Category: Random Retail

If you took a snapshot of Houston’s Asian retail scene even just 10 years ago, it was largely dominated by Chinese and Vietnamese stores. Since 2016, that has slowly been changing, and while Japanese retailers are still “playing catch-up,” they have a much stronger foothold than they did even just 10 years ago. Today, we’ll be focusing on Seiwa Market, Houston’s premier Japanese supermarket. Before we dive too deep, though, I think it’s worth noting …

7 Brew will soon move into the former Salad & Go located at 3000 N Durham Dr, Houston, TX 77018, according to permits filed by the drive-thru coffee shop. The Arkansas-based company, founded in 2017, first expanded to Texas in 2023 and has used a careful approach to selecting smaller towns and the outskirts of cities to establish itself against better-known competitors like Starbucks and Dutch Bros. This new location will be a slight departure …

Specialty grocer Trader Joe’s is planning another Houston-area location. The new store is slated for 21364 Kuykendahl Rd, Spring, TX 77379. The store will be a new construction, filling the gap between the current Planet Fitness (former Palais Royal/Gordmans) and the Cinemark movie theater in the Spring Town Center shopping center. The new store will face Kukyendahl Road and will be just North of the recently closed Kroger, FM 2920, and Kukyendahl. At the moment, …

HHR has confirmed that Drury Hotels plans to close its final Houston area location in May 2026. The hotel chain once had five locations across the Houston area. The Energy Corridor location at I-10 and Highway 6 was sold to Best Western around 2020. Around the same time, the Hobby Airport Drury, located off Mosley near the Gulf Freeway, was sold to GreenTree Hotels, a Chinese company that has since passed the location to another …

Work crews have been spotted at Northwest Mall for the first time in nearly a decade. The interior of the mall, which closed in March 2017, actually had a small crew begin work later that year as part of an aborted plan to renovate the space. After this plan was abandoned, tenants with exterior access slowly closed over the following years, with Thompson’s Antique Center being the last out in 2022. Since then, the mall …

Walgreens has had a long and complicated relationship with Houston. Today, we’re taking a brief look at that relationship and one of the many impacts it had on our retail scene via a store at 5002 Bellaire Blvd, Bellaire, TX 77401. First, a bit of history: Walgreens has been in Houston since 1929. They expanded here by buying a local chain, and immediately became a recognizable brand. Their endeavors in Houston outpaced those of just …

Kroger has partnered with Dunkin’ Donuts to bring kiosks to two Houston-area stores. The kiosks will sell the chain’s signature pastries and made-to-order beverages, in an attempt to capitalize on a market that has mostly belonged to Starbucks. The two stores in question, 12620 Woodforest Blvd, Houston, TX 77015 (near Jacinto City) and 10250 Hwy 6, Missouri City, TX 77459 (Fort Bend Parkway at Highway 6), both appear to have never had a Starbucks kiosk. …

Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR. Today’s post is truly random retail, as we’ll be looking at a DK Gas Station. While the post has no direct connection to Houston, it does at least pertain to retail, so let’s get started! Our story starts in the 80s, after years of growth, Southland Corporation, the owner of 7-Eleven, Reddy Ice, Chief Auto Parts, and many other retail ventures, had overextended itself. By the mid-80s, rumors …

Sysco To Go is located in the Town & Country area, just a stones throw from Syco’s Corporate HQ. Distribution giant Sysco announced on Monday its plans to acquire Jetro Restaurant Depot. Restaurant Depot is a well-established cash-and-carry wholesaler that has been in Houston since 2005. The chain traces its heritage to South African billionaire Nathan Kirsh, who helped found Jetro Cash & Carry in 1976. Jetro eventually merged with competitor Restaurant Depot, combining their …

The Randalls at 5161 San Felipe St, Houston, TX 77056 has recently begun its going-out-of-business sale. According to reader reports, the store is still decently stocked, and Albertsons has pulled in their “normal” mixed bins of general merchandise to begin the sale. The location originally opened in 1996 and was the first construction on the site. The corner at Sage and San Felipe was one of the last vacant corners in the Galleria/Uptown area. It …