If you’re at all like me then you’re a person who pays attention to the city’s “signscape”. A littered mess of stylish corporate identities mixed side by side with generic bold letter text. Many signs around Houston are in foreign languages, you can easily find them in Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, Hindi, and most often Spanish. An interesting addition to our signscape is CVS y más. Literally it means CVS and more, and the differences aren’t just sign deep. The stores are designed to cater to Hispanic clientele offering an extended product selection, advertising and signage in Spanish, and bilingual staff. …
Keep readingMonth: January 2021
This Week in Demolition: An updated 40s bungalow in Garden Oaks to the chopping block!
One thing I have learned from doing demolition reports, is that some weeks it can be hard to find a demo worth writing anything about. This Week in Demolition, we’re spoiled for choice. Some houses of note this week include second place 12122 Mossycup a 1950s Tudor in Memorial Forest, 2426 Goldsmith a thoroughly ugly but minimally renovated 1940s house South of Rice, and 813 1/2 Columbia a 1920s Garage apartment in the Heights. The Heights property is likely the first structure to exist on that property and is a sad loss from a historical point. Of course, the biggest …
Keep reading7-Eleven is starting to get in the swing of things
Today we’re dropping in on a brand new convenience store! The last time we discussed 7-Eleven on the blog we found that progress on new stores in the Houston area was extremely slow. It all started in 2013 when the company acquired four Tetco stores to convert to 7-Eleven locations. By 2014 these locations would be had their names and signs changed and were carrying 7-Eleven branded products. It seemed like things were on track for future conversions, however this was the only progress that would be made for several years. In 2018 Stripes and Laredo Taco Co. were both …
Keep readingThis Week In Demolition: A Housing Identity Crisis
Welcome back to This Week in Demolition! This week, we see a dip in residential demolitions, and an increase in commercial tear downs. Let’s start off this week by taking a look at a house that seems to have trouble deciding on what it wants to be. On the outside 11850 Durrette has a very subdued appearance. You’d be forgiven for thinking that the simple white paint, and tasteful modern look of the lawn are kept on the inside as well. Once inside your first indication that you’re getting into something else is the Spanish Hacienda tile floor while nothing …
Keep readingRetail News: Krispy Kreme Closes, My Fit Foods Returns, and the Montrose shakeup continues
Have a retail tip you want to share? Houston Historic Retail now has a Twitter Account! @RetailHouston Krispy Kreme Closes in Pasadena Krispy Kreme in Pasadena has turned from temporarily to permanently closed. Signs have been removed from the store and broken up. Outside of large chunks of plastic signage behind the store everything else was intact. It’s possible Krispy Kreme may try to find a new franchisee for this location. However, given the fact that expansion has been quite slow it also could be that Krispy Kreme is having trouble in our market. The first attempt at Krispy Kreme …
Keep readingThis Week in Demolition: Marching orders given for a 1930s bungalow in Rice Military
Welcome back to This Week in Demolition! This week we have an almost completely residential mix with some real gems that should have been saved and a few that needed to go. Let’s start by taking a look at some of the demolitions of note from the week. The cover story is similar to last week, 4617 Gibson is another 1930s home that has been kept tastefully up to date. A house that was less tastefully updated is 2038 Banks while the exterior is quite nice the split level kitchen with obscured headroom is a dealbreaker for me. 703 Timberline …
Keep readingWhat Happens when a Valero doesn’t become a Circle K?
Today, we’re taking a quick look at a gas station in an unusual situation- a former Valero Corner Store that was not selected to be converted to Circle K. This location was built in Fredericksburg, TX in 1985. Based on the exterior features, it seems to have been a Corner Store from day one. Diamond Shamrock’s rural stores contained far fewer services compare to their urban counterparts, but they were still comparable to their ever expanding competitors. After a series of take overs, mergers, and sell offs, what was once Diamond Shamrock’s Corner Store concept was sold to Circle K. …
Keep readingThis Week in Demolition: Bulldozers to a 1938 Boulevard Oaks Bungalow
Happy “Demolition” New Year! This is the first post of the year to contain demolition permits issued in 2021. This week we see an uptick in the number permits issued for pre-1950 homes, mostly in great condition. Along with two art deco apartment buildings in the medical center. Some of the homes worth taking a look at this week include 3445 Wickersham a two story home in the heart of River Oaks including a garage apartment, 927 Lamont a well maintained 1948 single story home with a gorgeous backyard, and of course our cover story this week 1920 Banks. The …
Keep readingRetail News: Disco Kroger Closes, On Cue Opens, and Bill Miller has their eyes on West Houston
Happy New Year loyal reader, and welcome to another edition of retail news. This month we’re taking a look at a few different developments throughout the city. Disco Kroger Closes Let’s start with a bit of a letdown. Unfortunately, the Kroger at 3030 Montrose Boulevard, more affectionately known as Disco Kroger, is set to close tomorrow January 7th. I visited December 30th and the pharmacy along with most full-service departments had already been shut down. Shelves were still being stocked with what seemed to be overstock from nearby stores, but supplies were dwindling. Based on supply levels when I visited …
Keep readingThis Week in Demolition: Sticking out like a sore thumb
Welcome back to another edition of This Week in Demolition! This week the Oak Forest massacre continues with three more houses biting the dust. Other items of interest on the list include some older Houston houses This includes 1340 Waverly a 1920s shotgun house, 2142 Chilton a 1935 Original River Oaks Home, and 2005 Brun a 1935 home which doesn’t quite fit the neighborhood anymore. This house is dwarfed by the multiunit structures to the right, and looks downright out of the past. From the window units I remember growing up, to the power and phone just cutting through the …
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