Sears At 4201 South Main St.

[NenaE]

Nena you forgot the BEST part....the TOY DEPT!

I used to rush down that escalator (much to the chagrin of mom) to run to the toys. I had to see what the newest Lego addtions were there. I practically would push shoppers to the side to check out. It was a fixation for a while, but Sears was always known for having the coolest toys like mechanical Godzilla's, robots, Tonka Trucks, GI Joe's etc, etc, etc. We kids were in toy heaven!

When I went to Sears, we didn't visit the toy dept. very much. It was on the other side of the store, by the lawn stuff. Ray's dime store, Globe, the Gulfgate toy store & Newberrys come to mind, instead. But I do remember the Sears Winnie-the-Pooh toys and clothes. Always wanted those pajamas. haha. Loved those catalogs.

Ideal, Hasbro, Mattel, & Wham-o come to mind.

[Subdude]

While we all agree that the Sears Building is ugly in its current state, to me at least, the reason to update it was admirable. The 60's had a vision and hope for the future. They loved all things "futuristic". They thought humankind was moving forward. Compared to todays crappy rehash of all things old. See the ridiculous Mediterranean, italian and Spanish colonial crap going up all over the city. I feel like we let them down.

Interesting take on it. Although I love a lot of the modernism of the 1960s, at the end of the day it was perhaps just a style, and was destined to change. It may be admirable to have vision for the future, but I think a lot of buildings from that time came off as sterile and a bit inhuman. It probably wasn't that popular with a lot of the public, who will ever prefer that Italian, Spanish, and colonial revival.

[crunchtastic]

It probably wasn't that popular with a lot of the public, who will ever prefer that Italian, Spanish, and colonial revival.

I think you're on to something. Could it be that Western culture has a dysfunctional relationship with its feudal past?

There is a curious lack of turrets in mid- century modern.

[texas911]

I think the public is just mis-guided and dare I say, culturally illiterate. All the revival styles they embrace is akin to using a comic book as an art book.

[sevfiv]

Funny to think that humankind was "moving forward" (via architecture) by bricking in windows, removing awnings, and slapping on corrugated metal fa

[NenaE]

Funny to think that humankind was "moving forward" (via architecture) by bricking in windows, removing awnings, and slapping on corrugated metal fa

[NenaE]

Does anyone really refer to this area as "South Main" like Cite does?

Surprised that Cite does, my 1953 map shows S. Main after (Rice) University Blvd., north of this location the street is listed as simply Main. Also in two of my books, the address listing for Sears bldg. & Delman Theater is just Main. Note: The Sears Bldg. is featured in the new Houston Deco book by J. Parsons & D. Bush. (2008)

The 1953 map also shows a very long "Alief Road" feeding into downtown. There was no Hwy 59S, either way, where it now forks around the Sears store, leading into downtown. The map shows a huge area of land w/ cross streets that starts at downtown, ends at Hermann Park, and has plats of land/paved streets in between that are very similar in size, can tell the whole area was probably planned out at the same time. I can see exactly why the particular area around Sears is called Midtown, now. The Sears store would have sat, even then, at a very strategic location, where many roads met. Hwy 288 is listed nearby.

I remember a green marble sidewalk entrance to a bldg, like stated above, very elaborate, but it was located to the East of the Sears bldg. Anyone seen that? It's West of the speakeasy/ original Cleburne's cafeteria. That whole area is really a gold mine.

Read today that the Delman was not torn down for the train right-of-way, but was *demolished because the owner thought the land would be more valuable without the theater sitting on it. (Typical mentality, why am I not surprised? only very disappointed. ) Midtown Management District tried to save it, couldn't reach an agreement.*source: Cinema Houston

[BabyJaneHudson]

Ahh, the memories of getting all dressed up to take a family trip to Sears on Main or even further down to Foley's...

I think the drive to Sears was as much fun as actually getting inside the store. In those days, we happily hung our heads out of the car windows and we were never told to buckle up or sit back, this was our treat.

I can remember my mom getting out her aligator shoes with bag to match and even a hat. We put on out pretty little dresses with petticoats, white ruffle socks and patent leather shoes. Now you see families in jeans, pull overs and the kiddies are wearing flip flops. Take me back to the days when our mothers had to starch our clothes, this was before permanent press, a new fangled invention.

I can still smell the popcorn...

These pics were taken from http://www.houstondeco.org

1939

2006

[NenaE]

*FYI, the Southwest Frwy was not constructed until 1969, (p. 83, AIA Guide, S. Fox, again), later than I thought. Took out the Courtlandt Place entrance gates, piers, walls on the East side. They were later rebuilt. Believe that is where that spur is that feeds into Downtown, to the left of Sears.

Correction Edit: My mistake, this first statement was not correct, see below posts. Parts just outside of 59S/610 were not completed until late 60's. Parts of 59S inside 610 were constructed earlier. See notes & link below for full story.

[plumber2]

FYI, the Southwest Frwy was not constructed until 1969, (p. 83, AIA Guide, S. Fox, again), later than I thought. Took out the Courtlandt Place entrance gates, piers, walls on the East side. They were later rebuilt. Believe that is where that spur is that feeds into Downtown, to the left of Sears.

I would have to disagree with that date. 1962 would be more believable.

