Weingarten's Grocery Stores

[NenaE]

Snigly, I've checked the online directories to 1926, thru Houston Library digital library, no help. article oh Handbook of Texas Online hints it was built shortly after 1926, after store no. 6 was built. . but probably long before 1938 when he had 12 stores. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fwe15 Have more sources to check out, tomorrow morning!

Yes Kylejack, that could help! Thanks, such a good site. I have books to consult, as well.

Edited March 11, 2012 by NenaE

[NenaE]

the bob bailey collection has a few neat older ones (with the weingarten name shown, on buildings and maybe signs):

http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/dmr_resul...ed&folder=8

Snigley, have u seen the photos in this collection? See first and third ones...right style bldg., caption says Pasadena location, did ur grandparents live anywhere near there? that could help pinpoint, also the question would be : How many stores were built in that style in that time period, after 1926. The librarians at Pasadena Main Library location, by Foley's, might be able to help verify if it was store 7. They have a great set of archives and old phone books, even if u verify the new store. If it was the Pasadena one, it may have been torn down for the "new and larger" one, heard the Weingartens on Lawndale had that happen. Just an idea. I am only familiar with the store in Pasadena S.Shaver & Southmore as the new design, 1950's. The older one is nicer, IMO.

PS just looked on GoogleEarth w. timeline feature... which reveals that there was no structure at THAT Pasadena location in 1944, but sometime between 1944 and 1953 there was a rectangular bldg. (stand alone) built at S. Shaver and Southmore. Could have had a first location in the older part of Pasadena, first, before these dates.

All speculation, of course. The design still makes me think it's pre 1940's...I'd like to know what year the style dates to.

HAIFers?????

The naming/ signing on the actual building inlay/ facing makes me think...older, like those 4 - plex apartments w/ ladies names inlaid in them.

And of course, THE CARS IN THE PHOTO...what year make and models? this will help pinpoint the year, more than likely the grand opening, Bob Bailey took many commercial, promotional photos.

I just read a Facebook page for previous employees that mentions the South Shaver & Southmore store as #33, another calls it #75, also on eperson calls the Telephone Rd. store as #1. Who knows for sure? we need proof! haha.

I now do believe that Bob Bailey photo would have been a first Pasadena grocery store location located closer to old town Pasadena, there is a structure between Chartres & S. Walter that could have possibly been the location for the first Weingartens BB photo, before Hwy 225 was built, it faces what would have been the major road, very old structure.

Edited March 11, 2012 by NenaE

[gnu]

my '57 phone book says Weingarten's No. 7 was at 5100 Harrisburg.

I believe this is the same building shown in the photo.

That building is still extant and, if memory serves, it won some kind of preservation award in the last 10 years.

It was an HEB until the new Gulfgate store opened and is currently an Autozone.

Edit: HCAD says 1948...but we know they aren't always right.

Edited March 11, 2012 by gnu

[NenaE]

my '57 phone book says Weingarten's No. 7 was at 5100 Harrisburg.

I believe this is the same building shown in the photo.

That building is still extant and, if memory serves, it won some kind of preservation award in the last 10 years.

It was an HEB until the new Gulfgate store opened and is currently an Autozone.

Edit: HCAD says 1948...but we know they aren't always right.

Thank u GNU !

Hoped u would show up with that! My ggrandmother lived near there...nice to know, that's close to the 4 plex w/ the name on it.

Where did u get ur hands on that phone book?

HCAD may actually have the date close to being believable, THIS Time...I usually don't trust them. But the Bob Bailey photo is dated 1949, which I believe is probably a grand opening promotional, or recently built "new store" shot.

Edited March 11, 2012 by NenaE

[NenaE]

http://www.ghpa.org/awards/list.html

yes, Gnu, correct, under year 2007, link above, GHPA preservation award, second line, says dates to 1929, 5104 Harrisburg Blvd.

That date makes more sense to me. I wonder why the 1949 reference fits in, guess when photo was possibly taken...hmmm.

Edited March 11, 2012 by NenaE

[Snigley]

Thanks a ton for all the research assistance! All I had was the photo dated October 1945, but it appeared to be an employee photo, not a grand opening. I had no idea the building would go back to 1929. It was my father's first job after returning from WWII, but I never know the location. I'm going to write this information on the back of the photo so my kids won't have to struggle with this down the road. Again, thanks so much for your help!

[Margo Mitchell]

Marketingwiz you are out of it!! I did not grow up in Houston, I grew up in South Louisiana in the Opelousas/Lafayette area and we had two Weingartens stores. they were huge, clean and had nice old fashion paper bags. One location was at Northgate Mall, it closed in early 1985 when I was 18 but I never remembered it being dirty or understocked. that store had everything we needed and I was almost saddened when it did shut down. The last thing I remember buying there was a couple of 6 packs of Miller Lite beer.

