Deep Discounter, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet first laid its eyes on the Texas market in 2018 with the opening of a distribution center. The next few years saw Ollie’s popping up mostly in former Toys ‘R Us locations throughout the country, a few in Texas. By early 2021, the retailer had already opened a branch in Clute and was starting work on their first location in Houston. The Jones Road Ollie’s would open in November of …
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Anything related to retail that doesn’t fit anywhere else.
Vintage Ads: Finding Bargains at North Oaks Mall and Elsewhere in 1989
Editor’s Note: Today’s post is a guest submission from HHR’s good friend Anonymous in Houston Longtime readers here at Houston Historic Retail might remember our Vintage Ads series of posts. It’s been a while since we’ve posted a new Vintage Ads post so it seems like a good time to make a new installment in the series. This installment of the series will look at retail ads from the August 16, 1989 issue of the …
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Now & Taking Forever, who’s behind the new Walgreen’s Gas Station on Highway 6?
Update 7/17/22: Over 2 weeks later, I realized that a draft version of this was published, well the full thing is here now! Anyone whose driven near West Oaks Mall recently has probably seen the work being done to a former Walgreens building at the corner of Westheimer and Highway 6. If you’ve been following this blog for a while you may have seen the building before. We checked it out in 2019 as a …
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Tennis Express to move from old Westheimer Handy Dan to Combo Office-Warehosue
Tennis Express, Houston’s largest Tennis Specialty Store is soon to be on the move, although it won’t be relocating far from its current Westchase digs. The new facility is located a former C&J Energy Services Building. The new salesfloor will take over the former offices on the first floor, with second-story office space going untouched. The sales floor will likely be slightly smaller than their Westheimer location, with the biggest upgrade going to Tennis Express’ …
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Finally Checking Out Game Over’s new Summit Square digs
Howdy folks, and welcome to Houston Historic Retail! Game Over Videogames is a place you need to know about if you read this blog. Before we talk about the move, let’s talk about Game Over. As chances are if you’re into retro retail you’re into retro things in general, and Game Over provides my favorite retro game buying experience in Houston. That’s not to say they’re the most exclusive retro buying experience, but their combination …
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This HEB was an Albertson’s Grocery Palace, not so much lately though
Howdy folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail. Today we’re checking out another Heberstons, this one at 10251 Kempwood Dr, Houston, TX 77043, if you were here the last time we took a look at an Albertsons turned HEB, it was down in Clear Lake. While we were there we discussed how the closing and relocation of that store was likely for the best. Even with the distaste that modern HEB decor leaves with …
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Retail News: Living Spaces, to take over former HEB spot at Westheimer & Fountain View
For the past 7 years, a prime piece of real estate just west of the Galleria. The former HEB at Westheimer and Fountain View shut their doors in early 2015, after a replacement location opened on San Felipe. As a grocery store, this location was notable as it was Houston’s first full-line HEB location, replacing the Pantry Foods concept. After shutting its doors 7 years ago, the space has temporarily reopened for pop-ups like Spirit …
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Randall’s Weslayan Remodel brings up traces of a Weingartens past
Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR. Over these past few weeks, we’ve discussed the slow dissolution of Randalls throughout the Houston area. As of this post, we’re down to 15 Houston area stores and only a couple more over in Austin. As sad as this is, there was a point where Randalls was king of Houston, and as could pretty much do whatever they wanted. By the early 80s, Randalls was becoming a dominant …
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Barnes & Noble booted from Vanderbilt Square, and why this could mean trouble for Randall’s
Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR. We’re coming to you today with some sad news, which seems to happen more often than not lately. The second to last Barnes & Noble location inside the loop has quietly shut its doors after a nearly 30-year stay in the shopping center. Located at 3003 W Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77025 along with Randall’s, the stores represent the center’s original anchors. According to an interview with Community …
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Retail News: Tim Horton’s Expansion Plans go beyond Katy
Tim Horton’s is on the brink of arriving in Houston. The Canadian Coffee and Donut Shop marks one of many chain doughnut shops trying their hand in Houston at the present time. Dunkin’ and Krispy Kreme still fall second in terms of notoriety to local chain Shipley’s. At this point, Timmy’s has filed permits for three locations in Texas, all located within the Houston area. These stores represent the chain’s furthest Southern stores, outside of …
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