s3mh Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Let's math this. According to HCAD that building is 1800 square feet. At ten parking spaces per 100 square feet, that's 18 spaces. 10% discount for bike parking gets them to 16 spaces. At roughly 160 square feet per parking space, that's 2,560 square feet for spaces alone. Maybe an additional 640 square feet for drive. BUT! I'm pretty sure that that requirement only applies to dining area space. So let's say maybe half the building is dining area, that takes you down to 8 spaces, so 1,280 square feet plus 320 square feet for drive. The permit on the door says that they are renovating for a take out restaurant. That means they only need 4 spaces per 100. That would be doable. Unless they are buying up and demoing the property next door, there is no way they can get 16 spaces. Take out Cajun is actually a great idea for the neighborhood. Poboys, etouffe, gumbo, etc. all transport well and are quick to prepare. There really aren't very many good options for quick and easy takeout in the Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Can they sell as "to go" but have picnic tables setup that people just happen to utilize anyway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Can they sell as "to go" but have picnic tables setup that people just happen to utilize anyway? I only saw take out on the building permit. I do not know whether they are committed to take out when it comes to parking. But given the lack of space for parking, I would bet that they would have to go with take out restaurant to meet parking minimums. The ordinance actually defines "Take-out restaurant" as a restaurant that "does not provide seating for on-premises consumption of food or beverages . . . ." In practice, think places like Pink's and Pizza L'Vino. There are a few chairs inside. You could eat there if you wanted to, but probably wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullMan008 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 I drove past the place last night. Looks very small but if its mainly a 'Take Out' place, Im all for it. Good luck to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcat84 Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 Smoothie King is the next tenant next to Fat Cat, IF my crappy eyesight isn't failing me. Guess every hood needs one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
west20th Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 Smoothie King is the next tenant next to Fat Cat, IF my crappy eyesight isn't failing me. Guess every hood needs one.Oh good. Wash that high fat ice cream down with a healthy smoothie to relieve the guilt. At least it's not a mattress store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texasota Posted April 7, 2014 Share Posted April 7, 2014 "healthy" smoothie?You must not be familiar with Smoothie King Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCR Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 So had anyone been to Piatto in the midrise on 11th and Studewood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcat84 Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 Not to hijack your question, but did want to mention two other things that have been on my mind:1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON.2.) In an unrelated and not so long winded query, has anything else become of the Longhorn auto dealer restaurant speculation on N Shep? Wouldn't mind a culinary fill - in on the soon to be demolished car wash in 19th either...Dying for info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON. I haven't eaten at the upstairs restaurant, just the downstairs deli counter. I thought it was pretty good. The Houston Press had a piece on the restaurant last week asking some similar questions: http://www.houstonpress.com/2014-04-17/restaurants/heights-general-store/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 The food at HGS is pretty good, but overpriced, and the service is spotty. We've eaten there a couple of times, once for breakfast and once for dinner. Service was the worst part of both visits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 I went to Piatto and it was tasty and great service. I'll be going back. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swtsig Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 agree with everyone on the prices at HGS - overall we thought the food was decent but unnecessarily overpriced. it was also odd how empty the place was on a thursday night a few weeks after opening... did not view it as a great sign. on an unrelated note, verts doner kebap which opened recently on yale on the walmart site, is freaking awesome. it's delicious, quick, pretty cool and not terribly unhealthy. i highly recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 http://houston.eater.com/tags/coming-attractions third post from the top. Gelazzi opening in May. