Memories Of Sharpstown

[texas911]

Chalk me up as another Sharpstown Mall Rat of the 80's. Remember when the food court was called Goodtime Charlies? And the had a stage there? During the heights of video arcadom, the mall had two of them, the one by JC Pennys and the on in the food court. My friends worked at His Place, Chick-fil-a, Foleys and the Oak Tree. Loved going to Oshmans, and bought my first Apple Macintosh computer from Fingers Furniture when they wold electronics! My parents bought me some 80's modern furniture from the Store House by Foleys. Bought my first CD from Foleys! Back then, their electronics section was the bomb.

Saw some movies at the Gaylen (sp?) theater, man that place was big. Go my first Honda from Gillman Honda when they were in the small showroom in the corner. I also went to Strake Jesuit so I knew Bellaire before it became Chinatown West. We used to eat at the Del Taco that's a sandwich shop now. And loved going to God Father's Pizza in the same strip mall as Safeway. Man those were great times.

[native_Houstonian]

Chalk me up as another Sharpstown Mall Rat of the 80's. Remember when the food court was called Goodtime Charlies? And the had a stage there? During the heights of video arcadom, the mall had two of them, the one by JC Pennys and the on in the food court. My friends worked at His Place, Chick-fil-a, Foleys and the Oak Tree. Loved going to Oshmans, and bought my first Apple Macintosh computer from Fingers Furniture when they wold electronics! My parents bought me some 80's modern furniture from the Store House by Foleys. Bought my first CD from Foleys! Back then, their electronics section was the bomb.

Saw some movies at the Gaylen (sp?) theater, man that place was big. Go my first Honda from Gillman Honda when they were in the small showroom in the corner. I also went to Strake Jesuit so I knew Bellaire before it became Chinatown West. We used to eat at the Del Taco that's a sandwich shop now. And loved going to God Father's Pizza in the same strip mall as Safeway. Man those were great times.

Jebbie.

[lilyheights]

Chalk me up as another Sharpstown Mall Rat of the 80's. Remember when the food court was called Goodtime Charlies? And the had a stage there? During the heights of video arcadom, the mall had two of them, the one by JC Pennys and the on in the food court. My friends worked at His Place, Chick-fil-a, Foleys and the Oak Tree. Loved going to Oshmans, and bought my first Apple Macintosh computer from Fingers Furniture when they wold electronics! My parents bought me some 80's modern furniture from the Store House by Foleys. Bought my first CD from Foleys! Back then, their electronics section was the bomb.

Saw some movies at the Gaylen (sp?) theater, man that place was big. Go my first Honda from Gillman Honda when they were in the small showroom in the corner. I also went to Strake Jesuit so I knew Bellaire before it became Chinatown West. We used to eat at the Del Taco that's a sandwich shop now. And loved going to God Father's Pizza in the same strip mall as Safeway. Man those were great times.

I remember all that same stuff. All my brothers went to Strake...what year did you graduate?

I went to school at SFDS.

It was flight to the "safety" of the 'burbs that got Sharpstown...I am waiting for the redev. The area is too convenient to 59 to remain in decline forever. And, Strake and St. Agnes offer incredible educations.

[TxDave]

I, too, was a big Sharpstown customer on my arrival to Houston. But I arrived right on the brink of change. I quickly witnessed the mall change from a standard suburban retail destination to a struggling urban shopping center.

In addition to the other factors already mentioned that contributed to the "decline" of Sharpstown Mall, I would add the construction of First Colony Mall, expansion of the Galleria, etc. These shifts in the higher end retail environment have left Sharpstown, and similar centers, behind.

[SeeVee]

I have a little Sharpstown stuff.

I grew up mainly in Alief. (Elsik class of 85). I lived in the sharpstown area for a while when I was younger though. I definately remember the drive in. We could see it from our house at night. I remember watching a move called The Brother's O'Toole (with John Aston) in the family station wagon. I remember our neighbohood as being on the poor side of middle class. Dude across the street from us was huge--maybe 400 pounds- and only drove Mini Coopers. He was alway working on them in the driveway and about every 30 minutes you could hear him holler at his wife, "Etheeeeellllll! Get me a coke!"

