Purpledevil

So, what happens to the current 45 freeway between 610 and I-10, if we're shifting everyone over to the new Hardy extension as the new 45? Turn it back into a bayou for flood control? EDIT: Never mind, you stated a spur. Heck, I think we might be better off with the bayou, lol. By going the route DNAguy describes, wouldn't we be switching freeways from 45 to 610 to "new 45" (Hardy) to 10 to 59 then reconnecting back to 45 at the interchange by GRB, just to go from Northline to Gulfgate? Instead of just scooting by the side of downtown as it is now, on one constant highway? That doesn't sound too appealing. Hardy's extension only goes to 10, right? Then you've got to filter onto 59 to get back towards the on ramp for the Gulf Freeway. Maybe I'm not following something correctly, but that sounds like a big tie up just waiting to happen.

Moon Palace was a Jojo's?!? I did not realize that, but yeah, the recessed entry on it does make it look like a Jojo's. Closed in '84, so the year I graduated. Huh, guess I was too focused on late night breakfast buffets at Champ's across the street back then. Red Lobster is certainly a possibility, mkultra. It's hard to imagine now for those that didn't see it firsthand, but that little area was once packed with various well known eating joints, and not just the sea of vacancy and neglect that West Dyna has become in its current state. Edit: the address for the mystery restaurant, now game room, is 171 West Dyna, 77037. I can't snapshot an instant street view for some reason. Could that possibly be your Red Lobster?

I don't remember a Red Lobster down Dyna, mkultra, but I do remember this little diddy that I used to love, called the Moon Palace. How I miss the Palace... Could Red Lobster have been in the stand alone building next door to Los Cabos/Moon Palace? I've been trying to put my finger on what that game room used to be for quite some time now. It was obviously a restaurant, but what? It's been driving me crazy. Wouldn't that be something if we ended up answering each other's question? The building certainly doesn't look like an old Red Lobster, but I guess it's possible.

I don't think the tension is necessarily directed specifically at you, Triton. It's been apparent around several of the threads recently, involving various targets. I most certainly will vouch for you. The renderings you graciously shared with me CLEARLY says Fitzgerald's on it. Is it ok to share the renderings now? That would clear up any doubt of your honesty pretty quickly. Let me be the first (and perhaps only) to say, uh-oh, for 2706 White Oak. I'm sure there are Sarah Fitzgerald fans on the board, but let's be honest. She was a poor steward of the building, and it was only after Free Press (or Pegstar, or whoever it is leasing the building) that major improvements were finally performed on the old dance hall. I sincerely hope that the work that has been done to the building will be maintained. It certainly wasn't, back in the day. Well, at least 30 Foot Fall will have a venue to perform at until they're all old and gray.

...and Greenbriar for that matter. I was taken aback by that observation, as well.

IronTiger, I'm shooting you a PM.

Got two more for you, IronTiger. I'm working in Brookhollow today and had forgotten about these two. Both in the parking lot of the grocery store. Corner of Mangum Rd and W. 34th, next door to each other, west side of Mangum-south side of W. 34th. On the corner is a 1% check cashing place, completely decked in yellow. This was an obvious KFC. Next door to that are the unmistakable trapezoid windows of an old Pizza Hut, which is vacated and for sale. Sorry I was in a hurry and didn't get the pictures taken. SW corner of the intersection for both.

Lol, well here's the picture of Larry's to add when you update next.

Yep, and another "Little Mexico"/ former Monterey House on E. Crosstimbers, between Airline and the North Freeway, that's been there for years. Well some palates have become more sophisticated, lol. Pancho's seems to always have a crowd when we go. I disagree about Monterey House not surviving in this day and age. Places like Monterey's, El Chico, and the like still have their niche. Affordable Mexican food that's pretty good, especially when you're in a hurry. These guys may not make the killing they did in their heyday, but they still have a decent enough following to maintain a profit. Only thing that killed Northwest Freeway's location was the widening of the freeway itself. The Monterey's was typically busy when it was still open.

And the list can't be complete without Bambolino's Pizza, which was founded by Houston's own "Mama Ninfa". 17 locations in all, but I certainly don't know them all. Sevfiv/Nena, can one of you do a run of Bambolino's locations? 21st @ Yale, Durham @ Washington, two at IAH, and the one down on Montrose are the only ones that are popping into my mind right now.

Former northside Houston Red Lobster locations: 14191 Northwest Freeway @ Fairbanks N. Houston. Now Larry's Barbecue Buffet. 2005 Mangum Rd. Now Yank Sing Chinese Buffet.

Hey, I'm glad I can send a customer their way, mkultra! I've been going there for many years, even now that I live some distance away from it. The kids run it now, and they haven't missed a beat. Even Ike ripping off the roof couldn't stop the "V". Glad you and Mrs. Mkultra enjoyed it. It's not in the Heights, of course, and apologies for the thread diversion, but I highly recommend them to all HAIFers that want to enjoy a good, old fashioned, calorie laden, so greasy you've got to watch out that it doesn't fall out the bottom of the brown paper bag it comes in hamburger, then my friends, Big Burger V on Hardy is for you. It's one block north of Rittenhouse, southbound side of Hardy. Get an order of onion rings, too. You'll be glad you did. I top off my burger and rings order with a chocolate malt. I mean if you're going to splurge, you might as well go all in.

