Sakowitz Department Store At 1111 Main St.

[312]

The AA website says the downtown location should be open this winter. They have the locations mixed up though saying that the Westheimer location is in downtown and the Main location is in Montrose.

http://www.americanapparel.net/storelocati...?metroareaid=93

That's great news.

[Montrose1100]

I didn't like the store so much. Although I did enjoy trying on the t-shirts in the "High Lighter" section.

[Bess Collector]

If I remember correctly, the Sakowitz at Champions Village had Sakowitz II on the sign. Some sort of "junior version" of their bigger stores. The 1960 area wasn't yet developed enough to support a full size store apparently. There was also a Leopold Price & Rolle (sp?) in the center and Wilson's where the Stein-Mart is now. Back then I thought I was some kind of fancy with my Sakowitz velour shirts. Thank God there is no surviving photographic evidence of that episode.....

Wow! What wonderful memories you have all provided me. I am a native Houstonian (such a rare breed) and grew up shopping Downtown Sakowitz and Gulfgate Sakowitz the two most fashionable stores at that time. I remember when they built the new Post Oak store. Truly enjoyed your memories of Battlestein's, Joske's, Leopold, Price & Rolle (sp is ok). I loved Sakowitz so much that in college I majored in business to become a buyer for Sakowitz. I started the executive training program while working at the Gulfgate store as a college student.

Back then, I am 55, we would never have shopped at Foley's or Palais Royal except for everyday clothes.

Times do change.

Besselman Collector

[gto250us]

Anyone know anything about the reestablishment of retail in the old Sakowitz store at the corner of Main and Dallas? There has been a sign in the window from one of the clothing chains (I dont remember which one, but the babe in the picture is hot).

It is too bad that the building was turned into a parking garage, but it is odd that it wasn't torn down, given Houston's propensity for doing just that.

[Montrose1100]

Its going to have retail... The store is American Apparel, they already have a store on westhiemer next to Taxi Taxi.

[Endeavour Team]

Anyone know anything about the reestablishment of retail in the old Sakowitz store at the corner of Main and Dallas? There has been a sign in the window from one of the clothing chains (I dont remember which one, but the babe in the picture is hot).

It is too bad that the building was turned into a parking garage, but it is odd that it wasn't torn down, given Houston's propensity for doing just that.

They just signed two more retailer's to the Sakowitz building. The conversion will be part of the Houston Pavillion. The project is a go! I love that building and I am very happy to see it return to a retail store, it is a shame that the interior was gutted for a parking garage though a few years back.

[nmainguy]

They just signed two more retailer's to the Sakowitz building. The conversion will be part of the Houston Pavillion.

No. Sakowitz is not a part of the Pavillions. It's next-door but not a part of.

[musicman]

They just signed two more retailer's to the Sakowitz building. The conversion will be part of the Houston Pavillion. The project is a go! I love that building and I am very happy to see it return to a retail store, it is a shame that the interior was gutted for a parking garage though a few years back.

so what are the two retailers?

[bkjones98]

so what are the two retailers?

Courtesy of houstonfella: http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...2789200^1370677

[312]

Courtesy of houstonfella: http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/sto...2789200^1370677

I think Sakowitz is going to be a home run as soon as H. Pavilions breaks ground, which should be very soon.

[nmainguy]

http://factorypeople.com/index.php?p=houston

[Subdude]

Note merged two topics on American Apparel/Sakowitz.

[The Great Hizzy!]

Spring 2007, eh? This then supposes that reconstruction will begin fairly soon.

[nmainguy]

American Apparel workers don't stand to lose outThey gain stock in sale of business; founder stays put

[Montrose1100]

From a business perspective, American Apparel seems like a concept who's time is limited.

Their look is all "emo". And "emo" is on its way out.

American Apparell is 'emo'? Since when? All of their clothes (besides the jogging suits) are 70's tennis disco. Emo's wear girl pants (both sexes), have skunk hair cuts, and listen to the worst music ever.

*edit*

American Apparel also owns Wish (next to the Buffalo Exchange) and DUO (in the Galleria Mall). Thats club/homo clothes, not emo.

Edited January 2, 2007 by Montrose1100

[HtownWxBoy]

Any news on this? Their website still says "Spring 2007"... but I don't see any work going on on/in the building.

[Lawman]

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 !

