Frito-Lay Plant At 6601 Stillwell St.

[Ashikaga]

I now remember a big Fritos sign from over 40 years ago somewhere in Houston. Is it still there?

Edit: There is some location confusion. This was located at 6601 Stillwell Street, which is off of Griggs Road, close to Gulf Freeway (IH-45).

[lowspark]

Not that I know of. I do remember when I was a kid, going to the Fritos factory for a tour with my day camp. I have no idea where the factory was but as far as I know, there is no frito factory here anymore.

I remember the tour because they showed us HUGE vats of Fritos-to-be, looked like vomit! Didn't stop me from eating them tho!!

[Ashikaga]

Not that I know of. I do remember when I was a kid, going to the Fritos factory for a tour with my day camp. I have no idea where the factory was but as far as I know, there is no frito factory here anymore.

I remember the tour because they showed us HUGE vats of Fritos-to-be, looked like vomit! Didn't stop me from eating them tho!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I was talking to a woman over in Houston. She asked me if I remembered the Frito-Lay plant. I think she said that it was on Griggs Road near IH-45. I do remember back then (1962-64) seeing a big Fritos sign somewhere there in Houston, but I don't know for certain if that's the place that she was referring to. Maybe she was telling me that it used to be there and not anymore. She was just asking me if I remember the plant and/or the big sign.

[Trophy Property]

Not that I know of. I do remember when I was a kid, going to the Fritos factory for a tour with my day camp. I have no idea where the factory was but as far as I know, there is no frito factory here anymore.

I remember the tour because they showed us HUGE vats of Fritos-to-be, looked like vomit! Didn't stop me from eating them tho!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Frito's + Bean Dip = Delightful

Sorry this post added no value whatsoever.

[MidtownCoog]

No, but I remember a huge neon Coke sign near Telephone.

[Ashikaga]

Frito's + Bean Dip = Delightful

Sorry this post added no value whatsoever.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, but it made me hungry!

[YakuzaIce]

I didn't know the Frito plant was gone. I remember going on a tour there at leat ten years ago. It was an interesting tour.

[Ashikaga]

I couldn't think of anything more to say about Fritos, so I started a new topic about those other brands of potato chips (Morton's/Lance/Tom's).

[Original Timmy Chan's]

I remember the big Borden's sign near Downtown...

[Ashikaga]

I remember the big Borden's sign near Downtown...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I think that I'm now starting to remember a big sign of Elsie the Cow somewhere there in Houston. Is that the one you're talking about?

[Original Timmy Chan's]

Yes, I think that I'm now starting to remember a big sign of Elsie the Cow somewhere there in Houston.  Is that the one you're talking about?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's the one...I think it was off of 59, not too far from where Minute Maid/George R Brown are today.

I was still fairly young when it disappeared...

[Ashikaga]

That's the one...I think it was off of 59, not too far from where Minute Maid/George R Brown are today.

I was still fairly young when it disappeared...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is Borden's milk still sold in Houston? What are some of the other brands that are sold over there?

[Ashikaga]

I didn't know the Frito plant was gone.  I remember going on a tour there at leat ten years ago.  It was an interesting tour.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To me, there's no difference between most name brand and store brand food products. But there's is a distinct difference between Fritos and store brand corn chips.

[Ashikaga]

I remember the big Borden's sign near Downtown...

Yes, for some reason my mind is recalling big signs for Frito's, Borden's, and Nabisco.

[TJones]

I remember the Borden's sign on the east side of 59 North, it would have been across the freeway from GRB over in Chinatown. I remember the big Shimmering Pepsi Cola sign as you turned onto 225 coming off of 610. They later changed it into a neon. I remember the huge Mayflower sign by Sage. The big neon Miller beer sign on 610 as you turned off of 59 to go to Bellaire.

[Ashikaga]

I remember the Borden's sign on the east side of 59 North, it would have been across the freeway from GRB over in Chinatown. I remember the big Shimmering Pepsi Cola sign as you turned onto 225 coming off of 610. They later changed it into a neon. I remember the huge Mayflower sign by Sage. The big neon Miller beer sign on 610 as you turned off of 59 to go to Bellaire.

Now you just made me remember that Pepsi sign. Now you tell me if I'm remember another sign correctly. Going down IH-610 westbound from Gulfgate, wasn't there a furniture store with a big sign that said Levitz?

[TJones]

Now you just made me remember that Pepsi sign. Now you tell me if I'm remember another sign correctly. Going down IH-610 westbound from Gulfgate, wasn't there a furniture store with a big sign that said Levitz?

Yep, the building is still there, but Levitz is long gone, sometime during the mid 80's.

Edited June 30, 2006 by TJones

[Ashikaga]

Yep, the building is still there, but Levitz is long gone, sometime during the mid 80's.

I wonder if Levitz suffered the same fate as other businesses of being replaced by other chain stores?

[gnu]

I wonder if Levitz suffered the same fate as other businesses of being replaced by other chain stores?

everyone together now - in your radio jingle voice:

You'll love it at Levitz!

