Historic Houston Shopping Places

[WestUNative]

So sorry for the screwup in the previous posts...it's late

Here are some; if there are repeats then I am sorry. This has been a long posting -some I've left out like Weingartens, Henke/Pilot, Thom MsCan, Robert Hall...

RETAIL--in Bellaire at the corner of Rice Ave. and Bissonett was a strip center that had George's Barber shop, next to Don's Record shop, next to Betty's Laundramat ( I think that Betty and Don were huisband and wife) This was before Don moved his store...

In Bellaire and other areas around town--Chapman's Young World, T G and Y, Fed Mart stores, JMH grocers, Food Giant grocers, Eagle grocers, Sacco Bros grocers, Handy Andy grocers, Lewis and Coker grocers, Jamail's grocers, Madding's Drugs, Globe stores, Gordon's Jewelers, Battlestein's, Sakowitz, Kress variety stores, Kresge's variety stores, Weiner's clothing stores, Sage stores, W. Bell Discount catalog stores, Wonder Fabric, Woolco stores, Woolworth's variety, Playhouse Toys, World Toys and Gifts in the Village, Bert Lynn Music, Jones Apothecaries, Levitt's Furniture, Crossroads Furniture, Eckerd's Drugs... that should do for a while...old age you know!!

AIRLINES-- National, Eastern, Muse, Braniff, TWA, TTA ( Trans Texas or aka Tree Top Airlines) they had a horrible crash near Centerville, if I remember, in the late 50s or early 60s. A classmate's father was killed in that crash.

RESTAURANTS are a separate post...

Don and Betty were a married couple. Technically, he owned the Record Shop and she owned the Laundromat. They were good friends of my boyfriend and fam when I was 18. Lovely people all around. Much, oh, so much later in my 50's, my husband I were searching for some old 1950's jazz recordings and went to Don's newer shop around 1997. Lo and behold there Don was, still in charge and had or could order every single thing I wanted to replace my long, lost 33 1/3's These excellent "Mom & Pop" businesses will never be matched.

Mading's in the Village became Eckerd's, which now is CVS, if that location is still in existence. Yes, I recognized all the shops you mentioned and frequented most of them!

[Vertigo58]

AIRLINES-- National, Eastern, Muse, Braniff, TWA, TTA ( Trans Texas or aka Tree Top Airlines) they had a horrible crash near Centerville, if I remember, in the late 50s or early 60s. A classmate's father was killed in that crash.

Be sure to do a search for InterContinental Airport topic and past airlines that flew in there when it opened. My big sister was a Stewardess for Eastern Airlines for a few years. The airport was new and seemed humongous even then!

[marketingwiz]

Does anyone remember Margo's LaMode? I had a credit card from that store! It was semi-upscale and in larger malls.

[57Tbird]

AIRLINES-- National, Eastern, Muse, Braniff, TWA, TTA ( Trans Texas or aka Tree Top Airlines) they had a horrible crash near Centerville, if I remember, in the late 50s or early 60s. A classmate's father was killed in that crash.

You have the time and place correct, but I believe the plane was a Braniff Lockheed Electra. There were several crashes involving the Electra. There was talk of the wings falling off. I believe they did determine that there was severe vibration that was too extreme for the short, straight wings on that aircraft and may have contributed to a structural failure. I had the pleasure of making my first commercial flight from Houston to Dallas on an Electra in that time-frame. White knuckles all the way.

[Alpha]

Does anyone remember Margo's LaMode? I had a credit card from that store! It was semi-upscale and in larger malls.

I used to shop there all the time at the one in Memorial City. I always believed that it was a more upscale version of Craigs - owned by the same people - but I could be wrong.

[yuan1274]

Sakowitz

Weingartens

U-Tote-'M

Joske's

Best

Federated Electronics

Woolco

Does anyone remember A&P supermarkets? I can vaguely remember going to one in the early 60s when I was a kid. I remember they gave PLAID trading stamps. Maybe if someone has access to a Houston Yellow Pages book, they can look up where they were located. I could probably pinpoint the one I went to way back then. It was between 1960-65.

[gnu]

Does anyone remember A&P supermarkets? I can vaguely remember going to one in the early 60s when I was a kid. I remember they gave PLAID trading stamps. Maybe if someone has access to a Houston Yellow Pages book, they can look up where they were located. I could probably pinpoint the one I went to way back then. It was between 1960-65.

Here is a list from 1956:

General Offices: 7800 Washington

Stores:

5006 Bellaire

2420 Crawford

2900 Luell

6735 Richmond

813 E. Shaw (Pasadena)

2930 S. Shepherd

4965 South Park (MLK)

5305 Telephone

8213 Long Point

[rsb320]

I think there's still an old A&P building on South Post Oak, just outside the loop. They were red brick with a roof that peaked in the middle, capped with a weathercock on top.