To be historically accurate, 1963 was actually at the height of the civil rights movement. That was the year of Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech during the March on Washington, the year when the 4 little girls were killed in that bombing of a Birmingham church, and the year when George Wallace made his famous stand on the steps of the University of Alabama asserting his support of segregation.

Leading up to that year, the Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision was in 1954, Rosa Parks had her bus incident in 1955, the "Little Rock Nine" entered school in 1957, and the first lunch-counter sit-in protest in Greensboro, North Carolina was in 1960.

The flying of the Confederate battle flag in the South was not exactly meaningless at that time. Indeed, Georgia added that Confederate symbol to its state flag in 1956, partly as a reaction what was happening nationally, even though the symbol was not part of its state flag before then:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/museum/html/geo...c_1920_1956.htm

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/museum/html/geo..._since_1956.htm

I agree that the Sakowitz store probably was primarily playing up to their customer base at the time....but flying that flag in 1963 was a strong statement, nonetheless.

[spikey2]

Do anyone know where these early mostly Jewish merchants lived during the heyday of their stores? A friend of mine is certain they were all segregated into the Riverside area along North and South Macgregor, and that family members of the Sakowitz, Battlesteins and even the Weingarten family still have mansions in this area, all because members of their religion were not permitted in River Oaks no matter how rich they were!. Any one know if this is true or not true?

[ quote name=DMac' date='Thursday, April 27th, 2006 @ 11:25am' post='83256]

I acknowledge that Music Hall {& Coliseum} were both built @ the same time but the strange thing is that it {Music Hall} is not recognized nor listed for the 1946-47 issue of Morrison's & Fourmy's Houston City Directory. The Coliseum is however. I have searched several catagories in classified section and white pages both w/same negative results. But I know it was there because in my youth I went by it {& old fire station 2 w/4 bays on the north side} many, many times coming in/out of the downtown area.

Danny Mac

[musicman]

Do anyone know where these early mostly Jewish merchants lived during the heyday of their stores? A friend of mine is certain they were all segregated into the Riverside area along North and South Macgregor, and that family members of the Sakowitz, Battlesteins and even the Weingarten family still have mansions in this area, all because members of their religion were not permitted in River Oaks no matter how rich they were!. Any one know if this is true or not true?

[

true they lived there. i just remember robert sakowitz on river oaks blvd but i think he lost the house.

Edited May 8, 2007 by musicman

[57Tbird]

...and that family members of the Sakowitz, Battlesteins and even the Weingarten family still have mansions in this area...

The Weingarten's and Sakowitz's did live on S. MacGregor long ago. I doubt the families still own any property there now. The Battelstein's lived across the street from an old school friend of mine, in the 40's -50's, in a neighborhood just southwest of the Greenbriar and S. Main intersection.

[Lawman]

Do anyone know where these early mostly Jewish merchants lived during the heyday of their stores? A friend of mine is certain they were all segregated into the Riverside area along North and South Macgregor, and that family members of the Sakowitz, Battlesteins and even the Weingarten family still have mansions in this area, all because members of their religion were not permitted in River Oaks no matter how rich they were!. Any one know if this is true or not true?

I have pretty good information indicating that the Sakowitz family lived on the 3500 block of North McGregor Drive during the 1950s/60s. I have no idea whether any family members are still there, or whether they still own that home.

[SpaceAge]

From the 1966 Cole's Directory:

Bernard Sakowitz

Robert T. Sakowitz

3533 Mac Gregor Way North

(About this time, I believe the house was demolished and apartments built on the site. According to the movie, This Is Our Home, It Is Not For Sale, the senior Sakowitz couple moved to a high-rise apartment near Tanglewood.)

Bernard Weingarten

4000 Mac Gregor Way South

Edited May 8, 2007 by SpaceAge

[HtownWxBoy]

still no word??

[Jax]

I saw a car inside the building when I walked by last weekend, so it doesn't look like they have done much.. yet. I bet they are trying to time it to open with the Houston Pavilions.

[northbeaumont]

The two Sakowitz children are alive and well. Robert Sakowitz and his sister, Lynn Wyatt, are both active in the social scene. Lynn is married to Oscar Wyatt who founded Coastal Corp. He has been charged with paying illegal kickbacks to Iraqi officials as part of a scheme to circumvent the United Nation's oil-for-food program in 2001.

On page A18 in today's Houston Chronicle there's an ad where Sakowitz Furs will store women's fur coats for the summer months in their "state of the art, humidity controlled, COLD storage vaults, out of harm's way." Are any of you going to take advantage of this service?