[TJones]

I wonder if Levitz suffered the same fate as other businesses of being replaced by other chain stores?

I think it was more like Mr.Levitz died, and the children sold off the property for a nice chunk of change. That particular part of town is trying to make a comeback, slowly but surely.

[gnu]

I think it was more like Mr.Levitz died, and the children sold off the property for a nice chunk of change. That particular part of town is trying to make a comeback, slowly but surely.

looks like they just abandoned Houston

http://www.levitz.com/Maps/Select.asp

The history of Levitz Furniture Corporation dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened the first Levitz Furniture store in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Richard Levitz had two sons, Ralph and Leon, who opened another furniture store in Pottstown, Pennsylvania in 1936 bearing the family name.

In the 1960's, the "warehouse/showroom" concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. After a very successful "Warehouse Sale," the family coupled showrooms and warehouses under one roof, forever changing the way customers shop for furniture - making large selection, low cost and immediate availability the gold standard in the furniture industry.

Today, Levitz has grown to 73 showrooms and continues to carry an extensive assortment of merchandise, offered at competitive prices and delivered promptly.

[gonzo1976]

This discussion brings back two things I had long forgotten:

1. Remember the huge electric sign off I-45 North at the I-10 interchange? I remember it used to belong to Moore Business Products (?) before becoming a Continental Airlines billboard.

2. All this talk about Borden's reminds me of the Borden plant downtown. Wasn't it near I-45 and the Pierce Elevated? I seem to remember it burning down in the mid-1980s.

[Ashikaga]

Yep, the building is still there, but Levitz is long gone, sometime during the mid 80's.

Yes, Levitz wasn't too far from that roller rink that I remember. There's a separate topic on that roller rink.

[enviromain]

I now remember a big Fritos sign from over 40 years ago somewhere in Houston. Is it still there?

I don't remember the sign, but I do remember the Frito Bandito. I had the clip-on mustache and a red pencil topper that came inside the chips bags. Those were the days!

[Ashikaga]

I grew up off of Griggs road right down the street from the Fritos plant. It was at Griggs and the Gulf Freeway on the east side of Griggs. I think the entrance was on Broad Street though. I don't think the freeway feeder went through back then. You could always smell those Fritos cooking when you drove past and yes there was a big animated sign with the Fritos logo spelled out using various colored small bulbs. Across the Griggs on the corner was Carr's Tastee Freeze. I enjoyed that smell of the Fritos cooking and also remember how wonderful the smell was driving past the Nabisco plant.

You're speaking in the past tense. So I'll assume that the Frito's sign and/or plant is no longer there.

[northbeaumont]

Frito's + Bean Dip = Delightful

Sorry this post added no value whatsoever.

Also, Fritos + Wolf Chili + Velveeta = Delightful

[Vertigo58]

Someone above mentioned about the little Frito Bandito guy (eraser) that would be FREE in each family pack of Frito's. They came in all colors red, blue, green and we would trade with the other kids in school.

Good thing we got to enjoy those days. Now it would be considered major PI incorrect and it would have been pulled from shelves.

Edited April 2, 2007 by Vertigo58

[texianjoe]

The Frito Lay plant was on the corner of I45 and Broad. You could smell the fritos when you drove by.

Levits is now Trading Fair II.

There was Oak Farms on Westheimer I think which is now a cold storage warehouse.

Nabisco smelled really good when you drove by on OST and Almeda. Something like a Nilla wafer. I think it is now part of the VA hospital.

Bordens is still sold in Houston, along with Oak Farms. The one I have not seen in a long time is Quality Checked. When I lived in the Valley it was called Hygia, here it was called Sanitary.

Speaking of old signs anyone remember the Markle Steel sign when it used to light up.

joe

[northbeaumont]

The Frito Lay plant was on the corner of I45 and Broad. You could smell the fritos when you drove by.

Levits is now Trading Fair II.

There was Oak Farms on Westheimer I think which is now a cold storage warehouse.

Nabisco smelled really good when you drove by on OST and Almeda. Something like a Nilla wafer. I think it is now part of the VA hospital.

Bordens is still sold in Houston, along with Oak Farms. The one I have not seen in a long time is Quality Checked. When I lived in the Valley it was called Hygia, here it was called Sanitary.

Speaking of old signs anyone remember the Markle Steel sign when it used to light up.

joe

Wow, you've seen a lot! No, I haven't heard of Markle Steel. But I remember the signs to some of those other businesses that you mentioned. I do remember the eagle on the neon Anheuser-Busch sign. It would flap its wings then change to the Budweiser logo.

[Vertigo58]

Speaking of old signs anyone remember the Markle Steel sign when it used to light up.

joe

I remember Markel sign, just cant remember where it was?

and someone mentioned the old GIANT Coca-Cola sign @ Telephone/45S. I have it one 88mm film just before they unplugged it. It was real "Las Vegas Like" all glittery/sparkling too cool!

Was kind like this....Look everybody....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pbo31/sets/72057594059509636/