything special about their hearts. How is that having a "thing" about rich people?

If you didn't misinterpret my comments, why did you go out of your way to give a heartfelt story about your experience with the Thrashes, copy an old article about them from the Chronicle, and then finish with a moralizing sentence about "people who turn their noses up at 'socialites'"? All I did was relate what I saw above their door. Why should that prompt a lengthy defense of socialites - unless you misinterpreted me?

[Ashikaga]

Can someone tell me about Sakowitz? What was it like? What happened to it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's ironic that you should mention Sakowitz. I lived in Houston from 1962-64. I remember going with my parents to what was then called Gulfgate Shopping Center (now Gulfgate Mall). I remember asking my mother about the store called Sakowitz. She told me that we couldn't go in there because it was a store for rich people.

On another Houston discussion group, someone told me that Gulfgate Mall was renovated and that Sakowitz is no longer there. That's all that I have to tell you. Maybe someone out there knows something about the stores that were in the old Gulfgate Shopping Center who might be able to tell you more about Sakowitz.

Chet Cuccia

[Ashikaga]

It's ironic that you should mention Sakowitz.  I lived in Houston from 1962-64.  I remember going with my parents to what was then called Gulfgate Shopping Center (now Gulfgate Mall).  I remember asking my mother about the store called Sakowitz.  She told me that we couldn't go in there because it was a store for rich people. 

On another Houston discussion group, someone told me that Gulfgate Mall was renovated and that Sakowitz is no longer there.  That's all that I have to tell you.  Maybe someone out there knows something about the stores that were in the old Gulfgate Shopping Center who might be able to tell you more about Sakowitz.

Chet Cuccia

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When we would go to Gulfgate Shopping Center, (1962-62), my mother told me that we couldn't go into either Sakowitz or into Joske's because both of those stores were for rich people.

Chet Cuccia

[lowspark]

Battlesteins, anyone?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I worked at Battlestein's one summer while I was in High School. Switched over to Foley's that fall, lots more business so we didn't stand around with nothing to do. They got bought out by Beall's I thought -- at least the one in Sharpstown Mall did.

This was back in the days when retail stores were closed on Sundays and only opened till 9 pm on Mondays & Thursdays. We used to stand around Mon & Thurs night with an average of about 4 customers a night. The ceiling in that store sort of looked like the underside of an egg carton, and we'd kill time by throwing some light weight object up to the ceiling to see if we could hit the high points.

It was that summer that Battlestein's FINALLY got electronic cash registers. Before that we had cash drawers and hand wrote tickets & figured in the tax manually. My sister had worked at Battlestein's a few years before that and they didn't even have cash drawers -- instead, they wrote up the ticket and sent that along with the customer's money or credit card to the cash office via a canister similar to what you see in drive-though banks. Isn't that funny!?

Thanks for letting me reminisce.

Back on topic, I also remember Sakowitz II on Nasa Road 1. I worked for IBM (for Nasa) for a semester in college so I used to drive out to Clear Lake every day, and I shopped at that Sakowitz II sometimes at lunch. It was a pretty small store with not much selection.

[MidtownCoog]

Rememeber when that deer got loose in Sakowitz II?

That was a trip!

[Subdude]

Rememeber when that deer got loose in Sakowitz II?

That was a trip!

What happened?

[MidtownCoog]

Pretty much trashed part of the store.

Then ran out front and tore up a couple of Mercedes.

I think this was 1988 or so.

[Ashikaga]

Pretty much trashed part of the store.

Then ran out front and tore up a couple of Mercedes. 

I think this was 1988 or so.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where did the deer come from? From out in the wild, or was it part of some kind of a petting zoo?

Chet Cuccia

[MidtownCoog]

The wild. Deer used to run all up and down Armond Bayou, etc.

They are still deer on site at NASA, behing UHCL, etc.

[Subdude]

Which location was Sakowitz II? Was that Gulfgate?

[MidtownCoog]

It was on NASA Road One across from NASA. Entrance One. BEUATIFUL homes on the lake behind it.

I think its a hospital now.

Sakowitz II came out when Sakowitz started to go downhill.

[gnu]

It was on NASA Road One across from NASA.  Entrance One.  BEUATIFUL homes on the lake behind it.

I think its a hospital now.

Sakowitz II came out when Sakowitz started to go downhill.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i think the Clear Lake Sakowitz was at the current location of Midtown plaza...i think thats the name of it. Its the strip center with Starbucks in it...between KFC and Lubys. Across from McDonald's. The old Sakowitz building was there until they levelled it to build this Strip center - maybe 3 or 4 years ago.

