Greenspoint Mall Memories

[Houston19514]

HBJ has an article saying a new IMAX theater will be going into Greenspoint Mall.

Edited April 5, 2011 by Houston19514

[hydeaway]

I have in my possession Aldine's yearbooks from 1976 to 1996. In them (especially some of the early ones) there are shots in the ads section of some of the stores in the mall. Nothing spectacular, mind you. No pics of the Sears or Foley's. But I believe there may be a few worth posting.

Obviously the BEST source for information would be the mall itself, but I've got $5 no one there knows a doggone thing about any history of the mall and what little history there is is so poorly organized it's almost not worth going through.

Second best place would be the two special newspaper advertising sections the Houston newspapers put out when the mall opened in 1976. I've been told by the Chronicle that they do not own the copyright on the advertising. That resides with the advertiser. And according to copyright law, copyrighted material published or created before 1978 had a copyright good for 28 years (which would be up to August 2004, in this case), when it could be renewed. But c'mon... you really think Dillard's or Macy's is going to bother renewing copyrights on obscure ads from Joske's or Foley's? So I would feel absolutely confident we could post the ads and photos here without legal problem.

However, when you make a printout from the UH microfilm, you lose the clarity of the photo. The ads would come out fine. Those could then be scanned. But the only way to get a photo off the microfilm is to take a picture of the reader's screen. That never seems to work out well.

I'm busy working on a history of Aldine High School (if anyone has anything to contribute to that, please see the corresponding thread in "Other Houston Neighborhoods) and may not be able to make it to UH any time soon. If I do, and if I remember, I'll print out one or the other (they're pretty much identical sections).

I will scan and post the Greenspoint related photos and ads from the Aldine High yearbook. Those are not copyrighted (I've checked).

Firebird, did you have a time frame when you were intending on scanning the photos? Thanks!

[Firebird65]

Firebird, did you have a time frame when you were intending on scanning the photos? Thanks!

The pictures weren't as good as I had hoped. Oh well. I may be going to the Astros game next Sunday. If so, I'll swing by the UH Library and make copies of the two Greenspoint advertising sections from August 1976.

I think my understanding of copyright law was a little out of date in my last post. Seems as if they added an extra 50 or so years to existing copyrights before 1978, so copyrights on those remain in effect until the 2040s. I kinda doubt I'm going to be posting here then... although you never know.

Still I don't see any restrictions about posting that kind of material here, and it is for historical research, which falls under fair use. So if I get it, I'll post it and if the mods don't like it, they can always remove it. But I seriously doubt anyone is going to have a problem with me posting 35 year old advertisements, many of which are for business that are now defunct. And if Sears doesn't want the free advertising, it's small wonder they're closing shop.

BTW... have you visited the History of Aldine Schools thread? I've been posting a few things there that might be of interest to you.

[Reefmonkey]

Recently my mother mentioned taking me to the Greenspoint Mall grand opening when I was just 6 months old, and that got me reminiscing about the mall, which was our family mall until we moved west a little and Willowbrook became the nearest mall for us in 1986. Some of my sharpest memories:

The waterfalls, especially the big waterfall area, with bridges that ran under the waterfall, with all sorts of little passages to walk through. My brothers and I used to love to run through this area. Always gave the mall a faintly "indoor swimming pool" smell. I guess some time in the late 80s or the 90s, with the decline of the mall's clientele, it became apparent that this was a security problem, a place for unsavory types to linger unseen, and was torn down.

Foley's kids' shoe section, which had this "Star Wars/Battlestar Gallactica" play area, with periscope-like things you could look into showing space battle scenes, and "video screens" showing space scenes. I think there were buttons you could push while looking into the periscope-like things that would "fire" laser cannons. Looked very much like a set from inside a spaceship from the original Star Wars movie.

Foley's upstairs, with its furniture section that was like a maze of rooms set up.

A tobacco store, maybe called the Pipe Pub or the Tinder Box. Always smelled really good.

A pet store, where my older brother and I got our first aquarium, a little 5-gallon glass one, with the pirate shipwreck, etc. Also had hamsters, gerbils, etc.

Dalton's, which was a Bennigan's/TGIFriday's type of place, except instead of being on a pad site, it was actually inside the mall.

Then across Greens Road from the mall was "Scooby Doo's Pipe Organ Pizza."

[Urban Commando]

Greenspoint Mall opened in 1976. It was the place to go on the weekends replacing Northline Mall and ultimately causing that mall to slowly wither and die.

I remember Hickory Farms having a store there as well as a little of just about everything. Of course, times and the area changed rather quickly. I went to the mall a few months back...it is IMHO on its last legs and reminds me of Gulfgate in its final years. It is a matter of time before it joins Northline Mall as a memory. Like Sharpstown Mall, Greenspoint has its nickname of "Gunspoint" for a reason. That reason, no matter how much someone may come in and try to spruce it up, will remain. In the not too distant future, I expect it to be gone and replaced by apartments, office buildings, and a strip center like Northline and Town and Country became.