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted April 25, 2014 Share Posted April 25, 2014 http://www.theboilhouse.com/ Opening in early May. Pretty straight forward Louisiana crawfish takeout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 1.) Is it just me, or is Heights General Store, and to a lesser extent the restaurant above, missing the mark? High prices and limited/typical selection are killing this place it seems. Haven't been back to the restaurant after getting a tough, overpriced steak, but I don't hold grudges too long and will re - visit for a cocktail. Which sort of spurs my secondary questions - do the dry restrictions prevent selling beer ala convenience store even if run like a club, because if I could get a sixes of high quality brew from HGS, it would be ON. The private club exemption only applies to sales of alcohol for consumption on-premise, and the club must also serve food to qualify. There are a number of other hoops to be jumped through (see here), like how the membership records must be maintained, and how alcoholic beverages are purchased and accounted for, which is why a lot of places opt to remain BYOB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcat84 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 The private club exemption only applies to sales of alcohol for consumption on-premise, and the club must also serve food to qualify. There are a number of other hoops to be jumped through (see here), like how the membership records must be maintained, and how alcoholic beverages are purchased and accounted for, which is why a lot of places opt to remain BYOB. Meaning that there is zero way around for a retail sales exemption? .....darn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Meaning that there is zero way around for a retail sales exemption? .....darn. If there were, the Kroger on 20th would be a private club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcat84 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Club Kroger. DJ Fruit fly on the 1's and 2's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcat84 Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 For sake of conversation, can anyone she'd light on the purpose of the rest of the building that houses Krafsmen Cafe? I've always thought it was a great building,, despite not knowing what it is/was. Best options for repurposing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angostura Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 For sake of conversation, can anyone she'd light on the purpose of the rest of the building that houses Krafsmen Cafe? I've always thought it was a great building,, despite not knowing what it is/was. Best options for repurposing? Kraftsmen also has a wholesale baking business, though I'm not sure that occupies the entirety of the rest of the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted May 8, 2014 Share Posted May 8, 2014 Kraftsmen also has a wholesale baking business, though I'm not sure that occupies the entirety of the rest of the building. There is an antique store called Installations that has a good portion of the west end of the building. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCR Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Not Heights, but for those of us in Shady Acres/Timbergrove area The Warehouse Bar and Chill just opened recently. On 11th between Ella and Seamist. Craft beers and full bar, but they need to have more than just one white and red wine. New American bar food. A good addition to the hood'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 I went to Boil House over the weekend. Pretty solid crawfish, they were really nice/friendly and even gave us a piece of King Cake to try while we were eating our crawfish. Will definitely be going again. I also went to Mighty Mini Pies on Main Street Friday (I think that is the name) and got two mini pies. They were tasty (kinda sad I didnt' go before now) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 ^^ Mighty Sweet Mini Pies. Great place, been going there almost since they opened. http://mightysweetminipies.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Gelazzi is open on White Oak and Harvard. I have not been yet, but saw that they did a nice job fixing up the space behind the building. There are lots of tables with umbrellas in the space behind the building. A nice spot to enjoy some gelato. They should be able to print money being just a block from Donovan park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 So, Maryam's Café is supposed to open in the old Cricket's Creamery space on July 1, 2014. www.maryamscafe.com The space looks to have been gutted, but I have not seen any signs of a build out yet. July 1 is a bit ambitious, but I hope it is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 So, Maryam's Café is supposed to open in the old Cricket's Creamery space on July 1, 2014. www.maryamscafe.com The space looks to have been gutted, but I have not seen any signs of a build out yet. July 1 is a bit ambitious, but I hope it is good. Judging from the website, it doesn't appear that Scott Tycer's involved with this place anymore. I'm still curious as to why Cricket's shut down rather abruptly not too long after he acquired it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted May 30, 2014 Share Posted May 30, 2014 My understanding is that Tycer/Kraftsmen had some sort of partnership interest with the person who bought Crickets from John, but did not own it outright and was not running it. I do not know why they closed up so soon after taking over, but the transition from the funky old Cricket's with John's vegetarian dishes and fun soda fountain concoctions to the new neutered version of Cricket's seemed to just alienate the former clientele and do little to attract new customers. The interior had bare walls with no art or pictures. It was like eating in the back of a warehouse. The food wasn't bad. But you could get a better meal at just about any other place in the Heights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted June 1, 2014 Share Posted June 1, 2014 I wish Tycer would just go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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