Purpledevil

I'm not too surprised he gets reception of KBTX down in the Galleria area, especially on the 3rd floor. Before the KBRZ 1460 translator fired up at 95.1, "Candy" from Bryan/College Station made regular appearances all over the Galleria and Bellaire areas on the frequency. From North Houston, I get nary a trace of channel 3. Go figure.

KBTX airs from a height of 1,664 feet. Their coordinates are 30° 33'16.5"N_96°1'52.4"W.

Aren't the big grain silos still on I-10 west, behind the community college? Those and the ones at Hempstead Hwy and Long Point are the only two I can think of that are left standing. The silos on Studemont were the entire stretch of land from Walgreens to where that street is (don't know the name) where you enter the complex of condos off of Studemont. Used to be a big paper company right there too. In its place is that tall building next to Memorial / Allen Pkwy on Studemont.

Funny how that works. Yes you can sell it in a restaurant, but no you can't sell it at a grocer or convenience store. That does make sense, though. Come to think of it, La Caretta on 20th has always served beer and margaritas, iirc.

Lol, HTX! I know what you mean. Lord, I graduated in 84 so this is certainly not ancient history that we're talking about. As far as thugs, I guess it depends on through whose eyes your looking I guess. I remember walking through Astroworld and getting those "get a job" looks from the older patrons. Funny thing was, I actually had a good job that just doesn't mind an employee with long hair and a few tattoos. I don't remember any visits to Astroworld being overrun by thugs and misfits. Felt safe enough to take my then 10 year old for the last two weekends of operation.

I don't know that I'd say Astroworld really deteriorated. The 90's saw the installation of a couple of new coasters like the Taz's Texas Twister and Serial Thriller. Of course, I think it was in the early 90's that the horribly ridiculous Mayan Mind Bender debuted. We stood in line for 2 1/2 hours for that thing, and it was the first and last time I ever rode it. The park had its ups and down like any business. Some people consider the takeover by Six Flags as the turning point in Astroworld's ultimate demise. Some say it was Reliant Stadium's fault by wanting to take the parking area away for use by the Complex. Regardless of opinion, the park was never going to be anything more than what it was. It couldn't expand the park, due to the roads that surrounded it, and kept tearing down rides and replacing them with modern steel roller coasters.

Tremendous list, 9075. The one memory on my 90's list, would be the closure of the last drive-in theater in Houston, the I-45, in 1992. I grew up in several of the drive-ins here, specifically the Airline & Shepherd, and then the I-45 when it opened in 82. Oh, IronTiger, I could tell you some stories about the Heights. I grew up there in the 70s and early 80s. What the Heights is now, isn't even close. I went through there the other day and saw they tore down most of Baptist Temple. Made my heart sink, as there will never be chimings bells coming from the tower anymore at noon on 20th and Yale. It just isn't home anymore. It just isn't the Heights anymore.

Wait! Has something changed that I'm not aware of? All of this talk of restaurants and bars on 19th, but isn't 19th still dry? Same reason the Kroger on 20th can't sell liquor, wine, or beer. As for the Weingarten's property across the street, there is no current plan to demo or repurpose the strip. Kroger actually wanted to buy it, demo it, and build a Signature there. Walgreens actually had a problem with that, and held the lease on their spot until another establishment could fill the empty space. Wouldn't been the first time that entire property housed a single, mammoth grocer.

Wow, Subdude! That pic of Tommie Vaughn predates my recollection. That is awesome, but where's the big towering Ford sign? That thing's been up there since I was a kid. Hadn't paid real attention to it in years since I don't live in the Heights anymore, but it used to light up at night and rotate. My older brother used to work at the Goodyear there on 11th, next to the old Wiener's.

I don't know how many of you are old enough to remember them, but Lewis & Coker's stores were comparable to Henke & Pillot stores in building size. For the younger crowd, it was it a little smaller than a regular sized Kroger's, such as the one on W. 20th in the Heights, or Airline in the northside. It was one of those hometown stores that, if they knew you well enough, would slide an accidental hot check. There were employees at the Memorial store that had literally made a career at Lewis & Coker. I grew up with the produce manager's daughter. He and his daughter, who was a boothie and cashier, worked there clear through the end when Rice bought it and flipped it to an Epicurean Market, even then staying another couple of years in the store under the Rice banner.