Gulfgate Mall History

[Ashikaga]

By popular demand, here are links to photos of the demolition on May 23, 2001. This was probably the last day of major demolition since they were clearing out the last remains of structures on that day.

This view looks southwest from the Gulf Freeway

http://houstonfreeways.com/images/gulfgate...01_ORIG_ADJ.png

This view looks east

http://houstonfreeways.com/images/gulfgate...01_ORIG_ADJ.png

Here is the sign. It looked like it was being preserved. Is it still there? Your comment above suggests it is gone.

http://houstonfreeways.com/images/gulfgate...01_ORIG_ADJ.png

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, I don't know what's there. I'm going by what other people on this forum have told me. I moved away from Houston back in 1964. Other people on this forum have told me that the only thing from back then that remains of Gulfgate is the pedestrian bridge. Someone said that even the movie theatre that was on the other side of the bridge is also gone.

I just printed the photo of the sign. Thank you for posting it.

Chet Cuccia

[musicman]

No, I don't know what's there.  I'm going by what other people on this forum have told me.  I moved away from Houston back in 1964.  Other people on this forum have told me that the only thing from back then that remains of Gulfgate is the pedestrian bridge.  Someone said that even the movie theatre that was on the other side of the bridge is also gone. 

I just printed the photo of the sign.  Thank you for posting it.

Chet Cuccia

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They've neon-ized it since the center reopened. Only bad thing is that it doesn't spin around like the old sign used to. Guess the motor maintenance was too expensive.

[MidtownCoog]

Didn't Alica knock the old sign down?

I know it knoced off the blue visors at Foleys' Almeda.

[musicman]

Didn't Alica knock the old sign down?

I know it knoced off the blue visors at Foleys' Almeda.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, both signs have been standing since the beginning.....the 45 one (which is the one in the pic) and the 610 one have been refurbished.

[gnu]

No, both signs have been standing since the beginning.....the 45 one (which is the one in the pic) and the 610 one have been refurbished.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

at some point they had a little umbrella on the sign too.

[Ashikaga]

at some point they had a little umbrella on the sign too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When places like Gulfgate are demolished, I wonder what is done with the remaining debris? I would think that some steel could be recycled. Maybe the remains ended up where they planned to take the remains of the old Baytown-LaPorte Tunnel: out in the Gulf of Mexico made into a reef.

Chet Cuccia

[PCfixit]

I found this one in the back of my high school year book, it had sponsors names typed all over it so it took awhile to clean it up. Its a closer view of the sign.

[TJones]

very cool picture!

My memory of the toy store may be off...but I thought it was a Playhouse toys and I remember very tall glass windows..but as a little kid..that might not be very tall

I liked riding the escalators in Joske's too!

There was a Playhouse toys in Sharpstown Mall, years ago.

I got my shoelace caught in the escalator at Joske's about 1975 or so, I was 5 yrs. old, and I thought for sure I was gonna get eaten by the escalator.

[djrage]

at some point they had a little umbrella on the sign too.

I wonder if the sun on the new Gulfgate signs are meant as some acknowledgement or a contrast of the old umbrella. The umbrella (now) representing a dark rainy day (the old Gulfgate) to a sun, representing a sunny new day (the new Gulfgate). Am I reading too much into it?

[PCfixit]

The grocery store that we went to in Gulfgate back in the early 1960s was called "Weingarten's."

This photo I found in my yearbook, It was spread over two pages thats what is wrong with the middle.

[Ashikaga]

No. It's still Gulfgate Mall. But it sorta looks like Meyerland Plaza. Everything is outside now.

So now I'm curious. Since Gulfgate Shopping City became Gulfgate Mall, how has it been doing, business-wise, compared to other malls in Houston? I thought someone on this forum said that it might fold.

[Ashikaga]

If you want to refresh your memory about how the mall was configured around 1960,

go to this link

http://houstonfreeways.com/ebook.aspx

and download the file for the Gulf Freeway. There is an aerial view on page 13 (book page 156)

I took photographs of the demolition in 2001 (I think), but I don't have any online.

