Meyerland Plaza History

[Houston born and raised]

Does anyone have any old photos of Meyerland Plaza or know where I can find any? I remember shopping there with my mom when I was a little girl.

[MaxConcrete]

Does anyone have any old photos of Meyerland Plaza or know where I can find any?  I remember shopping there with my mom when I was a little girl.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can find an aerial view of the shopping mall circa 1960 by going to this link

http://houstonfreeways.com/ebook.aspx

and downloading the Loop 610 file. The Meyerland view is on page 9 of the file, book page 282. JCPenney was not yet built in the photo. Neither was Loop 610.

I remember going to Meyerland Plaza as a child in the 1970s when it was an open-air mall. It wasn't very impressive to me, compared to Sharpstown Mall.

[Houston born and raised]

Thanks for the link! I remember when Sharpstown was THE mall to go to. Back in 1978 when my older sister first started driving she took me there. It rained very hard that day and her car stalled because the street in front of the mall was flooded. We had to walk to a pay phone to call our parents.

[Pumapayam]

I just wasted over 2 hours on that site?

OMG

very interesting and SO well presented.

I never thought freeways were so interesting.

The chapter about belt-way 8 and Memorial Bend and Jersey Village contraversies are very interesting though.

[plumber2]

You can find an aerial view of the shopping mall circa 1960 by going to this link

http://houstonfreeways.com/ebook.aspx

and downloading the Loop 610 file. The Meyerland view is on page 9 of the file, book page 282. JCPenney was not yet built in the photo. Neither was Loop 610.

I remember going to Meyerland Plaza as a child in the 1970s when it was an open-air mall. It wasn't very impressive to me, compared to Sharpstown Mall.

JCPenny was there in 1960, but not anchoring the end like you remember. It was at west end of plaza facing Beechnut, in a much smaller lease space. The big achor store was built later when the mall was enclosed and air conditioned.

[musicman]

JCPenny was there in 1960, but not anchoring the end like you remember. It was at west end of plaza facing Beechnut, in a much smaller lease space. The big achor store was built later when the mall was enclosed and air conditioned.

Meyerland was not enclosed.

[plumber2]

Meyerland was not enclosed.

You're right, it just seemed that way unless it rained.

[GBryant]

When I was a kid in the 80s my friends and I had but two wishes: a bag that contained an infinite number of quarters and the ability to teleport to the arcade at Meyerland Plaza. Alas, we had neither and had to walk or ride our bikes the couple of miles or so to get there with our lone dollars and change. I think fifty cents was the threshold for legitimizing the trek. We couldn't care less about the rest of the mall at the time; but, I would give quite a lot to be able to walk through its run-down interior again. I do remember there being a kind of dumpy toy store on the side that faced Beechnut. And the JayCees would have a haunted house around Halloween in one of the empty storefronts.

[Highway6]

I just wasted over 2 hours on that site?

OMG

very interesting and SO well presented.

I never thought freeways were so interesting.

The chapter about belt-way 8 and Memorial Bend and Jersey Village contraversies are very interesting though.

I too have wasted lots of time on that site.. great book.

I wish I could get my hands on a copy.

Since it's been out of print for so many years, it's going for anywhere from $200 - $800 on Amazon.

[Fringe]

You can see just the southern side of the mall at the bottom of this picture. link (Before 610)

By the 80's Meyerland Mall was in pretty bad shape. There were a lot of vacant spaces. I think thats when they turned the great 2 screen cinema into one of those monstrous 10 screen jobs that are smaller than most of todays TV's.

I worked there for a couple of years at Palais Royal in the 70's. Got to see and experience the upper part of the mall. All the stores warehouses were on the second floor. Trucks (from bob-tails to 18-wheelers) would drive up a ramp on the south side of the mall. It was a good layout because it was easily accessible and out of the publics view. I believe it was the only mall in Houston with that feature. That's one reason they never completely covered the mall. They didn't believe it could handle the additional weight.

[sevfiv]

I liked the mall pre-renovation. From what I remember, the interior open air plan/courtyard was neat, even though by then most of the stores were beginning to leave. I remember a Wyatt's cafeteria, Oshman's, pet store, and the Penney's and Palais Royal.

I really dislike the new concept..

And geez - i feel like i should put my Freeway book in a lockbox or something!

[Fringe]

i liked the mall pre-renovation. from what i remember, the interior open air plan/courtyard was neat, even though by then most of the stores were beginning to leave. i remember a Wyatt's cafeteria, Oshman's, pet store, and the Penney's and Palais Royal.

Where was Wyatts located? I remember all the others plus Whites, Woolworths, Madding's, Lew's Records and a bunch more but my mind is drawing a blank on Wyatts.

[Vertigo58]

What I find really cool about Meyerland neighborhoods right next to the mall is they still seem to have that late 50's mid 60's look & feel to them. A friend lives right on S Rice & Beechnut and its like the Brady's all over again. Groovy Marcia!