[Margo Mitchell]

I sure wish we still had Weingartens today because I would be shopping for groceries there. The piss poor selections of grocery stores we have in Houston sucks. I will take Krogers or Randells over most since they are long lived chains, but I think the rest of the selection sucks. Food Town is a dump, Fiesta, another dump, Sellers Brothers, crappy selections, Wally World, another dump and if I was going to buy anything there it would definitely have to be pre packaged, I don't like HEB and they should have stayed in the Hill Country. I really miss Pricebusters, don't know why Minimax closed up, Albertsons sucked and I was glad to see them go, never cared much for Safeway, the stores out west are much better anyway. The nearest Target Supercenter is too far away from me to justify making the trip there. Food Fair is boring

[NenaE]

My experience with Weingartens in the 1960's ~ 1970's was always a good one. Huge store, but very clean, nothing out of the ordinary with employees. The Gulfgate and Lawndale stores are the ones I recall. It seemed to me, as a kid, that the Gulgate store (connected to the mall) was much larger than the other one.

Edited October 25, 2012 by NenaE

[luciaphile]

Re post #40: harsh. I worked at Weingarten's for a little while when the store was really on its last legs. For a place that was struggling, it did seem to do as much as possible to discourage commerce.

The particular women I worked with liked to tell me about their lives. They seemed to have entered on a career as checkers after their "titty dancing" days were over (that was how they repeatedly styled it in conversation, I would have been happy with "exotic dancers.") I was unused to being on my feet all day as they were and once fainted dead away. They were very kind to me.

All you obsessively grocery-shopping guys would not have liked Weingarten's -- it was pretty much the opposite of Walmart. Mind, I've long since mastered the art of offering sweet, smiling, and where necessary obsequious 'customer service,' but in retrospect I find Weingarten's disinterest in it hugely appealing.

[billyf]

My dad worked for Purolator armored car service back in the mid 70s here in Houston. He used to pick up money for many of the Weingartens stores. One day his partner was shot in the face in an armed robbery. My dad stayed in the back of the truck and reported what was happening. His name was in the paper and he got some award for remaining calm in a crisis. I was just a baby at the time. I only remember going in a Weingartens store once with my mom and our next door neighbor. It was located on Little York and I-45 at 440 W LITTLE YORK RD. Its a Food Town today.

Edited October 26, 2012 by billyf

[Firebird65]

I only remember going in a Weingartens store once with my mom and our next door neighbor. It was located on Little York and I-45 at 440 W LITTLE YORK RD. Its a Food Town today.

Are you talking about the Food Town where the Big Texan Lanes bowling alley used to be? If so, I don't think that was ever a Weingartens. Before it was Big Texan Lanes it was a department store called Grants. Closest Weingartens was in Northline Mall, I believe.

[billyf]

Are you talking about the Food Town where the Big Texan Lanes bowling alley used to be? If so, I don't think that was ever a Weingartens. Before it was Big Texan Lanes it was a department store called Grants. Closest Weingartens was in Northline Mall, I believe.

You probably remember better than me. I remember going there and I know it was in that area, but could have been in Northline. HCAD says that 440 W Little York was built is 1970 and was owned by WEINGARTEN RLTY INV #0950. Of course they could have just been leasing the building.

[luciaphile]

I just remembered it wasn't a Weingarten's at all - it was a Lewis & Coker. My memory has never been sharp. Sorry, carry on.

[scrubba]

I used to shop at the wiengartens store located in the then Little York shopping plaza at little York and North Freeway. In it was a DPS, Big Texan Bowling and the grocery store . My business was located directly behind the D P S parilel parking slot . Id eat lunch and watch thes people try and put their "Puny lil cars in a 25 foot space , what fun that was on a hot day ! scrubba

[scrubba]

Note to Billy, the Wiengartens was a Wiengartens from when I leased there , ( 1976- 1983 ) . Big Texan lanes was opposite of the grocery store and the DPS was net door to the bowling alley with a Walgreens liquour and drugstore , a Radio Shack and a couple of other sores I don't remember . Out in the front of the parking lot , there was a Tenneco gasoline station too.

On looking at a recent Google Map, looks as though a lot got torn down from when I left the area in 1984. The North Freeway Business park is still behind the shopping plaza , but I'm told everyone I remember from that time i no longer there .

[rrrich7]

definitely a Weingarten's at Hillcroft and Beechnut - it's where my family did our grocery shopping.

[IronTiger]

Weingarten's was long gone by the early 1990s (closed and bought by Safeway in the mid-1980s).

The "red dot" was probably the result of Grand Union's buyout of the store for a few years.