Again, IMHO and with few exceptions (The Galleria, Woodlands, etc) the era of the big mall is dead in Houston and I highly doubt it will make a successful comeback...especially with all of the Super Wal-Marts and Targets going up every ten miles or so down 45.

[Reefmonkey]

Oh yeah, I remember that Hickory Farms store. I also remember seeing movies in the theatre in the mall, most memorably The Empire Strikes Back, but also probably ET and Return of the Jedi. Of course, my favorite movie of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark, I saw at the I-45 drive-in (the only movie I ever saw at a drive-in).

I agree, I don't think any more big closed air conditioned malls will be built in Houston. I think places like City Centre out here where Town and Country used to be, and La Cantera over in San Antonio, are the way things will be from now on.

[IronTiger]

There was a rather sizable topic about this in another part of HAIF. I suggest it be merged.

[Reefmonkey]

There was a rather sizable topic about this in another part of HAIF. I suggest it be merged.

If there is one specifically on Greenspoint memories, it must have been buried deep, as I did a search before posting. A guy can only be expected to spend so much time sifting through old threads before deciding to start his own.

[Firebird65]

If there is one specifically on Greenspoint memories, it must have been buried deep, as I did a search before posting. A guy can only be expected to spend so much time sifting through old threads before deciding to start his own.

Yes, there is one like that. I've posted in it, including putting up a listing of all the original stores when the mall opened in August 1976. The problem is that it is in the "Other Houston Neighborhoods" section. It's not in this Historic Houston section, where it probably needs to be. It's entitled "Greenspoint Mall: Any memories to share?"

This should take you there:

There's a couple of threads there that actually belong in Historic Houston.

[cowboybud]

Oh yeah, I remember that Hickory Farms store. I also remember seeing movies in the theatre in the mall, most memorably The Empire Strikes Back, but also probably ET and Return of the Jedi. Of course, my favorite movie of all time, Raiders of the Lost Ark, I saw at the I-45 drive-in (the only movie I ever saw at a drive-in).

I agree, I don't think any more big closed air conditioned malls will be built in Houston. I think places like City Centre out here where Town and Country used to be, and La Cantera over in San Antonio, are the way things will be from now on.

The economy, Wal-Mart, and online shopping have killed malls around the country. I live near West Oaks and it's pretty much dead except for Macy's and Alamo Drafthouse.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

the area around west oaks mall killed west oaks mall... I used to live across the street from that mall at different times, when the mall was new (and thriving), and about 3 years ago, when the mall started dying.

[hbcu]

Was there a study before they built those apartments by the malls that died? It was no coincidence that malls with newly built apartment complexes ended up dying due to the fall of the apartments.

Northline, Gulfgate, Greenspoint, Sharpstown, West Oaks...

I remember the Srat Wars themse at Foleys....that was the only reason I wanted to go there before we went inside the actual mall.

[Fringe]

For a brief time in the 70's I worked for Palais Royal. They had a grand opening at Greenspoint that I attended with my wife. I remember it because they had champagne. A lot of it. So much that I had to practically carry my wife out to the car. Good times.

I do miss West Oaks. Spent a lot of time there with our kids in the 80's riding the cool carousel they had. I wonder what happened to that carousel?

[cosmic08]

Yes, there is one like that. I've posted in it, including putting up a listing of all the original stores when the mall opened in August 1976. The problem is that it is in the "Other Houston Neighborhoods" section. It's not in this Historic Houston section, where it probably needs to be. It's entitled "Greenspoint Mall: Any memories to share?"

This should take you there:

http://www.houstonar...eenspoint-mall/

There's a couple of threads there that actually belong in Historic Houston.

Yep, pretty much the same topic.

Can these be merged, please?

[cowboybud]

Was there a study before they built those apartments by the malls that died? It was no coincidence that malls with newly built apartment complexes ended up dying due to the fall of the apartments.

Northline, Gulfgate, Greenspoint, Sharpstown, West Oaks...

I remember the Srat Wars themse at Foleys....that was the only reason I wanted to go there before we went inside the actual mall.

I'm sure they think that "oh, this won't be another Greenspoint....these will be *upscale* apartment homes", but then they have to lower rents to get their occupancy up. And a lot of the new-ish homes around there were foreclosed on when the housing market crashed a few years ago.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

I'm sure they think that "oh, this won't be another Greenspoint....these will be *upscale* apartment homes", but then they have to lower rents to get their occupancy up. And a lot of the new-ish homes around there were foreclosed on when the housing market crashed a few years ago.