[MadMax]

The Randall's at Dairy Ashford @ Memorial used to be a Handy Andy.

Safeway was across Dairy Ashford where HEB is now.

TG&Y was where Sandy's Produce Market is now, on I-10 between Dairy Ashford and Kirkwood. That was a KMart, as well, after being TG&Y.

[NenaE]

The Randall's at Dairy Ashford @ Memorial used to be a Handy Andy.

Safeway was across Dairy Ashford where HEB is now.

TG&Y was where Sandy's Produce Market is now, on I-10 between Dairy Ashford and Kirkwood. That was a KMart, as well, after being TG&Y.

Handy Andy, how was that different from Handy Dan? Was it a grocery store?

[yuan1274]

Here is a list from 1956:

General Offices: 7800 Washington

Stores:

5006 Bellaire

2420 Crawford

2900 Luell

6735 Richmond

813 E. Shaw (Pasadena)

2930 S. Shepherd

4965 South Park (MLK)

5305 Telephone

8213 Long Point

Thanks. The one closest to where we lived was the one at 5305 Telephone, so that's probably the one.

[brucesw]

Handy Andy, how was that different from Handy Dan? Was it a grocery store?

Yes, based in San Antonio and a somewhat more upscale store than HEB was back then. There was a store at Voss at San Felipe, where the Randall's Flagship is now.

Article

[NenaE]

I recently saw a b/w photo that had a "Lee Optical" store/ neon sign in it...remember that one? It was bright yellow/ with little round eye glasses w/ it.

I miss those old neon signs, they had nice colors, not like the boring ones now. The Gulf Frwy car dealership with the rocket was cool. I was always curious about those blinking arrow signs (with bulbs blinking one after the other), pointing to the store (usually a liquor store).

[readam]

Yes, based in San Antonio and a somewhat more upscale store than HEB was back then. There was a store at Voss at San Felipe, where the Randall's Flagship is now.

Article

My brother worked at the Handy Andy at Gesner and Westheimer during the 70s; he made great money in tips. I think they are still around in San Antonio.

[NenaE]

I recently saw a b/w photo that had a "Lee Optical" store/ neon sign in it...remember that one? It was bright yellow/ with little round eye glasses w/ it.

I miss those old neon signs, they had nice colors, not like the boring ones now. The Gulf Frwy car dealership with the rocket was cool. I was always curious about those blinking arrow signs (with bulbs blinking one after the other), pointing to the store (usually a liquor store).

I just remembered another neon sign, there was a convenience store in the downtown area, close to St. Josephs that was called Baby Giant. Used to see it from Pierce Elevated. It had red or orange dynomite sticks (or firecrackers) cracked in half, blinking.

Edited January 10, 2009 by NenaE

[yuan1274]

I just remembered another neon sign, there was a convenience store in the downtown area, close to St. Josephs that was called Baby Giant. Used to see it from Pierce Elevated. It had red or orange dynomite sticks (or firecrackers) cracked in half, blinking.

Are you talking about St. Joseph Hospital? I was in there when I was four years old. Would you happen to know the street address of it?

[yuan1274]

Sakowitz

Weingartens

U-Tote-'M

Joske's

Best

Federated Electronics

Woolco

Yes, a website called "deadmalls.com" had a link to "wikipedia.org" which listed all of the defunct/out of business stores. Those stores were listed. When I was a teenager I remember getting a Steppenwolf record at Woolco and two suits at Joske's. With the exception of Weingarten's and U-Tote-Um, I've never been to any of the others.

[NenaE]

Are you talking about St. Joseph Hospital? I was in there when I was four years old. Would you happen to know the street address of it?

Yes, hospital... address of which one?

There is a neat link to retail history here, shows some interesting products & their logos. (but not a lot of actual local bldgs.)

link: http://cruisecloseouts.com/

for example: http://cruisecloseouts.com/Woolworth.htm

Edited January 13, 2009 by NenaE

[yuan1274]

Yes, hospital... address of which one?

There is a neat link to retail history here, shows some interesting products & their logos. (but not a lot of actual local bldgs.)

link: http://cruisecloseouts.com/

for example: http://cruisecloseouts.com/Woolworth.htm

I don't know the name of the street. All I remember is being in St. Joseph's Hospital. I remember a nurse giving me a big plastic syringe. I filled it with water and I squirted my dad with it.

[NenaE]

I don't know the name of the street. All I remember is being in St. Joseph's Hospital. I remember a nurse giving me a big plastic syringe. I filled it with water and I squirted my dad with it.

1401 Pierce Ave. St. Joseph Hospital - Cullen Family Bldg.

1902-1920 La Branch St. St. Joseph Hospital - Maternity & Children's Bldg.