[GEM]

:600 Lockwood,Corporate headquarters,warehouse,bakery,mailroom etc.........

[IronTiger]

Was that their old warehouse that burned down in a 1994 fire, then?

[BelindaMata]

Remember the Henke's at the "Y" on Telephone Road?

[osr403]

Iron Tiger: The answer to your question is yes. At one point there was a huge round water tank with a large "W" with a red dot in the middle still standing, even after the fire. I haven't been on the east end in years so don't know if this is still standing there.

Scrubba: To add to your post, I fondly remember that strip center Having a large Sears on the opposite end of it from Big Texan. Also had a Wyatt's Cafeteria in the strip. The Weingarten's space is still there, occupied by the $ store. The old Walgreen's (complete with counter and fountain) space is now occupied by the hair and beauty supply.

Some may not remember, but the Fiesta at the corner of E.14th & Studewood was a Weingarten's between its long history as Studewood Food Market and Fiesta. My mother ran the snack bar at the back corner of the store next to the meat department. I have tons of pictures taken of her inside that store. Shame to hear that it's being torn down in the near future. That store actually replaced the original Studewood Food Market that burnt to the ground in the 60's, owned by Carl Cohen.

Edited December 21, 2012 by osr403

[MikeRichardson]

Additionally, I believe that the Randalls store nearby, at 1407 S Voss was also originally a Handy Andy since it has the same exact peaked roofline, footprint and stone facade that the old Westheimer/Gessner store had.

I don't know about Handy Andy, but there is another Randalls store at 5219 FM 1960 West that (used to have) the exact same architecture as 1407 S Voss. They remodeled the FM 1960 store so extensively that you can only tell it was almost the same as the Voss store by going inside and looking at the ceiling.

The Voss store has not been remodeled since the 90's. Knowing Safeway they will just shut it down (like every other unremodeled store in the past few years) when the lease is up and claim the landlord wanted an extra $1 per month and there's too many other stores nearby and oh by the way our executives have no balls

[Victor Del Rio]

The Kroger's at 1938 W Gray St  Houston, TX 77019 used to be a Weingarten's.

[rsb320]

The Kroger's at 1938 W Gray St  Houston, TX 77019 used to be a Weingarten's.

 

So did the former Fiesta on Dunlavy as well as the Container Store on Post Oak.

[etheriemma]

 

There used to be a Weingarten's located at 1500 Richmond Ave. (see photo above).  The Menil Collection purchased the property and kept the outer shell of the original Weingarten's store (which had a lot of nice decorative motifs along the top of the building), and remodeled the property into the Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall.
 
Here's a short history of the building:  http://www.hamiltonshirts.com/blog/2010/06/28/dan-flavin

 

You can see interior shots of the Flavin artworks (made of colored lights) here:  http://menil.org/visit/flavin.php
 

[Michelle C]

 

There used to be a Weingarten's located at 1500 Richmond Ave. (see photo above).  The Menil Collection purchased the property and kept the outer shell of the original Weingarten's store (which had a lot of nice decorative motifs along the top of the building), and remodeled the property into the Dan Flavin Installation at Richmond Hall.

 

Here's a short history of the building:  http://www.hamiltonshirts.com/blog/2010/06/28/dan-flavin

 

You can see interior shots of the Flavin artworks (made of colored lights) here:  http://menil.org/visit/flavin.php

 

 

I was in that building many times when it was the Stampeed Ball Room. I met my husband there.

[Michelle C]

The old Weingarden stores located at Washington Ave. and Shepherd and at 11th and Yale in the Heights are still standing.

 

Yale and 11th.                                                                                                                     Shepherd and Washington Ave.

 

 

[MikeRichardson]

I don't know about Handy Andy, but there is another Randalls store at 5219 FM 1960 West that (used to have) the exact same architecture as 1407 S Voss. They remodeled the FM 1960 store so extensively that you can only tell it was almost the same as the Voss store by going inside and looking at the ceiling.

The Voss store has not been remodeled since the 90's. Knowing Safeway they will just shut it down (like every other unremodeled store in the past few years) when the lease is up and claim the landlord wanted an extra $1 per month and there's too many other stores nearby and oh by the way our executives have no balls

 

My prediction came true.

 

http://blog.chron.com/primeproperty/2013/05/randalls-flagship-to-close-after-lease-impasse/

[GEM]

Any pictures of the 600 Lockwood location.Main offices,bakery,mailroom etc.?

[sabasushi]

Speaking of old supermarkets....what did the building at Kirby and Alabama that currently houses Bed, Bath and Beyond use to be? The building definitely looked very "supermarket-y" :-)

[mkultra25]

It was a Rice Epicurean Market. I think it may have been a "regular" Rice Food Market prior to that, back when those still existed. 