That was the exact thinking when I lived across from West Oaks... the complex was VERY nice, but, they had to lower their rents to fill up the units to remain profitable, and that just made the place go downhill even faster. Multiply that by every apartment complex in the area, and you have West Oaks, 2011 version.

i miss the 1984 version of West Oaks... I taught my best friend how to drive a standard in that parking lot, then taught my ex wife how to drive a stick there six years later

[houstonaltima]

As of the end of February 2011, Brother's Pizza has served its last slice of pizza. They guy at the counter (who i think is part of the family) stated that they had been in GPM for over 30 years. They moved to a location in Cyperss (290 and Barker Cypress i beleive). That was hands down the best pizza in town. The Brother's pizza on cypresswood is not the same. I was really saddened by this. It really was the only reason that I ever went to that mall anymore.

We, Aldine HS band, played at GPM for the grand opening of the new at the time food court, the Ellipse. I think this was Christmas 1996 because I remember playing Christmas songs around the mall.

I remember eating at Picadilly and going to the movies as a kid. I remember watching Back to the Future II and An American Tale: Fievel Goes West at the General Cinema.

My girlfriend, now wife, worked in the mall in high school. She worked at Body Shop, Contempo, and Express.

From driving by, the Fitness Connnection gym always seems to have a lot of cars in the parking lot.

[mkultra25]

As of the end of February 2011, Brother's Pizza has served its last slice of pizza. They guy at the counter (who i think is part of the family) stated that they had been in GPM for over 30 years. They moved to a location in Cyperss (290 and Barker Cypress i beleive). That was hands down the best pizza in town. The Brother's pizza on cypresswood is not the same. I was really saddened by this. It really was the only reason that I ever went to that mall anymore.

Wow, that is terrible news. I've eaten there off and on for years, and when I wound up working near the mall in 2007-2008, I would head over to the food court at least once a week for lunch and more often than not get a couple of slices at Brothers. I've known many people who couldn't believe that decent pizza, let alone great pizza, could ever be found at a mall food court, but there it was.

Any idea why they moved? They always seemed to be doing good business at lunch and on the weekends.

[hydeaway]

As of the end of February 2011, Brother's Pizza has served its last slice of pizza. They guy at the counter (who i think is part of the family) stated that they had been in GPM for over 30 years. They moved to a location in Cyperss (290 and Barker Cypress i beleive). That was hands down the best pizza in town. The Brother's pizza on cypresswood is not the same. I was really saddened by this. It really was the only reason that I ever went to that mall anymore.

We, Aldine HS band, played at GPM for the grand opening of the new at the time food court, the Ellipse. I think this was Christmas 1996 because I remember playing Christmas songs around the mall.

I remember eating at Picadilly and going to the movies as a kid. I remember watching Back to the Future II and An American Tale: Fievel Goes West at the General Cinema.

My girlfriend, now wife, worked in the mall in high school. She worked at Body Shop, Contempo, and Express.

From driving by, the Fitness Connnection gym always seems to have a lot of cars in the parking lot.

I spoke to the family (I went to high school with Sylvia, Tina and Manny). The Greenspoint location was no longer profitable. They were the only original tenant that was left from the original food court (called The Patio for the first 20 years). Brothers has locations in The Woodlands (Grogans Mill Shopping Center), Magnolia (Westwood Village Shopping Center), Willowbrook and Cypresswood. I have patronized the Woodlands and Magnolia locations and they are just as tasty as the original in the mall.

[editor]

Merged two similar Greenspoint memories threads.

[mkultra25]

After a long absence, Greenspoint once again has a movie theatre:

Premiere Cinema at Greenspoint Mall opens

The new 20 screen theater complex is the centerpiece of a “renaissance” planned for the mall, which will include new stores, restaurants, and an outdoor plaza and public space.

[houstonaltima]

Has anyone been to the new movie theater at GPM? What were your thoughts?

I saw in the news that Exxon-Mobil is moving to the 45N/Hardy Toll Road area in the future. Bad news for the Greenspoint area. I know that EM leases signifcant space in the area.

[TenPoundHammer]

Where was Palais Royal before it moved to the old Battelstein's?

[hydeaway]

Palais Royal was located between The Patio/Sears wing and the CenterCourt (where the waterfalls were) and faced Greenspoint Drive. (Friday's, El Torito). Bealls replaced Battelstein's first.

In response to the prior comment about Foley's being green -- Macy's apparently painted it green. You will notice the structures on the roof match what the color once was - white. I was at a training course recently at the greenspoint Marriott and ventured into the mall. Foley's is really sad. Macy's closed the entire first floor and has black curtains hanging to prevent you from seeing up there. The escalators are blocked off. The store smells and several associates told me the upstairs leaks like a sieve and they are getting sick from the mold. You can actually see mold growing on the glass that still fronts the elevator structure.

It used to be a beautiful store. The entire mall is so sad looking. Nothing like its previous life.