On TexasFreeway.Com there's a black & white photo taken in October of 1958 of the split of Texas highway 35 and U.S. Highway 75 (Gulf Freeway). On the left of the photo you can see Joske's and Sakowitz there in Gulfgate.

[musicman]

So now I'm curious. Since Gulfgate Shopping City became Gulfgate Mall, how has it been doing, business-wise, compared to other malls in Houston? I thought someone on this forum said that it might fold.

Business is great for the stores that are open.

[Ashikaga]

Business is great for the stores that are open.

Last year Subdude posted an excellent aerial view color photo of Gulfgate that was taken in the late 1950s/early 1960s. On it you can see the Winkler Drive-In Theatre. My parents and I went there when I was a little kid.

[foxmulder]

Business is great for the stores that are open.

The area behind HEB is vacant, Anyone have any idea what's going on? For a few years i've been hearing that the old Best Buy from Almeda Mall is moving to a new store thats supposed to be "built." Since i don't work for Wolfe i can't confirm.

[gnu]

The area behind HEB is vacant, Anyone have any idea what's going on? For a few years i've been hearing that the old Best Buy from Almeda Mall is moving to a new store thats supposed to be "built." Since i don't work for Wolfe i can't confirm.

I have heard the Best Buy rumour for a few years too. Just that a Best Buy was gonna be built there and not necessarily that they were closing the Almeda location.

Maybe Best Buy will expand their Almeda store now since the Hancock Fabrics next door is closing.

BTW...didn't that used to be Playhouse Toys in the 70's and 80's?

Edited June 30, 2006 by gnu

[foxmulder]

I have heard the Best Buy rumour for a few years too. Just that a Best Buy was gonna be built there and not necessarily that they were closing the Almeda location.

Maybe Best Buy will expand their Almeda store now since the Hancock Fabrics next door is closing.

BTW...didn't that used to be Playhouse Toys in the 70's and 80's?

Wow Hancocks is closing? JC penneys is too...

[Ashikaga]

Newberrys:

Someone asked about a store called Grant's about a week or two ago. You can see one on the right hand part of this photo.

[gnu]

One thing that I remember about Gulfgate is being told that it was built on top of an underground river or aquifer. I was skeptical about this as a five year old, but the parking lot in front of Joskes was a hill that had a steep slope down towards Woodridge. Down the hill there was a big manhole cover and if you stood over it you could always hear the sound of rushing water. I wondered if that was all dried up by the time they demolished the old place.

I also used to go to the bowling alley at Gulfgate to play pinball and sometimes bowl (but bowling was too expensive most of the time). If you ordered French Fries they would cut up an entire large potato by hand, fry it up and dump all those fries on all plate and give you a bottle of catsup. I think it cost a quarter and was more than I could eat.

it was built right over the top of plum creek. i think they put it into conduits and buried it.

[gnu]

So is there anything left of the creek now?

i think its still under gulfgate.

it comes out on the east side of 45

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...mp;t=k&om=1

it also goes underground again at 610 and broadway but then stays above ground weaving beside 610 and 225 until it hits sims bayou.

my guess is that this causes the frequent flooding at 610/broadway and in the area near stubbs cycles on telephone.

Edited August 1, 2006 by gnu

[Vertigo58]

