Houston Historic Retail

Kingwood will be one grocery store richer this weekend, after the December 5th grand opening of their new Trader Joe’s. The new store, located at 600 Kingwood Dr, Kingwood, TX 77339, occupies about one-third of a former Randalls site. The new Trader Joe’s is part of a national expansion effort that has brought three new stores to the Houston area. Including this one, the Sugar Land location, which opened last year, and a location in …

Some long-standing retail rumors may come true if a planned redevelopment of the former Macy’s at Almeda Mall takes place. When Macy’s closed earlier this year, rumors began swirling about what was coming for the property. The building predates the mall and was suspected by many to be demolished to accomplish any redevelopment of the land. However, according to renderings and a site plan produced by the real estate firm handling redevelopment, the old Foley’s …

Books-A-Million will hold a grand opening for its first new store in Houston since 2008 this weekend. The new store, located at 28640 US-290, Cypress, TX 77433, had a soft opening last week and will hold a grand opening celebration tomorrow, Saturday, November 22nd. The celebration will include tote bag giveaways and opportunities to win gift cards. The store is one of three locations taking over former Party City spaces. The other locations will be …

Houston’s first look into the world of European department stores begins tomorrow with the grand opening of Primark at Katy Mills Mall. The store is a mix of a fast-fashion retailer and an off-price department store. The store will sell clothing, alongside home goods. Shoppers of Primark often compare its clothing selection to Zara or H&M, while its prices and broader selection are more like TJ Maxx or Ross. This location will be the first …

Editor’s Note: The following post is one of a handful from my summer vacation. It could be considered the “Random Retail” category of non-Houston retail posts, but I’m using The New Mexico Files title for this post. Do you remember a few months ago when I made a post about Drug Emporium in Amarillo? Well, what I didn’t mention then was that I was on a summer trip with my girlfriend, and this post brings …

Last weekend, the Kroger at 13133 Veterans Memorial Dr, Houston, TX 77014, near Bammel North Houston Road, quietly shut its doors for good. This store is the fifth Kroger in the Houston area to close in 2025. The closings are part of a broader restructuring plan where Kroger aims to close around 60 locations nationwide. Houston’s other Kroger closings included locations in The Woodlands, Dickinson, two in West Houston, and now this location. A commonality …

Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR! If you weren’t planning on having BBQ for lunch today, maybe save this post for later in the day, because I’m salivating just writing it. Today we’re doing something out of the ordinary. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I’m no stranger to restaurant reviews. I always enjoyed Ken Hoffman’s fast-food reviews far more than a gourmand’s tear-down of a fancy French meal, and I aim …

Dutch Bros recently opened its newest location at the corner of Greenbriar and University. The drive-thru coffee shop took over the former Salad & Go shortly before the chain exited Houston. After renovations, Dutch Bros held a soft opening in mid-October and opened more permanently last week. This will be the second area Dutch Bros opened in a reused building. The recently opened Baytown Dutch Bros was in a building that Salad and Go constructed, …

Happy Halloween, HHR Readers. Today, we’re revisiting a tradition and visiting three costume conversions. We’ll start at Katy Mills Mall, move on to a former Party City, and make a surprising stop at an ex-HEB. If you like old retail, you’re sure to enjoy this one! Without further ado, let’s head on to the stores! Katy Mills First, we find ourselves at Katy Mills Mall. This store originally started as Casual Corner when the mall …

HEB opened its first new Houston-area store in 2025 this morning. The new HEB, located at 29711 Jordan Crossing Blvd, Katy, TX 77494, is in the middle of the new Jordan Ranch master-planned community on the west side of Katy. It is the first mainline supermarket in the neighborhood. That being said, the area was not lacking in stores, with a Kroger in nearby Firethorne being the nearest option before this. While HEB has opened …