[sevfiv]

Where was Wyatts located? I remember all the others plus Whites, Woolworths, Madding's, Lew's Records and a bunch more but my mind is drawing a blank on Wyatts.

as for the exact location, i am not sure. b4-u-eat only says "1015 meyerland plaza"

http://www.b4-u-eat.com/houston/restaurant.../cafeterias.asp

[Highway6]

I grew up going to school across the street. Normally that would be cool having your school next to a mall, but this was the late late 80s - mid 90s and the mall was already dead. I vaguely remember an arcade over there but seems it even dissapeared pretty fast and i don't remember hardly anyone even bothering to skip at the mall because it was pointless.

I remember the AMC was the first new building to go up i think around '92... when the Borders Music came in, we finally had someplace to hang out after class.

[Dan the Man]

I also remember when Meyerland Plaza was "dead" in the 1980s. Some of the tenants I remember were JC Penney, Palais Royal, Circus Toy (I think that was the right name), Walter Pye's, Beall's, TSO, Woolworth's, Kenney's Shoes, and the movie theater. I think there was also an Oshman's in the mall, but I may be getting it confused with Sharpstown. Beall's had a big clock on the outside that always showed the wrong time. Circus Toy had a yellow and green linoleum floor with clowns on it. I always liked going there because they were larger than World Toy in the Rice Village, and I was really mad when they closed. I also remember that there was this really creepy enclosed space that you had to pass through to get from the parking lot to the open air part. I think it was between Palais Royal and the Circus Toy space (roughly where Bed Bath & Beyond is now).

Edited September 7, 2007 by Dan the Man

[sevfiv]

i forgot about Woolworth's - and there was definitely an Oshman's there

[Vertigo58]

I also remember when Meyerland Plaza was "dead" in the 1980s.

Yep, the place lost its pizazz around that time as did many other older malls in Houston. The Galleria was the darling of shopping centers and still is.

It must have took millions to do upgrades and bring Meyerland in to the new century, I'm sure.

I was dissapointed in the Barnes & Noble store. From a distance one gets the impression of a modern new B&N, once inside its a real drag. Small, crowded and the low ceilings bring on claustrophic thoughts. The elevator is clearly worn and old. I guess I'm just too used to the brand spanking new ones in Bay Area or newer Pasadena. The selection of items here are very limited. I just don't see how it will last.

[silverartfox]

Yep, the place lost its pizazz around that time as did many other older malls in Houston. The Galleria was the darling of shopping centers and still is.

It must have took millions to do upgrades and bring Meyerland in to the new century, I'm sure.

I was dissapointed in the Barnes & Noble store. From a distance one gets the impression of a modern new B&N, once inside its a real drag. Small, crowded and the low ceilings bring on claustrophic thoughts. The elevator is clearly worn and old. I guess I'm just too used to the brand spanking new ones in Bay Area or newer Pasadena. The selection of items here are very limited. I just don't see how it will last.

Meyerland has a Borders, not a Barnes & Noble.

[Native Montrosian]

My sister worked at the Penney's in the '70's when they had a tack and saddle department, of all things. I would go with my dad to pick her up when she was on the later shift and read the horse care books while we waited for her.

[Blender]

I remember when they chopped down all of the beautiful, old trees in the interior courtyard. What a sad day that was. I don't even remember why they did that - was there a plan to enclose the mall? What a silly thing to do.

I remember as a little girl going into a gift store with my mom (on the end where Woolworth's was) and buying little ceramic birds. I also remember eating at a restaurant called 'The Rumble Seat." There was a big antique mall there for a while, too. (Right before they bulldozed the entire thing.)

[Vertigo58]

Meyerland has a Borders, not a Barnes & Noble.

Correct, that place.

Stia bene!

[IHB2]

Correct, that place.

Stia bene!

from a retail perspective the space made more sense in its original form as Planet Music (upstairs had the greatest selection of blues, texana, and world music in any Houston "record" shop ever). it's not so good as a bookstore.

Meyer Bros. dept. store sat on that site in the original Meyerland Plaza.

[Fringe]

from a retail perspective the space made more sense in its original form as Planet Music (upstairs had the greatest selection of blues, texana, and world music in any Houston "record" shop ever). it's not so good as a bookstore.

Meyer Bros. dept. store sat on that site in the original Meyerland Plaza.

Forgot about Planet Music. It was a really cool place but didn't last long.

[stu]

I too would love to see photos of Meyerland back in it's original prime..

The first time I went to Meyerland was very early. I don't know what year it was built; we moved to Westbury in 1957, and it wasn't long after that, perhaps as late as 1960, but I don't think so..

There was an A&P grocery store at the Southern end of the mall , and i was small, in there with my mother. By the meat counter, there were two drinking fountains, one for white and one for colored. We were from New England, and the fountain thing was weird, so I asked my mom what it was about, and she said "No difference, son," and went over and drank from the colored one.. [the 'wrong' one]. I still remember the guy behind the meat counter glaring at her, and her glaring back..

