Hollywood, Blockbuster Video

[lovett19]

On my way to work this morning I noticed that they have removed all the signage from the Blockbuster store on Montrose @ Westheimer. Does anyone know more about it? Have they closed that location? If so, has anyone heard who the new tenant may be?

Sidenote: There are a couple of swanky new-construction developments on Lovett, east of Montrose Blvd. I'm curious to see whether this attracts new businesses/restaurants to the neighborhood. If Blockbuster is leaving, I'm just curious who their replacement may be....

Lovett19

[Mr. Chenevert]

Yes, Blockbuster closed that location. They had signs up for the past couple of months alerting customers that the West Gray and Buffalo Speedway locations were the nearest Blockbusters.

Edited September 25, 2007 by Mr. Chenevert

[Pumapayam]

Yes, Blockbuster closed that location. They had signs up for the past couple of months alerting customers that the West Gray and Buffalo Speedway locations were the nearest Blockbusters.

So what is going to replace them?

[Mr. Chenevert]

So what is going to replace them?

A For Lease sign?

[MontroseGuys]

Thankfully this place is gone. The huge sign on Montrose was just a crapping ground for birds. The place smelled like mold and the corporation never updated it. I am glad it is gone. Teach them a lesson to be a trashy establishment.

[jfre81]

Whatever does go there, as long as it's corporate and faceless it'll fit right in over there these days...

Edited September 30, 2007 by BrewsterMcCloud

[HtownWxBoy]

Does anyone know WHY they closed that location? Too much competition from Hollywood? My bf and I actually liked driving down to that store from the Heights sometimes... hope something nice goes there.

[Jax]

Thankfully this place is gone. The huge sign on Montrose was just a crapping ground for birds. The place smelled like mold and the corporation never updated it. I am glad it is gone. Teach them a lesson to be a trashy establishment.

As long as it doesn't sit vacant for years, I'm glad it's gone too... Only problem is, I'm not sure anybody else has plans to move in, and that shopping center is getting kinda nasty.

Does anyone know WHY they closed that location? Too much competition from Hollywood? My bf and I actually liked driving down to that store from the Heights sometimes... hope something nice goes there.

Actually, I heard Hollywood Video was closing two locations in on Westheimer or something like that. I don't know where they are but I figured one was the one near Westheimer and Montrose....

Edited September 30, 2007 by Jax

[HtownWxBoy]

As long as it doesn't sit vacant for years, I'm glad it's gone too... Only problem is, I'm not sure anybody else has plans to move in, and that shopping center is getting kinda nasty.

Actually, I heard Hollywood Video was closing two locations in on Westheimer or something like that. I don't know where they are but I figured one was the one near Westheimer and Montrose....

- The shopping center is kinda nasty... but it's a great location in my opinion.

- Wow that would be weird if Hollywood closed too... they are located right down from Montrose Blvd on Westheimer... like a block away. That area is the core of Montrose... I can't imagine a video rental place not working there.

[ricco67]

Maybe we might get lucky and they'll knock down that whole nasty block. Yeah, we'd loose the Chinese joint and the bookstore, but, whatever.

[Jax]

I agree, it's an awesome location.

Movie Gallery Inc.'s closure of 520 underperforming stores will affect six Houston-area Hollywood Video stores.

The stores closing include two on Westheimer Road, one on Memorial Drive and one on Fondren Road in Houston, and one each in Sugar Land and Pearland.

The Dothan, Ala.-based video rental company said Sept. 25 it would close unprofitable Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in an effort to conserve cash and reduce the company's cost structure to address the financial and industry challenges it has been experiencing.

"Closing these stores was a difficult, but necessary, decision to help protect the future of this company," said Joe Malugen, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Movie Gallery. "These stores are being closed after evaluating a number of factors, including store profits and the terms of the leases at each location.

"This action will allow us to focus our resources on the approximately 4,000 stores that have a stronger operating performance and prospects for future growth."

Movie Gallery (NASDAQ: MOVI) is the parent company of Hollywood Video.

Edited September 30, 2007 by Jax

[OkieEric]

I agree, it's an awesome location.

Movie Gallery Inc.'s closure of 520 underperforming stores will affect six Houston-area Hollywood Video stores.

The stores closing include two on Westheimer Road, one on Memorial Drive and one on Fondren Road in Houston, and one each in Sugar Land and Pearland.

The Dothan, Ala.-based video rental company said Sept. 25 it would close unprofitable Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in an effort to conserve cash and reduce the company's cost structure to address the financial and industry challenges it has been experiencing.

"Closing these stores was a difficult, but necessary, decision to help protect the future of this company," said Joe Malugen, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Movie Gallery. "These stores are being closed after evaluating a number of factors, including store profits and the terms of the leases at each location.