Any way. I have very vivid memories of Sharpstown Mall. There was that big clock thing in the middle that was a time capsule. It was supposed to open "way in the future....like the year 2000." But it never got that far. Good Time Charlie's was the place to be. We would go to the mall and hang out all day and play video games. There was a model shop/hobby shop on the second floor (kind of in the corner) that was the coolest place for a teenage boy to hang out in. Anyone remember that?

Then Westwood Mall opened a little further down 59. That was kinda the beginning of the end for ST Mall. Remember Peppermint Park?

My older brother worked at the Winchel's Donut House across the street (Bellaire) from the Mall. My dad's friend, Mr. San Miguel was the owner or manager there. Man, Winchel's was the best!

On the east side of 59, there was a doctor's office on DeMoss. The exterior was like brown rocks. I used to go there every week for asthma treatment. I always made it a point to climb the side of the building when I got there.

In high school, I worked at the K-Mart at 8150 Southwest Freeway across from the Channel 2 station. I met my wife there. Her dad was a K-Mart manager.

I knew a lot of guys from Sharpstown High School that worked there as well. Sharpstown High was the coolest because it had a smoking area, or at least that was the rumor.

[KCB3329]

Does anyone have photos of Sharpstown center in the 60's? Anyone know where I can find some? Any help is appreciated!

[MaxConcrete]

Does anyone have photos of Sharpstown center in the 60's? Anyone know where I can find some? Any help is appreciated!

I have a photo of the Clock of Texas. I will post a link this evening.

Also, I have seen aerials of Sharpstown Mall in the 1960s in the Bob Bailey Collection. Unfortunately those photos are not available online

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/utcah/00451/cah-00451.html

see section for 3N364-Restricted

If you really, really need the images, going to Austin to see what they have may be an option. Of course, call them in advance and you also may want to check if the Houston Public Library has been given copies of the images.

[Trophy Property]

Here's a Bob Bailey pic from a book called Houston Today and Tomorrow by Charles Gilbert, published in 1969. The photo may or may not be a few years older than that?

That picture is awesome. I would love to be able to zoom in.

[713 To 214]

Who cares about Sharpstown in the 60's, when we've got TV Johnny, Paul Wall, and TV Jewelry at Sharpstown, now?

[Trophy Property]

Who cares about Sharpstown in the 60's, when we've got TV Johnny, Paul Wall, and TV Jewelry at Sharpstown, now?

The rumor is that they mall's name is going to be changed to "CrunkTown"

[The New Juniper]

The rumor is that they mall's name is going to be changed to "CrunkTown"

you know who owns the mall, right?

[MaxConcrete]

Does anyone have photos of Sharpstown center in the 60's? Anyone know where I can find some? Any help is appreciated!

Aerial circa 1962

http://oscarmail.net/photos/sharptstown_ma..._circa_1962.jpg

Pre-construction sign

http://oscarmail.net/photos/sharptown_stow...nter_sign_C.jpg

Clock of Texas

I could have been one of the kids in this photo (although I'm just about sure I wasn't)

http://houstonfreeways.com/photos/sharpsto...near_A_best.jpg

http://houstonfreeways.com/photos/sharpsto...wide_A_best.jpg

Sharpstown plans

http://oscarmail.net/photos/sharpstown_1954-10-00_plans.jpg

Home construction 1965. This appears to be looking NE at the corner of Roos and Redding.

http://oscarmail.net/photos/sharpstown_con..._circa_1965.jpg

Also, check out these images of the corner of Bellaire and US 59

http://community.webshots.com/album/94213053YBeTbI

especially

http://community.webshots.com/photo/942130...049276982aNZCCZ

[lowspark]

Wow - thanks for all those photos. My dad worked at Sharpstown mall when I was young and we used to go every Saturday, this was in the 60s & early 70s. I also could have been one of those kids standing at the clock, I have a good memory of that thing. It only worked for a very short while, the doors which opened up on the hour to reveal various scenes stopped opening soon after it was installed and it then became a huge ugly clock. They finally got rid of it many years later.

I remember that Sinclair station too, did you notice the price in the color picture was 24 cents/gallon?

[shady 75]

I grew up close by...it has always astounded me that an area this close to town has escaped redevelopment...it would seem that with all of the low rent apartments, etc. that much of the commercial properties and apartments could be bulldozed and redeveloped.