I was speaking a commercial realtor regarding our moving our office and she said not to rule out greenspoint. According to her, the current owner is out of California. He has refused to sell several times. One business arrangement involved them totally redoing the mall (heard that one before) and he even signed 6 restaurants that committed to building in the mall parking lot. He never did anything so they sued him. Now he is in finanical trouble and the realtor hopes he finally sells She said the return of greenspoint is not an if, it is a when. There have been plenty of interested parties with the pockets to pay for a redo. The other entities are interested due to the proximaty to the airport and freeways as well as the Class A office buildings.

[hydeaway]

Irontiger - the architects were likely out of Cincinnati. The mall was developed by Federated Department stores - Foley's owner since 1945 before they were sold off to May Co in 1988 and then to Macy's. I would love to find pics of the Mall's early days with the anchors, hallways, etc.

[IronTiger]

Bob Yari (owner) is a film director. It's also worth noting that he "revitalized" the Forum 303 Mall (in Arlington) by converting it into what was essentially a hybrid flea market/mall. While some 1998 newspaper articles put a real positive spin on it, they basically gutted half of it, put up some cubicle-style fences, gave the mall a coat of paint, and called it a day.

With Greenspoint, he didn't even try.

[Margo Mitchell]

If given the choice out of Sharpstown and Gunspoint, I would hands over take Gunspoint. Crappy area, but at least is not nasty like Shaprstown and Gulfton areas. That whole area should be nuked.

I moved here in 90 and Greenspoint was starting to go downhill then. there were still a lot of good stores, but it seems like by 96 over half of them were gone, probably because of the opening of The Woodlands Mall at the end of 1994. Most of the stores left in the mall are not even chain stores. Hell Ross opened a store and then a few years later closed it. Don't know why they opened another movie theater, I can't imagine that people would go see movies there. Now that Exxon is leaving, I have a feeling that there won't be enough business there to even keep it open and since the Foley's/Macy's building is full of mold and the 2nd floor is no longer open, I am surprised that it has not closed yet.

What irritates me is that awesome strip center across from the mall and every damn store in it practically went out of business. Childrens Palace, Phar Mor, Sportstown, Sound Warehouse, Pier 1, Marcos Restaurant, I frequented that Strip center almost as much as the mall when I moved here because I lived at 1960& I 45.

[houstonmacbro]

They do have a new digital movie theater at the mall. Also Greenspoint has access to three major freeways, Sysco Foods just built a major distribution center there, and they have immediate proximity to the airport. Sharpstown doesn't have this.

[Firebird65]

They do have a new digital movie theater at the mall. Also Greenspoint has access to three major freeways, Sysco Foods just built a major distribution center there, and they have immediate proximity to the airport. Sharpstown doesn't have this.

No, Sharpstown doesn't. But TWENTY YEARS AGO someone was killed in the Greenspoint Mall parking lot, and for whatever reason, that trumps all. The Soviet Union dissolved... we've had four presidents, three governors, four mayors... grunge rock came and went... the internet went from a pipe dream in then Senator Al Gore's imagination to an essential reality today... a kid born the day the shooting happened would be in college today... in other words, change is all around, yet in all that time, whenever you think of Greenspoint, you think of "Gunspoint," even though it was twenty years ago.

I say that not to condemn the place... I'm a big backer of Greenspoint and the Aldine High School area... I'm just stating a fact. That place will never come back, and that's a shame. You can put all the lipstick you want on a corpse, but at the end of the day, it's still a corpse. Having spent a lot of my youth and having worked at the Greenspoint Mervyn's from 1992 - 1995, I wish i weren't so, but that would be denying the obvious.

[houstonmacbro]

I'm just saying don't count it out. Same as Sharpstown. In the long run, I think it (Sharpstown) will come back if for nothing else than its proximity to the Galleria which is growing like gangbusters.

In 20 years Houston will look very different. Just look at Kirby and Uptown Park areas. Skyscrapers?!? Who whudda thunk.

No, Sharpstown doesn't. But TWENTY YEARS AGO someone was killed in the Greenspoint Mall parking lot, and for whatever reason, that trumps all. The Soviet Union dissolved... we've had four presidents, three governors, four mayors... grunge rock came and went... the internet went from a pipe dream in then Senator Al Gore's imagination to an essential reality today... a kid born the day the shooting happened would be in college today... in other words, change is all around, yet in all that time, whenever you think of Greenspoint, you think of "Gunspoint," even though it was twenty years ago.

I say that not to condemn the place... I'm a big backer of Greenspoint and the Aldine High School area... I'm just stating a fact. That place will never come back, and that's a shame. You can put all the lipstick you want on a corpse, but at the end of the day, it's still a corpse. Having spent a lot of my youth and having worked at the Greenspoint Mervyn's from 1992 - 1995, I wish i weren't so, but that would be denying the obvious.