[ArchitecturalPRGirl]

I got my ears pierced on my 5th birthday at the Sakowitz on Post Oak. I still have the earrings. That was a beautiful store. I thought I was so fancy:)

[nativehou]

On page A18 in today's Houston Chronicle there's an ad where Sakowitz Furs will store women's fur coats for the summer months in their "state of the art, humidity controlled, COLD storage vaults, out of harm's way." Are any of you going to take advantage of this service?

I doubt there are many "ladies who lunch" on this forum, but you never know!

[57Tbird]

On page A18 in today's Houston Chronicle there's an ad where Sakowitz Furs will store women's fur coats for the summer months in their "state of the art, humidity controlled, COLD storage vaults, out of harm's way." Are any of you going to take advantage of this service?

northbeaumont,

Just curious... Were you formerly Ashikaga?

[MarthaG]

I love that this thread has been resurrected. As most know I tend to be nostalgic.

I am surprised by the number of people on this site that shopped at Sakowitz. Maybe we were poorer than I thought. We did shop at Joskey

[silverartfox]

I love that this thread has been resurrected. As most know I tend to be nostalgic.

I am surprised by the number of people on this site that shopped at Sakowitz. Maybe we were poorer than I thought. We did shop at Joskey

[MarthaG]

The first job I had after college graduation was in the Sakowitz advertising department. It was in the basement of the downtown store. I lasted for about a year and a half. Oh, I could tell you amazing stories about that place and its owners and the people who worked and shopped there, but I would be sued for slander, defamation of character and who knows what else!

In another life, I shopped at all of Houston's upscale stores - Sakowitz, Neiman's, Esther Wolf, Everitt-Buelow, Frost Bros., Lord & Taylor ( I've never really liked Saks 5th Avenue or boutiques). My mother stored her furs in the Sakowitz cold-storage vault. When I was maid of honor in a cousin's wedding, I hostessed the bridesmaid's luncheon at the Sakowitz Sky Terrace restaurant. My family was middle-class, but knew that buying cheap clothes, furniture, etc., that didn't last was throwing money away.

Obviously your idea of middle class and mine are different. My mom never had a fur coat. We never had expensive cloths and new furniture...because that was considered thowing money away. But we had nice things and never did without things we needed.

[JustinBryan]

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

yea there was one across from what is now Pasadena Town Square, when it was just the stand alone Foley's.....

I remember also going to a store as a very small todler called GEMCO, i think it was like a pre-Sam's thing you had have a membership to get in.

[HtownWxBoy]

Any word on this??? Their website still says summer 2007, though I think it's obvious that's not going to happen. Anyone know anything?

[SirTonk]

I was just over at the old Saks location at 1800 Post Oak and they appear to be remodeling the entire structure. Is this the same business?

And the theatre is still there, just hasn't been operated since Landmark vacated ten years ago.

Edited August 24, 2007 by SirTonk

[Subdude]

I was just over at the old Saks location at 1800 Post Oak and they appear to be remodeling the entire structure. Is this the same business?

And the theatre is still there, just hasn't been operated since Landmark vacated ten years ago.

Wow, I had forgotten all about that theater. The theaters were actually in the basement level, right?

[SirTonk]

Wow, I had forgotten all about that theater. The theaters were actually in the basement level, right?

Yeah. The box and an office were the only things on street level. Big escalators took you down the the concession area.

[Breeze]

I love that this thread has been resurrected. As most know I tend to be nostalgic.

I am surprised by the number of people on this site that shopped at Sakowitz. Maybe we were poorer than I thought. We did shop at Joskey's and Kaplins, but Sakowitz was way out of our league.

I remember when the store closed on Westheimer, they were selling bricks for $100 each. Needless to say I did not get one 

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to take me to lunch at Sakowitz' "tea room." They had a big fake tree in the middle of the restaurant and twinkly lights in the ceiling. Those were the days when we got "dressed up" to go downtown shopping. And all the department stores had real toy departments. Great memories.

[northbeaumont]

When I was a little girl, my grandmother used to take me to lunch at Sakowitz' "tea room." They had a big fake tree in the middle of the restaurant and twinkly lights in the ceiling. Those were the days when we got "dressed up" to go downtown shopping. And all the department stores had real toy departments. Great memories.