[Ashikaga]

i think the Clear Lake Sakowitz was at the current location of Midtown plaza...i think thats the name of it.  Its the strip center with Starbucks in it...between KFC and Lubys.  Across from McDonald's.  The old Sakowitz building was there until they levelled it to build this Strip center - maybe 3 or 4 years ago.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So, is it safe for me to say that both Sakowitz and Joske's are "no longer with us?"

Chet Cuccia

[jb4647]

Below are some slides that my Dad took in 1963. The first is of Sakowitz on Post Oak and the Second is of Joskes (now Dillards)

I have converted over 1200 slides that my Dad took over the years and will be posting them here and there.

[gnu]

interesting that the confederate battle flag is flying at Sakowitz

[jb4647]

Wild about the flag isn't it. Both photos are from 1963...

[nmainguy]

My mom and sisters would shop at Sakowitz downtown when we were kids. When my dad would get the bills and complain about the expence, my mom said "Because they are like Neimans-they don't deal in crap." It was a great store until Bobby S. got his hands on it. The guy had the buisness sense of a rock. It should have been Lynn in the CEO's office and Bobby in the stock room.

[Lowbrow]

Our docent on the Chase building tour told us the escalator in the bank lobby there was the first in Houston. Its no longer there but you can see it in the pictures on the walls. (Just to confuse the issue further.)

[TJones]

Below are some slides that my Dad took in 1963.  The first is of Sakowitz on Post Oak and the Second is of Joskes (now Dillards)

I have converted over 1200 slides that my Dad took over the years and will be posting them here and there.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Forget the buildings, LOOK AT ALL THOSE WONDERFUL CARS ! ! ! OMG !

Those are nice pictures though. Sakowitz II ,by the way, wasn't much of an architectual marvel, looked like a strip center in itself, or like a converted office building of the 70's.The store wasn't a stand alone, it was in a so called "Mall", with a Kay-Bee toy store and a chain bookstore, can't remember which brand, I want to say a Walden's books. Plain as plain can be, very ugly building. I remember eating at the Sambo's (now Denny's) across the street, then my Dad and I would venture over there to browse around. Circa 1979, 1980. The whole mall closed about a year or two after it opened.

[TJones]

Wild about the flag isn't it.  Both photos are from 1963...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, let's consider it was 1963, no strong civil rights movement yet. Looking at the time of year these pictures were taken, if it is indeed 1963, it is well before November, and Kennedy is still president. Civil rights movement is just beginning to heat up. There is one astonishing factor though, I believe the Sakowitz family is Jewish, why they would fly that flag is beyond me. I guess they knew their customer base. LOL !

[MidtownCoog]

Nobody really started to freak out about the Rebel flag until the last few years.

Now we're just worried about making sure no sports teams make fun of injuns.

Long live the South!

[smartalek]

I barely remember Battlestein's. Most of my memories of it are from after they were bought out by Frost and the stores were renamed under the Frost name for a few years before Frost finally went under.

While we're on the topic, remember Joske's? They were acquired by Dillard's about 1987, giving Dillard's an instant presence in cities like Houston and San Antonio where they hadn't really expanded yet. Some of the old Joske's stores that converted to Dillard's are closed now (Northline, Westwood) but some are sitll around like Post Oak and Greenspoint.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The wonderful flagship store in San Antonio was ruined when Dillards took over and stripped it of character. This is the wonderful large building on the corner of commerce and Alamo.

[smartalek]

Under the "Daddy, what was Sakowitz like?" category, I can offer the following.

(it seems that I cannot use the tag to post an image, so please click away at the links)

Sakowitz 1

Sakowitz 2

Sakowitz 3

Sakowitz 4

Sakowitz 5

Sakowitz 6

Sakowitz 7

Sakowitz 8

And for those of you who dont live in Houston, here is a clean scan of the 002 article

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Fabulous pictures. Reminds me of the department store scene in "The Women" "Zips up the back, no bones"

[gto250us]

So someone actually does read Shelby Hodge... I was wondering if her column served any purpose in the Chronicle...

I wonder what purpose ANY column in the Chronicle serves, other than separate the Foley ads from the Palais Royal ads.

[citykid09]

I wonder what purpose ANY column in the Chronicle serves, other than separate the Foley ads from the Palais Royal ads.

Palais Royal is like the last deparment store thats originally from Houston that is still left right?