[brucesw]

In the 70s and up until 1985, that was an Eagle. That may have been the original occupant.

[Subdude]

Note Weingarten's topics merged.

 

 

[IronTiger]

As mentioned in the AppleTree thread, I am absolutely sure some of the old, small Weingarten's became the AppleTree "Budget Stores" which would've been their last use as grocery stores before being razed or becoming non-grocery uses. Don't know where they are, or how long they lasted.

[IronTiger]

I was curious about the Weingarten's Home Centers mentioned in the first page, so I looked it up and it appears to be a discount/department store addition. This is neat!

[IronTiger]

I'm presenting to you the version of Weingarten's logo it had under Grand Union, which is pretty rare:

 

It uses a similar typeface and the "red dot" of Grand Union that it used during that time, and was a rather tumultumous time for the company--Grand Union bought the 150 Weingarten stores but sold them after 4 years after closing about 30. This particular logo is from an ad for the College Station store, which lasted 2 months.

[sevfiv]

I can't remember if I posted this somewhere here or not, but I have an old picture (early 1980s) with a Weingarten's grocery bag in it (if I can find the original scan I'll repost something larger):

 

[IronTiger]

One thing I don't get, at the Target at Wayside/610 (later Auchan), there was a Weingarten there after the original "Target Foods" name expired (Lewis & Coker/Kmart Foods had a similar contract). That would put it about 2 miles away from the Weingarten at Gulfgate.

The Target near Memorial City presumably had the same set-up (built at around the same time), and also co-existed with the Weingarten at the mall. Now, I know AppleTree and Kroger both had these "two stores within a mile or two" set-up, but did Weingarten really operate in close proximity? Meanwhile, none of the four Weingartens mentioned survived until Safeway, unless Safeway closed them prior to '88.

[IronTiger]

One more Weingarten question (man, I never knew this was such an interesting topic): did the Weingarten stores sold to Safeway close and reopen as Safeway, or was it a signage change? When Safeway became AppleTree, it seemed to (from newspaper articles) mostly involved new brands on the shelves and a new name, but when AppleTree became other stores like Fiesta, it seemed to (from newspaper articles) involve shutting down the store for a day or two to install new décor and change all the price tags, as well as re-training employees.

[brucesw]

The initials of Howard E. Butt, the son of the company founder:

http://www.heb.com/s...history/3000002

Pasternak's. I miss that place, it was still open when I first moved into the area in the early 80s. Can't remember the business that moved in after they closed, but eventually they went out of business too and the original building was razed.

 

I had forgotten all about Pasternak's.  It was there when I lived in Montrose in the 70s but I never went.  I don't know why since there was a shortage of grocery options in Montrose.  As I recall, a used furniture store later occupied the space, not a junk or antique store, just used.  I think the name was Alabama Furniture and it later moved up on Yale.

 

Edited August 1, 2014 by brucesw

[FilioScotia]

There was a Lucky 7 store in Pasadena in the 50s and 60s, one block from Pasadena HS, owned and managed by a really nice guy named Ted Pasternak. He lived in Pasadena too, cause his daughter Robin went to Pasadena High - class of 1960. I wonder if Ted was any relation to the owner of the Pasternak store you're writing about ?

[brucesw]

I have no idea but obviously there are lots of family ties in the restaurant business in Houston, so why not grocery stores?

[mkultra25]

Well, there is a Pasadena connection with the Pasternaks, but it's Pasadena, California as opposed to Pasadena, Texas:

 

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pasadenastarnews/obituary.aspx?n=cary-pasternak&pid=115936749

[joeyb1964]

http://www.houstondeco.org/1930s/weingarten.html

 

That Weingarten pictured above is the 1102 location, not the Washington ave location.

 

 

http://www.houstondeco.org/1930s/weingarten/detail2.html

[GEM]

Any photos of the 600 Lockwood Location?

[IronTiger]

When Safeway bought the Weingarten stores did they close at all, or have the employees immediately rehired?

[mkultra25]

One of the Kroger signs has (temporarily, I assume) been taken down at the Kroger at Yale and 20th, revealing its history as a former Weingarten's location. Someone grabbed a pic and tweeted it earlier today:

 

 

https://twitter.com/ChrisBarnesInfo/status/836573060664799232/photo/1

[IronTiger]

I'm not too familiar with that variant of the logo, the only ones I know of is the script one and the "Red Dot" logo. Besides, between Weingarten and Kroger it served as two other names (Safeway and AppleTree) if I'm not mistaken.

[mkultra25]

Not sure that it was a logo per se, as much as just a generic sign installed at some point for expediency's sake. It's gone now, they covered it up again less than a day after it appeared.