I live in a redeveloping area in the Heights and realize that areas have to reach a point sometimes where the area is so rundown that redevelopment is attractive. I would think that this area has reached this point as land values have to be attractive to land developers looking to make plays on its proximity to the galleria.

It can not be much longer before there are some massive bulldozes going on and redevelopment to start happening. With gas prices going as they are...living closer to the city is going to start to take on more and more of a premium. I am seeing lots of redevelopment in areas going on near downtown that I never thought would happen.

So here is my million dollar question...what is scaring off the developers...don't tell me the gangs, etc...because I remember Midtown before it was "Midtown" and it was probably worse.

[lilyheights]

I grew up close by...it has always astounded me that an area this close to town has escaped redevelopment...it would seem that with all of the low rent apartments, etc. that much of the commercial properties and apartments could be bulldozed and redeveloped.

I live in a redeveloping area in the Heights and realize that areas have to reach a point sometimes where the area is so rundown that redevelopment is attractive. I would think that this area has reached this point as land values have to be attractive to land developers looking to make plays on its proximity to the galleria.

It can not be much longer before there are some massive bulldozes going on and redevelopment to start happening. With gas prices going as they are...living closer to the city is going to start to take on more and more of a premium. I am seeing lots of redevelopment in areas going on near downtown that I never thought would happen.

So here is my million dollar question...what is scaring off the developers...don't tell me the gangs, etc...because I remember Midtown before it was "Midtown" and it was probably worse.

I'm waiting, too. Come on tell me? I grew up there and stayed after the decline. My dad still lives in the area and there isn't anything really bad happening in his immediate area. Maybe that's it? Not dead enough?

Or, is the concentration in the neartown areas and the Heights (where I live) getting in the way? Is the Heights' success pumping up the northern suburbs first...we'll get to Sharpstown after we finish Oak Forest?

Or, maybe it is that the area between the Galleria and Sharpstown is a no man's land. There is no way for people to bleed over to the Sharpstown area when they start looking at homes in other places. I feel like Oak Forest, Garden Oaks and such get a large number of new buyers who shy away from Heights home pricing...

I could be completely wrong, but I'm just pondering out loud.

[20sGirl]

Unfortunately they didn't have any photos or other information. Don't know which theater was at W. Bellfort & Fondren. Maybe a similarly named one?

I think it was a Plitt Theater at one time. (You can imagine what we kids used to call it). Anyway, before that it was something else. Loewe's, maybe? Then it was a dollar cinema for a while. Guess it's closed now.

Reading this really brings back memories. I'm SHS class of 1990. Grew up right behind the high school. (Section 4?) Those were Pulte homes if I remember correctly.

I had no idea Sharpstown was such an important development to Houston. That stuff about the Conquistador opening the door to build hi-rise residential. I always remember looking out and seeing those twin buildings on Fondren and 59 with the flag on top. Don't know their names. This was in the 80's- way after Conquistador being the tallest building.

[rps324]

It is true that sometimes transitional neighborhoods are like bad drunks, they have to hit rock bottom before they want to go into rehab!

Sharpstown's revival, whenever it comes, will be one by default, at least at first. By that I mean other areas will have to get too expensive, thus driving entry-level creative class buyers into Sharpstown to get the size, condition or style home they want. This isn't a slam on Sharpstown, a lot of great neighborhoods benefit from some level of default factor. I'm sure a lot of people in Oak Forest, for example, are there not because they were jumping up & down to live in Oak Forest, but b/c their first choice areas such as Garden Oaks & Heights didn't offer acceptable homes in their price ranges, or maybe they were out of their price range altogether. Much of Bellaire's early boom was from people priced out of West U. I'm sure that isn't everybody, but a good share.