The Gulfgate Cinema across the 610 frwy was really nice, I recall seeing the "original" Poseidon Adventure there many times that marks it at about 1972. Theater very nice/clean kept up. Families would line up all the way across the bridge to the mall. Screen was shaped as a huge curve all white appeared as if you could step into heaven. This is when Cinerama & Cinemascope were the big deal way before "wide screen" was even a phrase. I worked at Wilson's Jewelers dept store directly across. Large contemporary store with quality items. Joske's Dept was at the other end. Weingarten's grocery was at west end, I recall there was a guy (that worked at checkout) that all the girls were crazy about because he had a very Rod Stewart hair style. There was a of the very convenient & inexpensive Piccadilly Cafeteria used to pack em in. One of the women's clothing store had several models that would get in the display window and act like mannequins. The crowds would gather waiting to see her move and she seldom ever did. When you least expected it she would jump at you the crowd would flip out! Great publicity for the store though. There was always a Santa of course. Then there was the now legendary Bowling Alley downstairs beneath the record store. It was huge and very mod 60's. The best part of the mall was that it was created on a huge man-made hill. Way ahead of it's time as far as innovation so if there was flooding you were always safe on this big hill. There were and always will be shoplifting and car thefts but nothing as wide spread as today. Anyway I am gald to say I knew the area in its prime. I wonder what happended to all the cool friends I made while working there. Our cigarette buts are scattered under the rubble somewhere near the old bridge (this is where most of the teens would hide out to take a puff or 2) Thats the way it was. I am sure there are many with similar endearing memories!

[MidtownCoog]

You nailed it! Remember the Russell Stover's Candy outside Joske's? If I was a good kid I get those candy fruit slices when Mom finished shopping.

Joske's was always "stuffy" - like they did not want to run the a/c.

I saw Star Wars, Jason and the Argonauts and Pippi Longstocking at the theatre.

My parents would ride their bikes (me on back) up to the mall on Sunadays. We'd look in Sakowitz becuase legend was they used doberman pinchers to guard the store. This was about the same time a movie was out where people were attacked by guard dogs inside an apartment store.

I think I was 3 or 4 at the time.

[texianjoe]

I worked at the Gulfgate Cinema a couple of summers in 70 thru 73. I was working there when M.A.S.H. premiered, also Dirty Harry and McQ.. We traded movie passes for food at the deli by the Weingartens I think it was called Mises'. Later I worked for Joskes at the Post Oak store in the early 80s but would fill in for the Credit Manager at the Gulfgate store when she would go on vacation. My senior ring came from the Zales there. A friend of mine drove a 64 Dart and he would drive it through the tunnel under the mall at night. Ahh memories of our youth.

joe

[texianjoe]

Even though not part of the mall you can't talk about the Gulfgate and General Cinema area with out mentioning the Carousel Motel. The sign on the freeway side had a carousel that turned on top of it. It was nice in it's prime and then in the early 80s got a bad reputation as haven for prostitutes and drug addicts. In the mid 70s I hung out at the Carousel Club. It was a round night club at the top of the main tower on the 610 side. They had a live band, it was before the disco era. It was finally demolished sometime in the late 80s. I can't remember when, just one day I noticed it was gone.

joe

[Subdude]

Even though not part of the mall you can't talk about the Gulfgate and General Cinema area with out mentioning the Carousel Motel. The sign on the freeway side had a carousel that turned on top of it. It was nice in it's prime and then in the early 80s got a bad reputation as haven for prostitutes and drug addicts. In the mid 70s I hung out at the Carousel Club. It was a round night club at the top of the main tower on the 610 side. They had a live band, it was before the disco era. It was finally demolished sometime in the late 80s. I can't remember when, just one day I noticed it was gone.

joe

There are some existing topics about this. Try here and here.

[Vertigo58]

I worked at the Gulfgate Cinema a couple of summers in 70 thru 73. I was working there when M.A.S.H. premiered, also Dirty Harry and McQ.. We traded movie passes for food at the deli by the Weingartens I think it was called Mises'. Later I worked for Joskes at the Post Oak store in the early 80s but would fill in for the Credit Manager at the Gulfgate store when she would go on vacation. My senior ring came from the Zales there. A friend of mine drove a 64 Dart and he would drive it through the tunnel under the mall at night. Ahh memories of our youth.

joe

Fast forward from my original Gulfgate Cinema thread 1972. When the theater had midnight movies in the early 80's thats when it started it real decline. Reason I say is we were with several rows of friends & other local hippies watching Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" when we heard a muffled pop. Didn't think much of it until we saw the exit door swing open as someone fled. Apparently that person didn't like the other one so he shot em! That was to be my LAST time there. It closed shortly after. Quite a contrast from the innocent days. They carried the poor guy to the lobby in a pool of blood in front of the concession stand. We were just stunned. Never got to see the end of the cool film either. Just went ahead and bought the album.

