IntheKnowHouston

I didn't expect the Taco Stand to open its Webster/Friendswood area branch at the Baybrook East development. This is great news for the restaurant. I hope it's able to do well there. On a somewhat unrelated note: I figured CultureMap would be the first to report news of the Taco Stand expanding. In mid-July, I emailed majority of the local print and digital publications with dining coverage (with the exception of CultureMap) regarding Taco Stand's expansion. I informed them about the likely outposts on the way to Montrose and in or around the Baybrook area, knowing it would be news CultureMap would scoop them otherwise. Yet, none of them wrote anything about it. It's probably because the owners and their publicist denied the expansion (I know this from personal experience when I worked for Eater). Or it's possible they told inquiring reporters they weren't ready to disclose details, while planning to give CultureMap's food editor and reporter the exclusive as usual (also know this from personal experience). Anyway, hopefully the announcement of the Taco Stand opening in Webster means news of the Montrose location may come soon. I know very little about the commercial real estate landscape in the Webster, Friendswood, and Clear Lake area. But I'm assuming for this particular development, the developers wanted retailers with more national or a wider presence. Chains are able to afford to operate in newer developments than a smaller, local business. I assume developers also think known chains people tend to like may have longevity (able to draw people to the development, afford rent, etc.) in comparison to an independent local business. Having many retail chains may not appeal to lots of people, but it's necessary, I think. However, the Webster, Friendswood, Clear Lake, and Bay Area are not lacking in local retailers, especially food and beverage businesses. There are a lot of small, locally-owned restaurants that opened their doors in that area in the last five years. Many of them are still in business. So, there are lots of local dining options, including local mini-chains, opening and thriving. It may not be widely reported in publications like Houston Chronicle, Chon.com, Eater, Houstonia, Houston Press, or CultureMap, thus many of these businesses fly under many area resident's radars. But Community Impact, Houston Chronicle's suburban community papers, Galveston County Daily News, and Facebook food groups like Bay Area Food Lovers pick up the slack. Between those sources, it's possible to learn about newer and longstanding local dining businesses. You're probably right. I tend to think of Webster, Friendswood, Clear Lake, League City, Texas City, Seabrook, and Kemah as the Bay Area. Though those areas are southeast of Houston, to me, Pasadena, South Houston, and Pearland are points of southeast. But if this would be a better fit in the points southeast forum, then it should be moved there.

Master plans/site plans of the FlyWay ixed-use development in Webster. The site plans are from FlyWay's website and a marketing brochure labeled as Marina Walk at Clear Creek. http://flywaytx.com https://images3.loopnet.com/d2/qbsJ9Pd_TKsih4hSBm7leTgjLC74E2bQXB2z7W-udn8/document.pdf

Renderings of the mixed-used development FlyWay from the linked lookbook. Also renderings are located in the brochure for the same development in the link below. It's labeled as Marina Walk at Clear Creek. https://images3.loopnet.com/d2/qbsJ9Pd_TKsih4hSBm7leTgjLC74E2bQXB2z7W-udn8/document.pdf

Renderings of FlyWay from the marketing brochure and the development's website. http://flywaytx.com/

A small update regarding Great Wolf Lodge in today's Biz Buzz column in the Galveston County Daily News. This is coming soon to the mixed-use development FlyWay in Webster. "As more businesses move into League City, there’s one that got away. Dirt is turning at the 35-acre site of Great Wolf Lodge, just behind the American Furniture Warehouse, 21501 Gulf Freeway in Harris County. The resort and waterpark, the second such in the state, will encompass at least 400,000 square feet of entertainment and lodging space with at least 75,000 square feet for the waterpark, plus 10,000 square feet for an indoor convention center facility." A possible reason Great Wolf Lodge selected Webster over League City: "League City was a strong contender for the development, which aligns with the city’s efforts to create more tourist destinations. League City officials even traveled to Chicago, where Great Wolf Lodge is headquartered, to meet with corporate representatives about the development. What it boiled down to is Webster offered generous incentives — the exact figure wasn’t immediately available — while League City offered none." https://www.galvnews.com/business/buzz/article_493ec50e-fe10-53fb-9138-b70896eb9163.html (Article is behind a hard paywall; must subscribe or purchase a day/monthly pass to access.)

General contractor Arch-Con shared updated renderings of Baybrook East yesterday on their Instagram feed. Baybrook East is a mixed-used retail development in Webster. The renderings show previously announced retail tenants: Dave’s Hot Chicken, Twin Liquors, Cafe Express, Milano Nails, Floyd's 99 Barbershop, and Parry’s Pizzeria & Taphouse. The renderings are also on Arch-Con's website: https://www.arch-con.com/divisions/retail/eastfield-at-baybrook/ The caption: "Getting started at Eastfield at Baybrook (Baybrook East) for @regencycenters southeast of Houston near Space Center Houston. We are so grateful for our decade-long relationship with this impressive national developer. Check out these beautiful renderings by @bdgap of what is to come." https://www.instagram.com/p/CgzKMgSLamk/

It looks like a new business is going to operate at 1111 Prairie Street soon. Signage permits indicates an eatery, possibly Mexican, named El Pubelo. The permit also shows Campesino Coffee will operate here.