One or more of these bldgs. have been altered in some way. Maybe someone can give an update...the site of one bldg. is now a nice little landscaped park area with a waterfall (may have been where the old maternity ward was). I especially liked those wrap-around windows on the corners of it (I believe that is a feature of art-modern architecture). The ornamentation was beautiful, as well. Hated to see that bldg. fall. It was quite unique.

Edited January 21, 2009 by NenaE

[IronTiger]

Tweeter!

[dakotafleming]

Yup, they were around in the early 90s. Alot of those buildings are still around. My moms lives near one on Blackhawk in Friendswood.

Anyone mention Appletree.

Eagle

Lewis and Coker

Safeway

Albertsons

Levitz

Rice

Gerlands

Kmart

Federated

Globe

Weingarten's

Weiners

http://www.courttv.com/news/hiddentraces/h...ress_page1.html Levitz heiress dissapeared

Safeway is Randalls

Edited March 29, 2009 by dakotafleming

[Randyt7801]

Saw this sign for CMC Stereo Super Center in front of City Centre (Town & Country), I remember these store all over the city in the 80's. The EZ Tag store had its sign over it up until a few months ago.

Edited July 13, 2009 by Randyt7801

[Subdude]

Does anyone remember Jamail's Grocery Store? I think it was on Kirby. My brother used to work there in the late 80s/early 90s when he was a student at Lamar.

It was where the car wash is now. I was never actually in that place, but I think it had a very good reputation.

[Dagnabbit]

It was where the car wash is now. I was never actually in that place, but I think it had a very good reputation.

Strange, I seem to recal Jamail's being on the other side of Kirby Dr. the east side at W.Alabama about where, and possibly the same building as Whole Earth Foods, directly accross W.Alabama from Dominion Jaguar.

I also remember another Jamail's grocery store on S.Shepherd at Avalon in a building now housing Petco and Richard's wines.

Of course I could be mistaken since I was not then or now wealthy enough to consider that area of town home, just a passerby.

[Gary K]

Can we add Finger Furniture to the list? I know the company basically switched from "Fingers" to "Ashley".

The Fingers giant store on I-45 just south of downtown was built on the site of the "Buff" stadium. Inside Fingers was a sports memorabilia (museum) area, and the location of the home plate of the Buff baseball diamond.

I hope the museum items went back to safekeeping.

[intencity77]

I know this is an older topic but I have more stores from the past that aren't listed here:

McDuffs Electronics

Winns Variety Stores

Crafts Etc

Designer Depot

The Home Front

Silk Greenhouse

Pennsylvania House Furniture

Norwalk Furniture Idea

LeeWards Crafts

J Brannam

Cloth World

Furrows Home Improvement

Pettigrew Smith Auto Parts

Kinney Shoes

Houseworks

KidsMart

Chief Auto Supply

Superior Waterbeds

Big Sur Waterbeds

Sportstown

Media Play

Mars Music

Planet Music

MJ Designs

Front Row

Computer City

Bizmart

Pace Warehouse

Price Club

Incredible Universe

Grocery World

Solo Serve

TH Mandy

Siegal's Fashion Station

Some of these stores were around for awhile, while most operated within a blink of an eye but none the less were a part of the long line of Houston retail history.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

ah, Texas Tapes and Records.... Many days of my misspent youth were wasted there, waiting in line for band autograph sessions.

I can remember walking through the doors of that place as late as '86, when I decided that driving from Alief to Pasadena was a total waste of time, money, gas, life, etc just to buy a record that I could get for the same money at Cactus in Sharpstown (another store I miss!)

[blue92]

You are probably thinking of Gemco, which I believe was an acronym for Government Employees something something something.

How about United Jewelers, owned by Gordon's Jewelers that used to have their home office there in Houston, they started out as a card holder buying club like Service Merchandise/Wilson's was too.

I remember Sage being a card holding buying club as well.

Anyone remember Globe?

[Andrew Broadfoot]

Budget Chopper, which was a division of Brookshire Brothers.

Minimax/Continental Finer Foods/Holiday Foods/Lucky 7 I think were owned by the same company in the end.

Moore's which (at least in Rosenberg) became Price-Lo Foods. Palais Royal eventually took over the site when the grocery store folded.

Bill's Department Stores, which seemed to be the Dollar General of it's day. Not sure if one or two surviving stores exist, but I remember seeing a sign in Sealy or Bellville in the not-too-distant past.

Remco. Can't forget the goaheadandgetit store... I think a bunch of those became Magic Rent to own along the way.

Miller's Outpost. All sorts of 'unique' promos with those stores.

Kuppenheimer, later Eagle comes to mind. Forgot the name of the guy that was always in the commericals tho...

Finally someone mentioned Millers Outpost. What about Physicle Whimsical at Sharps Town and ther was a shoe store called Mr. Lippy's??? And I want to say it was off of Beemer?