[texianjoe]

There are some existing topics about this. Try here and here.

That was intresting reading, thanks for the link. Here all these years I thought I was just doing really good with these women at the club.

joe

[Vertigo58]

Even though not part of the mall you can't talk about the Gulfgate and General Cinema area with out mentioning the Carousel Motel. The sign on the freeway side had a carousel that turned on top of it. It was nice in it's prime and then in the early 80s got a bad reputation as haven for prostitutes and drug addicts. In the mid 70s I hung out at the Carousel Club. It was a round night club at the top of the main tower on the 610 side. They had a live band, it was before the disco era. It was finally demolished sometime in the late 80s. I can't remember when, just one day I noticed it was gone.

joe

I recall it had a Carousel theme throughout too. Seemed big must have been built during the 1950's or early 60's maybe because it was in a perfect location for tourists visiting the city because of the new Astrodome, etc? We would go there with groups of friends in the very early 80's to hear the country/rock bands ie: 38 Special type of music and for the very inexpensive brew & free buffet. Rare for it's day in that area. I think it had several pool tables too. That was the days when bars were allowed to advertise "Drink & Drown night" and "Beach Party Blow-Out!" Not to be seen again.

[musicman]

Fast forward from my original Gulfgate Cinema thread 1972. When the theater had midnight movies in the early 80's thats when it started it real decline. Reason I say is we were with several rows of friends & other local hippies watching Neil Young's "Rust Never Sleeps" when we heard a muffled pop. Didn't think much of it until we saw the exit door swing open as someone fled. Apparently that person didn't like the other one so he shot em! That was to be my LAST time there. It closed shortly after. Quite a contrast from the innocent days. They carried the poor guy to the lobby in a pool of blood in front of the concession stand. We were just stunned. Never got to see the end of the cool film either. Just went ahead and bought the album.

Never heard that! I remember the last movie I saw there was Jaws 3-D. The 80's were rough on the whole area. One of my best friends used to work at Walter Pye's. I remember she told me that the mgmt told employees to take their mileage when parking cause kids would take cars for joy rides and bring it back and park in the same spot. I guess those were better times. Now they just leave em on an abandoned street and set em on fire.

That was intresting reading, thanks for the link. Here all these years I thought I was just doing really good with these women at the club.

The more you pay, the better you would have done!

[chrispy]

The Gulfgate Cinema across the 610 frwy was really nice, I recall seeing the "original" Poseidon Adventure there many times that marks it at about 1972. Theater very nice/clean kept up. Families would line up all the way across the bridge to the mall. Screen was shaped as a huge curve all white appeared as if you could step into heaven. This is when Cinerama & Cinemascope were the big deal way before "wide screen" was even a phrase. I worked at Wilson's Jewelers dept store directly across. Large contemporary store with quality items. Joske's Dept was at the other end. Weingarten's grocery was at west end, I recall there was a guy (that worked at checkout) that all the girls were crazy about because he had a very Rod Stewart hair style. There was a of the very convenient & inexpensive Piccadilly Cafeteria used to pack em in. One of the women's clothing store had several models that would get in the display window and act like mannequins. The crowds would gather waiting to see her move and she seldom ever did. When you least expected it she would jump at you the crowd would flip out! Great publicity for the store though. There was always a Santa of course. Then there was the now legendary Bowling Alley downstairs beneath the record store. It was huge and very mod 60's. The best part of the mall was that it was created on a huge man-made hill. Way ahead of it's time as far as innovation so if there was flooding you were always safe on this big hill. There were and always will be shoplifting and car thefts but nothing as wide spread as today. Anyway I am gald to say I knew the area in its prime. I wonder what happended to all the cool friends I made while working there. Our cigarette buts are scattered under the rubble somewhere near the old bridge (this is where most of the teens would hide out to take a puff or 2) Thats the way it was. I am sure there are many with similar endearing memories!

Was the record store Pickwick Music back then? I recall that's what it was called back in '79 or so.