Local hamburger restaurant Hubcap Grill operated at 1111 Prairie St until closing in 2019. The property was up for sale in 2020. According to Loopnet, it was taken off the market around November 30, 2021. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1111-Prairie-St-Houston-TX/19747299/

1111 Prairie Street in downtown Houston.

Several planning review permits were submitted recently for Houston Farmers Market, 2520 Airline Dr. One permit is for a greenhouse event center. Another is for a sporting club in building A. I don't know what the sporting club is or if it will be another branch of the Sporting Club, a supper club located on Washington Avenue. https://www.newquest.com/property/houston-farmers-market/ https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/2520-Airline-Dr-Houston-TX/21414340/ https://www.newquest.com/pdfs/Houston_Farmers_Market.pdf https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/_mMBgv7UHO5Ckz4d4LIKyte1TcEbFQUCphyP-HEoHSQ/HoustonFarmersMarket.pdf

An updated leasing flyer for Railway Heights is listed online. The flyer shows a site plan of Railway Heights and current tenants: Railway Heights Market and The Story (church). MADabolic, a fitness gym is listed as a new tenant. There is also a 4,060 SF unit available on the first floor. The available unit can be divided. https://www.crexi.com/lease/properties/411420/texas-railway-heights https://api-lease.crexi.com/assets/411420/flyer

The owners of Dak & Bop listed their business for sale recently. The restaurant is located at 1805 W 18th St in the Timbergrove neighborhood. Unlike its former location in the Museum District, this one centered on Korean and Italian-influenced fare. I don't have access to the listing or the marketing materials. But, the way it's being marketed, it seems whomever wants to buy the business, will take over the remaining terms of the property's lease. I also don't know if this means if the current owners can't find a buyer, whether the restaurant will close or not. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1805-W-18th-St-Houston-TX/25691179/

I'm saddened about Kamalan's closing in Montrose. When I noticed the business was up for sale recently (asking price was $200,000), I hoped someone would save it.

The Korean dumpling restaurant you're referring to is Pling. It was located at 223 Westheimer Rd. Pling did not rent the property. Their parent company JFE Franchising owned (and still owns) the property. JFE Franchising also purchased Dolce Vita's former property at 550 Westheimer Rd.

Photos showing the completed exterior of the Shops at Upper Kirby. The shopping center is located at 2715 Bissonnet St. https://www.bpirealty.com/properties/shops-at-west-u-bissonnet-wakeforest

Just confirming popular sushi pop-up restaurant Norigami is opening their brick-and-mortar at the at the Shops at Upper Kirby. Hopefully, local reporters covering the city's dining culture will have more details soon on the restaurant's forthcoming location at 2715 Bissonnet, Suite 160. https://www.instagram.com/norigamihtx/ https://www.bpirealty.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Shops-at-Upper-Kirby-Flyer.pdf

Lots of restaurants in town categorized their establishments as Mexican restaurants, when they're more Tex-Mex. But Houston has loads of Tex-Mex restaurants as it does Mexican and those serving specific regional Mexican fare. As for Verde (or Verde Garden), the Tex-Mex restaurant opening later this year at Harlow District and alluded to in the articles this week, I think it will be slightly different than most area Tex-Mex joints. With this being a dining concept from the Kirby Group, it's likely Verde won't be a typical Tex-Mex eatery. I suspect there will be contemporary spins on dishes and cocktails. I don't think it will be a carbon copy of Candente or Goode Co. Kitchen & Cantina, but it will hold its own.

Agricole Hospitality may have plans to revive Night Shift or open another bar or dining concept at 3501 Harrisburg Blvd, Suite A. A new entity connected to Agricole Hospitality was filed last month. The entity seems to hint at the company's possible involvement.

More from the press release about Harlow District from CultureMap: "...the firms plan to redevelop the property, including the nearby Printing Museum (1324 W Clay St) and The [Houston Alumni & Youth Center] HAY Center building [at 1216 W Clay St] (known to some as the old American Legion Post building). Dubbed the Harlow District, plans call for the development to include six food and beverage concepts, the first of which is slated to open in late 2022. The restaurants will share more than 250 parking spots, according to a site plan provided by the developers." https://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/08-01-22-ninos-vincents-italian-restaurants-closing-vincent-mandola-harlow-district/ Harlow District site plan:

Ratio is a few doors down from Cle at 2301 Main St on the corner of Hadley. Ratio is located in suite 200. Cle is in suite 400.

Hadley Ice House opened several days ago at 2300 Louisiana St. Instagram photos and videos show little remodeling. The bar looks the same as when it operated as Barkley's.

It appears Los Angeles pizzeria Pizzana is expanding to Houston. The pizza restaurant is listed in a site plan for River Oaks Shopping Center, which may have been updated in May. Pizzana will be located at 2029 W Gray St, in the 1,500 sf unit previously home to Starbucks before closing in 2020. https://pizzana.com https://properties.kimcorealty.com/p/commercial-real-estate-listings/Houston-TX-77019/117820

1015 W 19th St in Shady Acres was purchased last year by 1015 West 19th, LLC. It's tied to Austin hospitality group Bear Hug Hospitality. The group operates a few bars in Houston, namely Handlebar and Unicorn Disco. Bear Hug Hospitality is planning to open Beez Kneez at 1015 W 19th St. There is also a location in Austin.

1015 W 19th St was last on the market in 2021. Loopnet listing and flyer for the property: https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1015-W-19th-St-Houston-TX/22320390/ https://images1.loopnet.com/d2/Nj2SWCCZAeaiHE_Tk8GW2FgaBSMNabPgwfLXsa4DPyk/1015 W 19th Flyer RedSz.pdf

Thanks, but it doesn't answer my question about Little Rey leasing a unit in the Park Place development. The listing is old (about a year or so) and specifically notes Rocket Farm Restaurants is looking for markets that are NOT in Atlanta or Houston for the concept.