Margo Mitchell

when I moved to Houston in 90 every store front was open.  We used to go to the Piccadilly for lunch all the time when I worked off Hollister and 290.  I live off Longpoint and wish the mall was the way it was 26 years ago.  Then I would not have to drive all the way to Willowbrook.  Despite the fact I am close to Memorial City, I don't go to that mall because its overpriced and snooty like the Galleria now.

we seem to be in another bust.  I was laid off from my O & G related job in a Manufacturing Plant.  I still have my part time job.  I took time off but now that I am trying to get back to work, so far nothing.  Signed up with 5 temp agencies and not one assignment yet.  More than likely this new bust won't be as bad as the 80's.  Back then I was just out of high school and in Louisiana where there were ZERO jobs, but the competition is crazy right now.  In the last 2 weeks I have sent out 30 resumes and have not heard from one person.  It might just be time to finally leave Houston.

Sad that is closed.   I was laid off from my full time job last year and when going to Worksource on Westheimer, I would stop there for lunch. 

I will give you the reasons why:

Astroworld .........gone

Radio stations.......suck

Traffic.............usual nightmare

Malls.............the fun malls no longer exist

High rises.........................no visitors centers or look out points

Public Transpo.................takes too long, like going on a scavanger hunt.

Personally I think that from I 45 to at least Veterans/Stuebner, 1960 Sucks now. I moved into the apartments behind Denny's in 1990 when I moved here from Louisiana. I was no stranger to Houston since I spent summers here growing up. the 1960 area at least from 45 west had a classy feel to it. Had a good variety of stores, etc. and most of all the neighborhoods were just black and white for the most part. Fast Forward 20 years and that whole area SUCKS! the apartments at I 45 behind that chevy dealership now, Cypress Station, all the way to at least North Oaks Shopping center, the area is crawling with ILLEGALS, DRUG HEADS and all kinds of other assorted trash.

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I left 1960 area in 97, moved back in 99 and left again for good in 2008, living more centrally located now. I think the only reason they changed the name is to try not to see it end up the way Sharpstown, Greenspoint or Northline did, but its too late, it happened and all those wealthy folks in North Oaks and Champions did not do anything to keep the unwanteds out and now that's why the Spring, and Kline School districts suck, glad I dont have kids because they would never go to school there.

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

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.

why??????? HOUSTON SUCKS! and there is a hell of a lot more trash running the streets here than there is there.

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That strip Center at 290 and 43rd was built in the 90's. my office was right there at 290 and Hollister. The center had K Mart, because it moved from 34th where the Randalls is now. Service Merchandise, Toys R Us. Plus Sizes and a nail shop. That Toys R Us might have lasted about 6 or 8 years. Service Closed in 2000 and K Mart I think in 2002.

I don't know why Venture failed. I HATE WALLY WORLD! that place sucks out the ass! and then K Mart Left. talk about being pissed because I was K Mart shopper.

If given the choice out of Sharpstown and Gunspoint, I would hands over take Gunspoint. Crappy area, but at least is not nasty like Shaprstown and Gulfton areas. That whole area should be nuked.

I moved here in 90 and Greenspoint was starting to go downhill then. there were still a lot of good stores, but it seems like by 96 over half of them were gone, probably because of the opening of The Woodlands Mall at the end of 1994. Most of the stores left in the mall are not even chain stores. Hell Ross opened a store and then a few years later closed it. Don't know why they opened another movie theater, I can't imagine that people would go see movies there. Now that Exxon is leaving, I have a feeling that there won't be enough business there to even keep it open and since the Foley's/Macy's building is full of mold and the 2nd floor is no longer open, I am surprised that it has not closed yet.

What irritates me is that awesome strip center across from the mall and every damn store in it practically went out of business. Childrens Palace, Phar Mor, Sportstown, Sound Warehouse, Pier 1, Marcos Restaurant, I frequented that Strip center almost as much as the mall when I moved here because I lived at 1960& I 45.

97 Rock KSRR

Astroworld

KILT 610 AM

KRBE when it was Power 104

Illegals were not running the streets

Sharpstown was still and ok neighborhood

Greenspoint Mall was a really cool mall

Woolworths, Gemco, Wackers, Minimax

Panjos and Shakey's Pizza

Texas Tapes and Records

Of course I only experienced these things in the summer when visiting my relatives in Kingwood. I moved to Houston in 91 and expecting things to be fun the way they were. Boy was I wrong. I hate this city and have not been able to escape yet.

I think there was a Globe across from Town & Country Mall, if you are heading South on the beltway feeder from I10 It was immediately on the right. am I right about this???

I'm originally from Louisiana and remember Gibsons very well. They changed the name to Howard Brothers in the 70's and then Howards Brand Discount late 70's 80' s they went out of business about 87. Dont know where the Houston locations were if there were any but the ones I remember in Louisiana were in Lafayette on Johnston Street its a flea market now and Hwy 190 West across from the Yambilee Fair Grounds.