Category: News

A mock-up of the planned South Lake IKEA small format store. Photo Source: IKEA Newsroom

Retail News: IKEA planning new small-format location for Cinco Ranch

Based on permits filed with the state, and realty details mentioned in Ralph Bivin’s latest RNR Bulletin, Swedish Furniture Retailer, IKEA is working on opening a second location in the Houston area. The new store is to be located in the La Centerra Shopping Center in Katy. Rather than being a full-size showroom and warehouse 200k+ Sqft store, this new location will only clock in at about 5,000 Sqft. While IKEA has yet to publish …

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Retail News: What’s in the plans for West Oaks after nearly 40 years?

Update: West Oaks Mall Management contacted HHR with the following statement: Anchors, including Dillards, The Outlet, Fortis College, and Crazy Boss, remain open. In addition, there are inline retailers and restaurants that remain open. These stores have active leases and customers, and access to these stores and restaurants is not restricted. Any questions regarding this mall should be directed to [email protected] Earlier this week, West Oaks Mall shut down interior access to their few remaining …

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Retail News: River Oaks Ex-KFC to house another fried chicken joint

According to permits filed recently, Layne’s Chicken Fingers appears to be headed to River Oaks. The new restaurant will rehab a former KFC located at 2359 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019. The KFC, which closed in 2016, long enough ago that Swamplot covered it, has sat continuously vacant for nearly seven years. College Station-based Layne’s Chicken Fingers (LFC) is being franchised locally by the Houston franchisee of Halal Guys and has collocated their two …

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Retail News: Houston’s first Shoppers World opens June 8th

Shoppers World will open its first Houston location on June 8th, according to the Houston Business Journal.  The store at 10701 Jones Rd, Houston, TX 77065, will complete the reconfiguration of the former Target in Steeplechase Plaza. The building was vacated in 2006 when Target, which built the structure, moved to a larger location along FM 1960. The first portion to be redeveloped was the right third of the building, which was renovated as a …

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A rendering of the proposed mixed used tower. Source: PropertyCommerce.com

Retail News: Target proposed for Heights area residential tower

A block in the Heights at W. 26th between Durham and N. Shepherd is currently undergoing the planning stages of redevelopment. At the end of 2022, WGS Retail Investments announced plans to redevelop the existing business on this land. Their plan involves demolishing the industrial sheds and former homes that had all turned to retail use by the 21st century. The plan as it stands now is to construct a low-rise 8-story residential tower, with …

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Retail News: Trill Burgers work shows on former James Coney Island

The former James Coney Island, located at 3607 S Sheperd Dr. Houston, TX 77098, has been slated to reopen as local rapper Bun B’s Smash Burger concept Trill Burger since closing last year. Work started on the interior earlier this year, as reported here on HHR. However, this last week the first stages of exterior change began. A new black and gold paint job, in addition to updated signage, has all been applied. Photos from …

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A P. Terry's Sign Credit: bruthanick

Retail News: Stafford gains a Target location, and P Terry’s makes Houston promises… again

Target has filed permits for a new store in the Stafford mixed-use development, The Grid. Likely to be located next to the present Costco Business Center, the new store will come in around 125,000 Square Feet. This will be an average-size store for Target, about 20k Sq ft less than their new Katy store. For comparison, the Walmart across West Airport Blvd from The Grid is almost 100,000 Square Feet larger, representing one of the …

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Retail News: Foodarama holds official Texas City grand opening this week

Grand opening sales and festivities at Foodarama’s newest location at 915 6th St N, Texas City, TX 77590, will commence this week. Foodarama, which is turning 50 this year, took over this location in late December 2022 from the previous operator Food King. Personnel from Foodarama disclosed to Houston Historic Retail that they had planned on removing some of the remaining Grand Union-era decor features, such as the overhead mural above the checkout, but had …

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Retail News: Shoppers World confirmed as coming to Houston

Shopper’s World is in the process of finishing out the former Target space in the Steeplechase Center seen here in 2021. Houston Historic Retail first reported that New York-based Shoppers World is planning on bringing one of their discount department stores to Houston last October. While the company has yet to release any official statement on its new Houston store, its list of locations has been updated to include 10701C Jones Road, Houston, TX 77065. …

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Fuddrucker’s Houston outlook is mostly grim

Howdy folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail. Today we’re trying to figure out What the Fudds is going on at Houston’s remaining Fuddruckers. Things began first publically to unravel for Fuddruckers towards the end of 2017 when parent company Luby’s Inc posted one of many continuous losses in sales. To help abate this, Luby’s Inc. would begin closing locations nationwide. Throughout 2017 and 2018, a number of low-performing Luby’s and Fuddruckers locations would …

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