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Westheimer Rd. & Montrose Rd. In The Early 80s


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An old friend and I were talkin' about things we used to do and places on Westheimer we used to go when were were teens and.....well, how easy it was back then to get in places we weren't supposed to be like tattoo places (Black Dragon, Shaw's, Custom Design, etc),venues/clubs like Cardi's and others we can't remember the name of (there were others like Corners on Spencer Hwy, The Unicorn, Angora Ballroom, etc but those weren't on Westheimer) and some strip clubs - all in the Montrose area. Okay, the strip clubs is the main reason I'm starting this thread. Michael and I were tryin' to remember the names and location of all these places and other than Cardi's (5901 Westheimer) and 2 of the topless clubs, we can't remember them. Well, we remember The Boobyrock and though we don't remember the name of it, we remember one being where the "Young Adult Club" eventually opened. He thought there was one more we used to sneak in to but I seem to remember 2 or 3 more but we can't remember anything about 'em other than - well.... other than not all the female dancers were all female. Can anyone here help us with the names and/or locations of any of the Montrose area strip clubs from the early 80s other than The Booby Rock as well as any of the Westheimer Rock venues other than the old Cardi's and Numbers?

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locations of any of the Montrose area strip clubs from the early 80s other than The Booby Rock as well as any of the Westheimer Rock venues other than the old Cardi's and Numbers?

There was a topless club on W. Alabama called "Galloping Jugs" in the old "Ale House" location.. Not sure of the timeline, maybe before the 80's..I just remember giggling whenever I heard the name..... Ironic it is now a parking lot for a "strip" mall...

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  • 1 month later...

Do these quirky personalities still exist in Houston today? I know that they did when I lived there!

If so, Austin's whole "Keep Austin Weird" has nothing over Houston!

I always loved Houston for its "weird' mix of people. I am sure you still find all types there!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I remember The Chicken Coop... not a boobie-bar, but it was always interesting to drive past. I was barely a Freshman in high school when we'd sneak a drive in from Freeport ("Mom, we're going to the Brazos Mall!") and cruise Westheimer... probably with Adam and The Ants blaring from our cassette tape, as we so desperately tried to be cool.

Good times!

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  • 9 months later...
An old friend and I were talkin' about things we used to do and places on Westheimer we used to go when were were teens and.....well, how easy it was back then to get in places we weren't supposed to be like tattoo places (Black Dragon, Shaw's, Custom Design, etc),venues/clubs like Cardi's and others we can't remember the name of (there were others like Corners on Spencer Hwy, The Unicorn, Angora Ballroom, etc but those weren't on Westheimer) and some strip clubs - all in the Montrose area. Okay, the strip clubs is the main reason I'm starting this thread. Michael and I were tryin' to remember the names and location of all these places and other than Cardi's (5901 Westheimer) and 2 of the topless clubs, we can't remember them. Well, we remember The Boobyrock and though we don't remember the name of it, we remember one being where the "Young Adult Club" eventually opened. He thought there was one more we used to sneak in to but I seem to remember 2 or 3 more but we can't remember anything about 'em other than - well.... other than not all the female dancers were all female. Can anyone here help us with the names and/or locations of any of the Montrose area strip clubs from the early 80s other than The Booby Rock as well as any of the Westheimer Rock venues other than the old Cardi's and Numbers?

I remember a topless bar that was located on Shepherd at Kipling (I think) on the west side of the street. It had some pretty elaborate paintings of women on the outside. I can't remember the name, but it became a party supply store for many years until it was demolished withing the last five years or so. I was only a kid in the early 80s, but my carpool drove past it every day and my friends and I would kid our moms asking them to take us there. Anybody else remember this place?

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  • 11 years later...

Hi, I used to work at The Boobie Rock from 1978 till 1981. I'm familiar with several topless clubs in that area. One was The Circus Club about 2 or 3 b.locks South of. The Boobie Rock. I'll have to think of some others in the area. There were many gay and straight bars there at the time. Please send me a line.

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NOTHING will ever beat Westheimer in the 80's! Cruising back and forth up and down ALL NIGHT with all my friends and all of us dreaming and thinking dang I want to live in this area one day... (yes we too would lie to our parents in The Woodlands and say hey we are off to Greenspoint Mall then a movie...ha!)

my favorite was all the kooky fun amazing record stores in what were once houses...It felt like you were going into the coolest attic ever and finding treasure haha! 

so much fun and westheimer/montrose definitely shaped who i am and i am so thankful to have experienced such a landmark time in this great city

 

 

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On 10/25/2019 at 2:28 PM, gene said:

my favorite was all the kooky fun amazing record stores in what were once houses...It felt like you were going into the coolest attic ever and finding treasure haha! 

so much fun and westheimer/montrose definitely shaped who i am and i am so thankful to have experienced such a landmark time in this great city

 

Ah, Infinite Records. I must've spent the majority of my meager teenage income in that place, and it did indeed always feel like going on a treasure hunt in an old house when you walked up the front steps and in the door. Dave Ritz, who owned Infinite, is still around - he's the guy that puts on the semi-regular Houston Record Convention. 

