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 …
Read moreAuthor: Mike
My name is Mike and I am the founder of the Houston Historic Retail! I have been running this site since 2015. For more information check out the About page!
What 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 …
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This 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 …
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Retail 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. …
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This 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 …
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Why the newest Target in Houston was actually an early Christmas Present
With all the craziness this year I haven’t had much time to tend to my blog. I was hoping to have this post out much earlier, but today we’ll be talking about why the newest Target in Houston is so special. With the holiday season wrapping up, there’s a good chance you’ve been to a Target lately, or at least in their parking lot. Target has an old history in Houston, they were the second …
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This Week in Demolition: The Most Dangerous Gas Station in the World
Welcome back to another Demolition Report. I’m trying a new format in which I compile the entire week into one post. Let me know what you think in the comments! This week we see more commercial properties, and some expensive new houses. Maybe some demo permits were issued as Christmas presents. Anyways, one building that caught my eye was the former Valero off of Highway 6. This gas station is about halfway between Westheimer and …
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This Week in Demolition: What’s Pappa’s Plan?
Welcome back to another Demolition Report. I’m trying a new format in which I compile the entire week into one post. Let me know what you think in the comments! This week we see a far wider selection of homes, with Demolition permits coming in from all around the city. One house that stuck out this week is what appears to be an original 1930s house with a second story addition from the 1950s. Interesting …
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This Week in Demolition: The Heights loses a Theater
Welcome back to another Demolition Report. This time I’m trying a new format in which I compile the entire week into one post. Let me know what you think in the comments! This week we see a large number of older houses on the South side being purchased by individuals. As well we take a look at the single commercial demolition from the week. This is a list of the buildings which received a …
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The Ghost of Sears Past | Willowbrook Sears dresses up for Halloween
As of 2020 Sears has nearly left the Houston area. They have shutdown all but the Pasadena store, sold their outlet chain, and shutdown all area Hometown stores. It’s really a shame for a chain that once had a major influence over the Greater Houston area. Their presence in this town was built as the city grew starting downtown and expanding to the suburbs as our sprawl progressed. In 1978 Sears announced plans for three …
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