We went to Meyerland Plaza a lot. Years later, maybe in about '62 or '63, we had a photo portrait done at Meyer Brothers, the flagship department store of the center at the time. One of the Meyer Brothers took kindly to us, and invited us in his office, and talked to us about the shopping center history and the Meyer family and so on. The walls of his office were covered with baseball and other stars' photos, all autographed..Much of it was lost on me, young as I was. i'd love to go back and do it again now..

We roamed Meyerland Plaza regularly on our bikes..there was at times a little fair in the corner nearest Beechnut & 610, with a ferris wheel and some other rides.

during the early sixties there was a popular record store on the back side of Meyerland, across from the theaters. Single records were a dollar, and albums were $3. A couple of times they had a stage in the parking lot, with live bands, folk music actually, and the Kingston Trio played out there once. Many of us saw HELP and Hard Day's night at those movie theaters, which are still there, I think..

I was back recently to look, after a long time away.. Meyerland has held up well, actually..

Edited September 8, 2007 by stu

[Alpha]

I used the picture from the Houston Freeways website to place where I think some of the stores were located.

I'm not sure if White's was on the north or south side of Mading's drugs. I know that Penneys was on the west end and that Palais Royal was next to it. I don't remember the exact placement of Lew's, Playhouse Toys, and Tom McAnn, I just know that they were in the general area that I indicated with the arrow.

I remember that Woolworths' had a back door that opened out on the courtyard. They had a few check-out counters there and you could buy large ice cream sandwiches in that area of the store.

Does anyone remember that the Meyerland sign blew down during Hurricane Carla? It fell into the drugstore.

If anyone has a better memory than I do, please share your knowledge.

[sevfiv]

here is a directory listing from 1976 (8500 S. Post Oak, Meyerland Plaza Mall):

112 - mall offices, doctor's offices, other offices

114 - Turrentine's

120 - Texas State Optical

332 - Windmill Gift Shop

402 - The Woman's Shop

409 - World Wide Health

410 - The Man's Shop (Herman Melcher)

411 - Hancock Fabrics

414 - Selines Ladies Wear

420 - Margos - La Mode

431 - Oshman's

438 - Walter Pye's

439 - Thom Shoe Store

445 - Gibraltar Savings

450 - Eight Js Co.

513 - Merle Norman Cosmetics

515 - Coiffures Unlimited

520 - Jaclans Fashions

525 - Cole's Barber Shop, Meyerland Barber Shop

531 - A Action Safe & Lock, J Ross Bole Co.

532 - Kits Inc. Hobby

533 - Cobbler's Workshop

701 - Houston Trunk Factory

702 - Vogue Shoes

703 - Motherhood Maternity

705 - Wicks-n-Sticks

709 - Browz a Bit

710 - B Dalton Books

711 - Graham's Shoe/Clothing

717 - The Singer Co.

727 - Corrigan Jewelers

730 - JC Penney Co.

1003 - Hickory Farms Ohio

1015 - Wyatt Cafeterias

1035 - ABC Baby Furniture, WJ Gluckman & Assoc., J Kornblith, Inc., Meyer Bros., Price's Furniture, Williamson Fashion

1122 - FW Woolworth Co.

1152 - White Auto Store

1186 - Kroger Co. Grocery

1409 - Playhouse Toy Store

1603 - Jimi's

1609 - Tiny Togs

no # - Diamond Realty, Palais Royal, JJ Pappas Atty, Parmer Real Estate

[readam]

Great List of stores from the 70s. There was a back door from Woolworth's near the Lunch counter that led to the walking area in the interior of the center where you could find the Gibraltar Savings and other stores including Penney's. There was also a W.T.Grant Variety store in the center. In fact on November 22, 1963 my mother and I were in the store and saw the stories about the Kennedy assassination on the floor TVs. I had the day off from Strake Jesuit because of a retreat and we just happened to be in the Grant Store. That was about 4 years before 610 was completed.

[sabasushi]

I worked there for a couple of years at Palais Royal in the 70's. Got to see and experience the upper part of the mall. All the stores warehouses were on the second floor. Trucks (from bob-tails to 18-wheelers) would drive up a ramp on the south side of the mall. It was a good layout because it was easily accessible and out of the publics view. I believe it was the only mall in Houston with that feature. That's one reason they never completely covered the mall. They didn't believe it could handle the additional weight.

Hiya, being a relative newcomer to Houston, I never visited Meyerland until last year. I noticed that JC Penney's building seems old, compared to most of the buildings in that center. Was it part of the old mall back then? Also, I noticed that the shipping bays at one side of the building are at a weird level -- higher than street level. Are these what you talked about above?

[musicman]

Hiya, being a relative newcomer to Houston, I never visited Meyerland until last year. I noticed that JC Penney's building seems old, compared to most of the buildings in that center. Was it part of the old mall back then?

penney's was there before yes.