For people in the $125,000 to $175,000 price bracket, there are other options that a lot of people will find more attractive than Sharpstown. People can still get into Oak Forest for that, albeit not in a similiar size/condition home, but in what would be considered a more desirable neighborhood by a lot of house-hunter's yard-stick. Lindale Park still offers an inner-loop location & quaint architecture in that range. Eastwood is leaning towards the higher end of the above mentioned price bracket so it may not provide competition for much longer. Idylwood is generally starting around $175,000 now so it won't be a competitor for buyers under that price point. Then you have Westbury. I still think Westbury is stealing Sharpstown's thunder by luring the entry level buyers that typically create a revival. It doesn't suffer from the stigma that Sharpstown has. Sharpstown may or may not deserve it, but it does have more of an image problem. I have shown buyers in that price range there (Sharpstown) before, along with Westbury & Glenbrook Valley. Despite both Glenbrook & Westbury having issues with crappy apartments nearby like Sharpstown as well as similiar era homes, most buyers I have feel like Westbury is more "connected" to the city and generally feels closer in, with a little better curb appeal in most areas. Glenbrook is closer to downtown, but on the "wrong side of town" for most people. But, since most of the homes were custom built there the housing stock just has a better quality fit & finish in the details than what they see in Sharpstown. So in most cases Sharpstown comes in 3rd or 4th behind these other neighborhoods, at least for now.

Sharpstown's day will come again, despite the apartments and anything else it has going against it. But it won't come until people are priced out of Oak Forest, Westbury, Lindale & the like.

[lilyheights]

I agree with you. ^

I think if Sharpstown were to change the names of its still surviving neighborhoods to anything that didn't have the word Sharpstown in it, buyers would consider it. Westbury isn't any better, really, but it doesn't share the stigma of that name. We should call the area around St. Francis, the Oaks of Bellaire or something...

Case in point, the chron's this week section online titles the section that includes sharpstown as Alief and swhouston. Sharpstown is a bad word in many people's minds.

[Sharpstown Bill]

Woah! Now those area awesome! I, too could have been in that Clock pic (but was probably at Gene's Model shop!!)

[squinney]

Ok guys....I am 42. I remember when the SW Freeway was not even built and Sharpstown mall was "THE PLACE" to be. My favorite store there was "Dream Merchant". I still have some things I bought there and I have a T-whirt that I purchased there about 1 hour before a DEVO concert in 1982 at Cullen Auditorium at UH....Still have the ticket stub. Sharpstown mall in the 80's was awesome.

[old_Sharpstown]

I am also impressed with the knowledge and fond memories of Sharpstown that others also share. Many of you seem to have gone to school there when I did...maybe I know who you are. SHarpstown is still a great place...quiet and with many original residents still there. I unfortunately had to sell my fathers house 6 months ago after he passed after being there since 1966. The place has changed...and then again...has not....and that is good. As others have stated...Sharpstown Mall was the "hip" place to be in the 80's....very ecletcic and people would drive for miles just to be in that dynamic place. I woked in the mall then and saw all kinds of people......people that were not stereotypical "Sharpstown". A very eclectic mix. The mall likely stared to loose it's luster either before or when the last remodel happened...when they made it look retro or 50's style (which is ironic since in opened in teh early 60's).

[SpaceAge]

Sharpstown's Gaylynn Theatre had more square footage in area per patron than any motion picture theatre in the world. It was very elegant- Sharpstown's own Jones Hall. I was always impressed by the mica imbed into the top layer of the paving around the entrance that sparkled like a million glittering diamonds at night under the flood lights. I thought that was what it must be like in Hollywood. Attending a movie would be special again if there was a theatre like this to see it in. This was also known as the Gaylynn Terrace. The building is now used as a charter school.

Gaylynn Pictures and Information

Sharpstown's drive-in theatre was the Lowe's Sharpstown on Bellaire Blvd. at Hillcroft. It was also huge. Notice in the aerial photographs how far down Hillcroft it extended. The building on the corner was a bar-b-que restaurant and the Sharpstown Time Capsule was originally located there.

Sharpstown Drive-in Theatre

Sharpstown Time Capsule was opened March 11, 2000 at the country club

Contents

Audience at the time capsule opening

[old_Sharpstown]

I have a little Sharpstown stuff.

I grew up mainly in Alief. (Elsik class of 85). I lived in the sharpstown area for a while when I was younger though. I definately remember the drive in. We could see it from our house at night. I remember watching a move called The Brother's O'Toole (with John Aston) in the family station wagon. I remember our neighbohood as being on the poor side of middle class. Dude across the street from us was huge--maybe 400 pounds- and only drove Mini Coopers. He was alway working on them in the driveway and about every 30 minutes you could hear him holler at his wife, "Etheeeeellllll! Get me a coke!"