Someone cue the Taps...

As promised 470 W. Parker, former Dairy Queen now Parker Food Mart.

A little "blast from the past" from the historic Fitz. This is a Fitzgerald's concert poster from April 1st, 1994. Sorry it's a little hard to see, but I turned a black light on it to show its reflective aspect. The headliner was Dixie Waste, Poor Dumb Bastards was the opening act upstairs, F**kEmos was on the Zelda's stage downstairs.

The Jack in the Box is gone on Crosstimbers? When did that happen? I guess I just never noticed. Taco Bell lives on on Crosstimbers, even tore down the old one and built brand new when the mall was demoed.

Btw, don't see it listed, but the Asian Cafe on Yale @ West 22nd was a Long John Silver's for many years. Also, Sevfiv has DQ listed at 5590 North Freeway which confirms what we were talking about in private. What now is Subway, was a Dairy Queen at one time. I just knew that it wasn't Mexican food, lol. One more thing, 1803 West 43rd is the old style Taco Bell I was telling you about that had the bell on the facade, near the roof. Sevfiv, you rock. Some of these old locations I had a hard time with obtaining enough info for IronTiger's project.

Thank God, Tiger! I've been driving myself nuts trying to find that one for you, lol. I'm going to the rent house tomorrow, I'll snap a pic of the old DQ at 470 West Parker for you to add.

DQ at 470 West Parker is still standing, but it has converted convenience store...well sorta. It still has the original interior, minus the seats and counter. The drive-thru window is still there, unused. This one is right down the street from our rent property. 1702 Yale, I think, is now the car wash.

Sevfiv: S. 69th was not the current Wayside, it's actually the next street over, S/Sgt. Macario Garcia. IronTiger: the KFC at 203 East Crosstimbers is the one I was telling you about, across from Northline Mall. Thank you, sevfiv! Couldn't find that address to save my life. The newer KFC is directly across Fulton from the original. 6301 Airline is the old DQ next to what was Doctors Hospital. Anyone know the address for Pizza Inn on W. Dyna? It's got to be 170 something west Dyna, but can't find the tire shop that currently occupies the building for an address.

Btw, I'm down in that area frequently, IronTiger. If you want some pictures of these sites, I'm glad to snap some shots when I am near them and send them to you. Why don't you shoot me a PM, bud? I could provide quite a lot of help to you as I know of 2 different closed down Sonics on Airline alone, a Wendy's on Crosstimbers, a Burger King on Veterans Memorial and Spears I mean, geez, it'd take up a page of the HAIF, lol. I won't subject our fellow HAIFers to all of that.

A couple to add for your Taco Bell locations. Corner of Airline & Parker, now a title/cash loan swindle...er, company. Not sure on the address, but it's in the parking lot of Kroger, across from Walgreen's. Second one is 7473 North Shepherd Drive. Closed as Taco Bell in 2000 (?), now Josie's Place Soul Food. Corner street is West Little York, catty corner from the old Trader's Fair/Kmart building they recently tore down. Next, is the corner of Mangum and Dacoma Roads which now has a Subway on it, across from Delmar Stadium. This is a converted Taco Bell, which can easily be told by the building's shape. We hit this Taco Bell religiously during my high school years, lol. Down North Shepherd, next door to St. Pius X's football field, you will find a Church's Chicken, with an empty padsite next to it. Just a foundation, nothing else. This, too, was a Taco Bell when I was in high school. Not sure when it closed either, but it was an old style one with the bell that used to hang from the middle of the building. Now, if you want to see an old vintage Taco Bell (version 1.0), like which used to stand next to St. Pius, there is an old building on West 43rd still standing, just west of Rosslyn on the south side of the street. This one was old when it closed, and that was somewhere around the early 90s, maybe late 80s.

Hey thanks, man. That's cool. I need to correct myself though. It's "The Crazy Horse". I must've put your screen name and it together for some odd reason, lol. An unfortunate side effect of aging, I'm afraid. Sorry Tiger, about having to update again.

7702 N. Shepherd was vacant for almost 20 years, with just the building standing, no windows, no interior. Garza Veterinary Clinic completely restored the building two years ago and opened for business. A little further south on N. Shepherd @ Tidwell, not sure on the address, you have yet another old McDonald's that had been there since the old Shepherd Drive In Theater was still open for business. It closed in either 1999 or 2000, moved to the new building and location of 45 @ Rosamond, and the Shepherd location became an endlessly name changing strip club. I think its current name is "The Iron Horse". I kid you not, that strip club has changed names at least twice for every year it has been opened.

Not just malls, empty and abandoned lots too. I've seen the ferris wheel erected several times on the old Parkway Hospital grounds at 45 & Parker Rd. They set one up at Greenspoint Mall several times a year too. Heck, you've even got Circo de HVasquez right on 45 between Airline and Tidwell that's an entire big tent circus.