As part of Amazon’s restructuring of their retail arm, two Houston area retailers will soon close their doors. Amazon Books and Amazon 4-Star will be phased out of Amazon’s brick-and-mortar operations. Each store has one branch in the Houston area. With Amazon Books at Baybrook Mall, and Amazon 4-Star in Deerbrook Mall. This will leave Amazon’s physical presence in Houston to only Whole Foods. Prior to the writing of this article, the Amazon-associated retailer I …
Read moreCategory: Random Retail
Anything related to retail that doesn’t fit anywhere else.
James Coney Deserted Island, a Meadows Place Story
Update 4/27: For those on the Google crusade of trying to figure out why this location closed, it seems the property is being redeveloped as Cabo Bob’s an Austin-based taco house (Thanks Gruffbear!) If this has been helpful to you, consider following me on Facebook or other platforms for more regular updates! Howdy folks, and welcome to Houston Historic Retail. Today we’re checking out a James Coney Island, which truly is, on an island. Let’s …
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Handy Randalls, the store that killed an HEB still here 50 years later
Howdy, folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail! Today we’re taking an in-depth look at one of Houston’s former Handy Andy stores. If you’re not in the know about Handy Andy, let me give you a little background. They were a grocer based out of San Antonio who expanded to Houston in the 1970s. During the initial phases of their expansion, things went quite well with the Becker family, who owned the stores, building …
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Northwest Mall’s days are numbered as final tenant prepares to move out for proposed High-Speed Rail Station
When Northwest Mall closed its interior in 2017, it was under the auspicious news of a remodel and refresh. Levcor Properties, then owner, claimed that the mall would be revamped and soon reopened to help complement the revitalizing Spring Branch area. It all happened so long ago, that it was reported on Swamplot, which is where I first heard about the mall’s impending closure. As this closure was only to be temporary, Levcor allowed tenants …
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Sears Willowbrook, Grand Opening Weekend! The latest on Fast Eddie’s Sears schemes
Howdy folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail! Today we’re going to revisit the Willowbrook Sears location which you might have seen earlier at HHR in this post about the history of Willowbrook Mall or in this post about the Spirit Halloween store that opened in the Willowbrook Sears after it closed in 2020. Je of the Louisiana & Texas Retail Blog also has some photos of this Sears back when it was open …
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Check out this “Shell” of a Luby’s that still sells fried chicken
Howdy folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail! Today, we’re taking a look at something unusual! A former Luby’s at 108 W Greens Rd, Houston, TX 77067 that is still selling Fried Chicken, but is also a Shell Station! This isn’t some kind of Krispy Krunchy situation, we’re talking a real Fried Chicken restaurant here. An actual Church’s operates out of the kitchen and to-go portion of this former Luby’s, while the Shell occupies …
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Deauville Mall Spring, One of Houston’s first Dead Malls
Howdy fans and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail. Today you’re in for a treat, I took my first visit to one of the Deauville Fashion Malls. For those not in the know, the Deauville Fashion Malls were a failed concept by local property developer the Deauville Corporation, an apartment and shopping center builder. Essentially the idea was born out of a desire to get into developing malls, but after a failed attempt at building …
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Sellers Bros C-Stores the only branch left for this Grocery family tree
Howdy retail fans, and welcome! Today I have to start off with some delayed “breaking news” Longtime Houston grocery chain Sellers Bros. has been sold! Yes, it’s true, in a quiet move sometime towards the end of 2019, the Sellers family sold their grocery operations to Rafael Ortega, owner of La Michoacana Markets. As of yet, no public announcement has been made of the sale, however, Sellers Bros offices have closed, and all paperwork refers …
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Randallsarama still the nicest grocery store in Inwood
Howdy folks, and welcome back to Houston Historic Retail. If you’re one of our more recent fans and have yet to check out a Randallsarama, consider giving my 2021 visit to one a look. I’ll be making some references to it in this post, and it’s also the birth of the HHR Dictionary, with other entries like Krogerstons popping up more recently. Foodarama is no stranger to former Randall’s locations, they seem to flock to …
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Wienerschnitzel’s tiny Houston return
Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR aka Houston’s Hotdog Rankings. Today I have to start off with a confession, I like Wienerschnitzel probably more than any other hot dog chain around. I’ve tried a good few of them as well. Including, A&W, Dogs n Suds, Nathans Famous, Skyline Chili, and of course on multiple occasions local chain James Coney Island. Now to add some confusion to the process, if you’d have asked me 10 …
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