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Record exchange, sound exchange and of course record rack are the ones I remember. We would go to #s on Friday and record rack on Saturday. Bruce would help us identify the songs from the night before. I remember a friend spending $140 for the 12” of don’t walk when we all made about $4 an hour.

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Does anyone remember The Omni (1540 Westheimer)? I'm trying to recall the name of the video game room next door to it in the early '80s.
There was a Chinese guy who dealt acid and sometimes slept under their front steps.

I am not making this up.

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16 hours ago, dbigtex56 said:

Does anyone remember The Omni (1540 Westheimer)? I'm trying to recall the name of the video game room next door to it in the early '80s.
There was a Chinese guy who dealt acid and sometimes slept under their front steps.

I am not making this up.

 

That is one of the most Montrose comments ever. 

 

I don't remember the name of the video game room, but as I'm sure you recall, the Omni was frequently known/billed as "Joe Star's Omni". "Joe Star" was the pseudonym of Lawrence "Lon" Miles, who passed away earlier this year. 

 

Lawrence Miles obituary

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On 10/26/2019 at 3:15 PM, jgriff said:

Record exchange, sound exchange and of course record rack are the ones I remember. We would go to #s on Friday and record rack on Saturday. Bruce would help us identify the songs from the night before. I remember a friend spending $140 for the 12” of don’t walk when we all made about $4 an hour.

 

Same! and i, sadly am one of the contributing reasons why Record Rack closed! 🙈 

I TOO lived at Record Rack...Greg and Chris and Bruce all were a HUGE part of my growing up and helped form my AWESOME* taste in music :) 

They helped me score front row tickets to countless concerts as well since they sold concert tickets. You could catch me there any given weekend hanging out there most of the day...Life was good...

but then as business was slowing down a bit Bruce would listen to all my stories about traveling the world and going on cruises and he was so jealous...(I was working in the travel field and got to travel for free or cheap)

He booked one cruise and fell in love with cruising.

I told him about a great company that was hiring cruise counselors and well... 

that was the end of that.

I was crushed but Bruce has thrived and travels often and he is happy so that is maybe all that matters...

maybe ;)

I MISS RECORD RACK!!!

 

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25 minutes ago, nate4l1f3 said:

As someone born in 85’ I would love to see video from these times...

 

that is the ONLY thing bad about those times...no internet, no cell phones with cameras/videos, no social media...

i only wish i had photos and videos from that time and have lost contact with so many people because all i had was their PAGER number or flip phone number that is disconnected. HA!

i DO have some photos from that period but they are mainly just friends hanging out at Brasil or on Rich's or Number's patio...

Edited by gene
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  • 6 months later...

I remember the Boobies Rock. I was a street kid and only 17 when I started working as a dancer. This place changed my life. Got me off the streets and I could afford a place to live. The money flowed like a river through this place. Best time of my life. 

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  • 1 year later...
On 10/27/2019 at 12:56 PM, mkultra25 said:

 

That is one of the most Montrose comments ever. 

 

I don't remember the name of the video game room, but as I'm sure you recall, the Omni was frequently known/billed as "Joe Star's Omni". "Joe Star" was the pseudonym of Lawrence "Lon" Miles, who passed away earlier this year. 

 

Lawrence Miles obituary

Wow,

sorry to hear of Lon's (Joe Starr's) passing.  I worked at the Omni for joe in 82/83.  Lived there too, penniless punk, so many memories I don't remember!  He was a character, hated the cops, spent years trying to clear his name after a raid where he got into an altercation when they busted into his office.  The video store was connected to the front of the club.  I remember the asian dude, liked to play with knives.  acid everywhere, and crystal.  sex and drugs and r'n'r and houston FTW!

 

My addition to the page - Gyro's Gyros right next door to the omni.

 

dave

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dbig,

 

Thanks for the welcome!  I lived over on Chaucer in the Village, exciting times to be in Houston back in the 80s.  Much more sedate lifestyle now.  Used to love Valhalla's grad student bar in Rice, do I remember 5 cent beers?  Def not more than $0.25.  Rudyards after payday, Rock Saloon was another place, Caribana to relax with some reggae..  Lots of lowlifes hanging around Westheimer, including me.  I'll always remember the music scene!

 

dave

dicks omni.jpg

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  • The title was changed to Westheimer Rd. & Montrose Rd. In The Early 80s

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