Yes, about the most "dangerous" toy you could get was a cowboy six-shooter that you loaded a roll of popping caps into it. How could you harm yourself with Silly Putty?

Edited August 28, 2007 by northbeaumont

[HtownWxBoy]

Still no word on this?

[Daniepwils]

I haven't seen any activity in this building (except cars coming and going, as it is still a garage). The building right next to it seems to be going through a renovation.

[Houstonian in Iraq]

I haven't seen any activity in this building (except cars coming and going, as it is still a garage). The building right next to it seems to be going through a renovation.

Yeah the place that use to be a jewlers. Next to the run down corner store. They gutted out the inside and put up windows.

[spikey2]

Several people I spoke too concerning prison time for Oscar Wyatt was glad to see him go. They were mad because he didn't write a check to save the Sakowitz Stores despite the fact his wife Lynn Sakowitz Wyatt spends millions on fashion and jewelry. Was the feud between her and baby brother Robert true? Is this the reason the stores went under?

[silverartfox]

Several people I spoke too concerning prison time for Oscar Wyatt was glad to see him go. They were mad because he didn't write a check to save the Sakowitz Stores despite the fact his wife Lynn Sakowitz Wyatt spends millions on fashion and jewelry. Was the feud between her and baby brother Robert true? Is this the reason the stores went under?

I don't know about an alleged feud, but there were many reasons that caused the Sakowitz stores to close. There was a great deal of time, effort and money spent in trying to compete with perceived rival Neiman-Marcus. Unfortunately, the company did not possess Stanley Marcus' sense of style, taste or originality. The stores expanded too rapidly into other areas of the country. They also misread their customer base and didn't adjust their merchandise offerings to meet the needs of the clientele they hoped to attract. I worked in their advertising department - saw and heard a lot!

[gto250us]

Does anyone know what the status of this redo is. American Apparel had stuff in the windows but it does not look like anything will change anytime soon.

[Jax]

Les Givrals is thinking of opening a restaurant in one of these buildings.

Somebody should email american apparel and find out what their plans are.

[HtownWxBoy]

I am surprised nothing has happened yet. I figured they were waiting to make sure Houston Pavilions was a "go" before going forward w/ the store... but so far nothing. I really like their store... I stop by the Montrose one from time to time... it seems like a great location to open a clothing store w/ HP going up right across the street. I guess we will see.

[gto250us]

I am surprised nothing has happened yet. I figured they were waiting to make sure Houston Pavilions was a "go" before going forward w/ the store... but so far nothing. I really like their store... I stop by the Montrose one from time to time... it seems like a great location to open a clothing store w/ HP going up right across the street. I guess we will see.

I am not so much interested in American Apparel as I am in the building itself. It is too fine a building to have been gutted and turned into a garage.

[Houston19514]

I am not so much interested in American Apparel as I am in the building itself. It is too fine a building to have been gutted and turned into a garage.

Agreed. I'm hoping (dreaming) that one day in the not-too-distant future, the Main Street retail market will have improved to the point that they take out the parking garage and make the whole building retail again.

[gto250us]

Agreed. I'm hoping (dreaming) that one day in the not-too-distant future, the Main Street retail market will have improved to the point that they take out the parking garage and make the whole building retail again.

Main Street retail still has alot of problems. It is light years better than it was 10 years ago but several blocks between McKinney and Capitol still smell bad from the bums.

I still think that the developers did a great disservice to the public by placing most of the downtown retail underground, cut off from most of the public. I guess at that time no body lived in downtown, thus the only people who needed retail were the office workers. To some extent that is still true. It may be a chicken and egg type of thing. Do downtown residents bring in the retail or does retail make living downtown more attractive. Right now it seems to be somewhat of a stalemate. It will be interesting to see if the Pavillions changes anything. The stadiums and convention traffic can only do so much.

Edited October 11, 2007 by gto250us

[SirTonk]

I was just over at the old Saks location at 1800 Post Oak and they appear to be remodeling the entire structure. Is this the same business?

And the theatre is still there, just hasn't been operated since Landmark vacated ten years ago.

Ok, nevermind. The whole building is being torn down in two years. Some developer is ripping up everything from the Saks to San Felipe and building a huge shopping complex. If you want to see the drawings, drop by the Saks building and their office is in the front section by the department store entrance. I'll see if I can get a pdf of it if anyone is interested. We're going to ask them to let us in the old theatre to take some pictures before they fill it with concrete.