"This action will allow us to focus our resources on the approximately 4,000 stores that have a stronger operating performance and prospects for future growth."

Movie Gallery (NASDAQ: MOVI) is the parent company of Hollywood Video.

Per google, there are 3 locations total along Westheimer - doesn't look good for this location! I wonder what else would work there, as a movie rental place made for a logical fit with an old theater... Time to start worrying about the Tower Theater as well? lol

[KinkaidAlum]

It could always revert back to a club/concert venue.

I remember Dangerous Disco nights (I think Sundays?) at the Tower!

[dbigtex56]

Another thread regarding Tower Theater here.

[Jax]

I wonder if the dude who sleeps in the entrance to that Hollywood Video is a deterrent to customers. He never bothers me when I walk by, but he's always asleep there.

[sidegate]

i'd love to see that entrance opened up again. it's thoroughly depressing to see that huge dark void where there should be lights and color at night and people gathering.....

[musicman]

..... where there should be lights and color at night and people gathering.....

sounds like a crime scene.

[MarkLTD]

(originally posted under "Hollywood video closing")

Have noticed two stores in the past week with "store closing" sales going on. One of the stores just remodled less than a year ago. One is at Weslyan and Westheimer, the other is at Fondren and Westheimer. Anyone know if the whole company is shutting down, or just cutting the nubmer of stores? I'm sure not having a home delivery service like Netflix is killing their business.

[VelvetJ]

Ok my dream for that location would to bring back the old Tower Theater (anyone at the Howard Rollins Show?), and raze the Blockbuster strip center and create some sort of square. I'm talking complete with fountain, seating area, and a couple of al fresco cafe's. A tatoo shop, vintage clothing store, or a record shop wouldn't hurt either.

BlockBuster and Hollywood leaving isn't a bad thing in my eyes. Unless someone in this city of no-zoning decides the corner of Montrose and Westheimer would be the ideal location for a storage facility. Let us pray.

[Vertigo58]

It could always revert back to a club/concert venue.

I remember Dangerous Disco nights (I think Sundays?) at the Tower!

What!

havent heard that in many moons.

What someone needs to do is post one of those old photos of how clean the area appeared when The Tower first opened. This will let viewers see how uncluttered that spot was before.

I still remember the lines going around that area when Earthquake was the movie rage around 75-76. You could see "Sensurround" on the marquee at night from far away.

[VicMan]

Right now Hollywood has the following Houston locations:

City of Houston:

* 1201 Westheimer

* 5339 Weslayan

* 900 South Wayside Suite 100

* 6135 Telephone

* 2745 Gessner

* 4324 North Freeway Suite A

* 10400 South Post Oak

* 11615 West Sam Houston Parkway East

* 10705 Westheimer

* 13482 Northwest Freeway

* 10204 Beechnut

* 448 West Little York

* 9615 Fondren

* 2402 Bay Area Boulevard Suite K

* 2158 North Park (Kingwood)

* 22545 Tomball Parkway Ssuite 110

City of Pasadena:

* 2631 Red Bluff

* 4835 Fairmont Parkway

City of Pearland:

* 3243 East Broadway

* 10645 Broadway Suite 118

City of Baytown:

* 1250 Garth Suite B

* 4555 Garth

City of Sugar Land:

* 13809 Southwest Freeway

City of Missouri City:

* 4875 Highway 6

City of Webster:

* 3122 FM 528

City of Deer Park:

* 3601 Center

City of Dickinson:

* 3475 Gulf Freeway

City of Texas City:

* 3327 Palmer

City of Galveston:

* 6105 Stewart Suite A

City of Rosenberg:

* 27790 Southwest Freeway

City of Magnolia:

* 18640 FM 1488

City of Conroe:

* 2206 I-45 North

Unincorporated Harris County:

* 12620 Woodforest (East)

* 14705 Woodforest (East)

* 8145 Highway 6 South (Southwest)

* 902 South Mason (West)

* 7621 FM 1960 East (Northeast)

* 436 FM 1960 West (North)

* 6056 FM 2920 (North)

* 18532 Kuykendahl (North)

* 14090 FM 2920 Suite D (North-Northwest) (near Tomball)

* 9105 West Sam Houston Parkway North Suite 400 (Northwest)

* 12246 FM 1960 West (Northwest)

* 17400 Spring Cypress (Northwest)

Unincorporated Montgomery County:

* 25118 Grogans Mill

* 9420 College Park

* 20851 FM 1485 Suite A

Unincorporated Fort Bend County:

* 1542 West Grand Parkway South

* 5720 New Territory Boulevard

Edited October 8, 2007 by VicMan