Any way. I have very vivid memories of Sharpstown Mall. There was that big clock thing in the middle that was a time capsule. It was supposed to open "way in the future....like the year 2000." But it never got that far. Good Time Charlie's was the place to be. We would go to the mall and hang out all day and play video games. There was a model shop/hobby shop on the second floor (kind of in the corner) that was the coolest place for a teenage boy to hang out in. Anyone remember that?

Then Westwood Mall opened a little further down 59. That was kinda the beginning of the end for ST Mall. Remember Peppermint Park?

My older brother worked at the Winchel's Donut House across the street (Bellaire) from the Mall. My dad's friend, Mr. San Miguel was the owner or manager there. Man, Winchel's was the best!

On the east side of 59, there was a doctor's office on DeMoss. The exterior was like brown rocks. I used to go there every week for asthma treatment. I always made it a point to climb the side of the building when I got there.

In high school, I worked at the K-Mart at 8150 Southwest Freeway across from the Channel 2 station. I met my wife there. Her dad was a K-Mart manager.

I knew a lot of guys from Sharpstown High School that worked there as well. Sharpstown High was the coolest because it had a smoking area, or at least that was the rumor.

Yes, Sharpstown High School had 2 smoking areas. You had to have had a permission slip from your parents in order to smoke there (not that anyone checked). It was there at least during my time there from 79 to 81.

[apollopride]

Wow! Thanks for the photos MaxConcrete! So did the Sinclair Station become an Arco? (And I think later an Amco). The man in "station 7" is wearing an Arco shirt. I think that is Mr. Terhune - who I remember fondly from my parent's Sunday School class.

Also - I saw that water tower photo for sale on eBay, but I didn't buy it. Also saw the Sharpstown Clock on ebay...didn't buy it either, but saved it to my computer...

[Trophy Property]

Great photos indeed Max. I so wish I could go back in time, get in a car and drive around Houston. That would be a trip !!

[roym]

Great photos indeed Max. I so wish I could go back in time, get in a car and drive around Houston. That would be a trip !!

Hmmm.... a car that could go back in time!! Man, that would make a great movie!

just funnin...

[aimeechau]

You guys have brought back so much memories for me while living in sharpstown back in the 80's- neff, sharpstown middle, sharpstown mall, the theater next door, astroworld, fame city and so much. This is awesome and I might know some of yall. Those were great days....

[Ashikaga]

that's my hoem turf--I'll see what I can come up with

I guess that photos of Sharpstown are rare.

[gwilson]

I am sorry I haven't been around much and ended up missing this thread!

Sharpstown is a great place. The neighborhoods are among some of the most beautiful in Houston (when you get off the main streets). The SFH around the golf course and across Bellaire as well as next to Braeburn are truly beautiful and property values are rising dramatically.

The city finally got started on work my uncle spear headed years ago by getting the TIRZ and PID implemented.

If anyone has any questions about Sharpstown, I'd be happy to answer them and I promise to visit the site more often to do so.

I've been so busy with my new job (project managing luxury home construction and loving it) that I haven't been able to visit much.

[old_Sharpstown]

I am sorry I haven't been around much and ended up missing this thread!

Sharpstown is a great place. The neighborhoods are among some of the most beautiful in Houston (when you get off the main streets). The SFH around the golf course and across Bellaire as well as next to Braeburn are truly beautiful and property values are rising dramatically.

The city finally got started on work my uncle spear headed years ago by getting the TIRZ and PID implemented.

If anyone has any questions about Sharpstown, I'd be happy to answer them and I promise to visit the site more often to do so.

I've been so busy with my new job (project managing luxury home construction and loving it) that I haven't been able to visit much.

Not sure what is driving the home values up in Sharpstown (near the Sharpstown country club), but I agree, many neighbors are good people and many are even native Texans to boot. The homes are of good quality and it has LOCATION....easy access to the rest of the world. I unfortunately had to sell our property after owning it when new in 1966.

What are: TIRZ and PID? Sorry I do not recognize those acronyms.

Lastly...for curiousity...what part of town are you building custom homes? Are these SPEC home or high end CUSTOM homes?