[NenaE]

I would have to disagree with that date. 1962 would be more believable.

You are correct, it was much earlier, first section (around Midtown) of Hwy 59S was completed in 1961, second in 1962, (by Midtown, further west)again by the Sears store, the section extending to Westwood Mall was the later date of 1969. Interesting how it was done in so many sections, so many years.

link: http://www.houstonfreeways.com/ebook.aspx

[57Tbird]

FYI, the Southwest Frwy was not constructed until 1969, (p. 83, AIA Guide, S. Fox, again), later than I thought. Took out the Courtlandt Place entrance gates, piers, walls on the East side. They were later rebuilt. Believe that is where that spur is that feeds into Downtown, to the left of Sears.

Some info on the SW Fwy history that I found...

September 27, 1957

Frank Sharp's proposal for the routing of the freeway is adopted. Routing inside Loop 610 had probably been previously adopted.

November 1958

A Houston Chronicle Article dated 3-April-1959 reports that construction began in November 1958.

July 26, 1961

Dedication ceremony for the 10-lane freeway from the downtown split to Shepherd. The ceremony is held on the elevated freeway above Montrose.

August 1, 1962

Dedication ceremony for the freeway to Sharpstown Mall (Bellaire Blvd.). The ceremony is held on US 59 underneath IH-610.

1962

The four-level stack at IH-610 is completed. This was Houston's first four-level stack.

1960's

Freeway completed between downtown Houston and southwest Houston. Inside I-610, freeway has 8 main lanes and 6 feeder lanes.

Approx 1974

Freeway completed to Sugar Land.

Approx 1975

Final elevated segment completed through downtown.

Approx 1976

4 lanes freeway completed from Sugar Land southwest to Richmond/Rosenberg

[NenaE]

I must have taken the description out of context, maybe an additional modification of the spur caused the Courtlandt Place Wall to be lost at a later date. Dunno, here's the direct quote (p.83) (talking about the Courtlandt East End Gate & Wall): "The east end lost its concave screen of piers and spur walls to the construction of the Southwest Freeway in 1969".

thnx guys for your input.

[IronTiger]

Wow, it's still occupied by Sears! Another art deco Sears in Santa Monica, Cali.

[KristinDaugherty]

Or, we could bypass Plan B completely and go for Plan C; print up some big, full-color posters of what the building once looked like and then pay some trustworthy homeless people (plenty of them call Sears home), and have them prance around and pass out HAIF literature on the subject, or just a printout of this topic.

As a vicious and heartless neocon, I would pay good money to see homeless people prancing.

[Randyt7801]

Maybe Ike tore off that ugly .siding

[sevfiv]

Part of the facade facing Wheeler was blown off, and you can see the old A from the old Sears sign painted on. I'll post a picture when I have access to it...

[sevfiv]

[Subdude]

Very cool, thanks for posting that. The sad thing is that you just know they will go and cover it up as soon as possible.

[Randyt7801]

Thanks for the picture! Amazing that still exists under there after all these years.

[NenaE]

Alright! The original Sears lettering is still there! I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks sevfiv for the pic.

[sabasushi]

Alright! The original Sears lettering is still there! I'm pleasantly surprised. Thanks sevfiv for the pic.

As I mentioned in another thread, I'm so bummed that Ike didn't finish the job. (Getting rid of all the siding, that is) :-)

[johnfinley]

Perhaps if we can borrow a truck with a trailer hitch and some rope, we can finishe it? =)

[rsb320]

Here you are.

If only we could return to such grand times.

[westguy]

Hopefully they don't make ugly ass beige siding anymore.

[johnfinley]

Knowing Sears, they have extra siding in storage! Sears is having some really, really bad financial problems right now. I hate to say this, but I bet it'll be a long time before Sears/Rice restores this building. It'd make an awesome off capus location for Rice, wouldn't it?

[rsb320]

A 'Little Ikea' might do well in Midtown/Montrose.

[NenaE]

Here you are.

rsb320, My sentiments exactly...I loved that era. Never realized til now that there was a stairway outside leading to a second story balcony/patio. Nice...even had ornamental trees. Was this the smoking area? Or was the whole store a smoking area? I know the postcard was an architectural rendering, wonder if the store actually had that patio. I wonder a lot.

[Dan the Man]

The trees were actually there. See the 1939 photo in post #130.

[NenaE]

Ahh, the memories of getting all dressed up to take a family trip to Sears on Main or even further down to Foley's...

I think the drive to Sears was as much fun as actually getting inside the store. In those days, we happily hung our heads out of the car windows and we were never told to buckle up or sit back, this was our treat.

I can remember my mom getting out her aligator shoes with bag to match and even a hat. We put on out pretty little dresses with petticoats, white ruffle socks and patent leather shoes. Now you see families in jeans, pull overs and the kiddies are wearing flip flops. Take me back to the days when our mothers had to starch our clothes, this was before permanent press, a new fangled invention.

I can still smell the popcorn...

These pics were taken from http://www.houstondeco.org

1939

2006

Thnx Dan...

Added sevfiv's storm pic from above post to see all pics side by side...

Oh....the possibilities of that bldg. As mentioned above, also read a Sears article recently that stated that the corporation isn't in such good financial shape.

Are all three pics from the same intersection?