Thursday, January 27, 2011
Hastings Huntsville Texas
This is a short article about the Hastings chain of music, books, games, and novelties. Hastings according to Wikipedia is a company based in Texas that is in 21 states mostly in smaller communities. This is the only store near Houston that still exists in the city of Huntsville Texas. The store is best described as a blockbuster video, gamestop, spencers, mini barnes and noble all together in one location. This concept is very similar to the Media Play stores that closed a few years ago. Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_Entertainment
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
PlazAmericas Tour Jan 26, 2010
I finally had the chance to meet with management at the PlazAmericas Mall today. They took me on a tour and they were very gracious answering my questions. I did not take any photos, but the tour was great and I got to see parts of the mall that are behind closed doors. The mall management is very aggressive with filling space and they are focused on providing a family friendly safe environment with extra security. There are many projects going on and the mall will soon be mostly filled. For more details visit their website at http://www.plazamericas.com/en/home.aspx
The Mercado is almost open; the finishing touches are being put on the construction work. The mercado has several spaces for stores, salons, and restaurants. The mercado also has a nice family lounge with televisions, a chapel, and an airplane for the kids to check out. The mercado takes up a large amount of space and will bring many more customers to the mall.
An old image from a few months ago.
The Cinema is under renovation and we toured the building. The cinema had some hurricane damage that is being cleaned up and will reopen soon. The cinema is still set up from the previous company and all of the neon was on during our visit today.
An old image from last year.
The Mercado is almost open; the finishing touches are being put on the construction work. The mercado has several spaces for stores, salons, and restaurants. The mercado also has a nice family lounge with televisions, a chapel, and an airplane for the kids to check out. The mercado takes up a large amount of space and will bring many more customers to the mall.
An old image from a few months ago.
The Cinema is under renovation and we toured the building. The cinema had some hurricane damage that is being cleaned up and will reopen soon. The cinema is still set up from the previous company and all of the neon was on during our visit today.
An old image from last year.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Greenspoint Mall Quick Update Dec 2010 & Jan 11
As of Jan 26 the cinema is getting the finishing touches put on and looks almost ready to open.
December 2010
This is one entrance to the former Sears; you can see inside of the mall through here. This section of the mall was walled off when Sears closed, but the lights are still on. Not much has changed on the inside of the mall; a Toys R US pop up store opened near Macy's but just for Christmas shopping.
Anna's Linens closed up their location here recently.
The cinema is almost finished beginning the redevelopment of the mall. There are plans for an open air plaza with restaurants and stores called the renaissance at Greenspoint. There are also plans for a 25 story office tower in the parking lot of the mall facing Greenspoint Drive. At this point only the cinema has been the only part of this project that has been constructed.
December 2010
This is one entrance to the former Sears; you can see inside of the mall through here. This section of the mall was walled off when Sears closed, but the lights are still on. Not much has changed on the inside of the mall; a Toys R US pop up store opened near Macy's but just for Christmas shopping.
Anna's Linens closed up their location here recently.
The cinema is almost finished beginning the redevelopment of the mall. There are plans for an open air plaza with restaurants and stores called the renaissance at Greenspoint. There are also plans for a 25 story office tower in the parking lot of the mall facing Greenspoint Drive. At this point only the cinema has been the only part of this project that has been constructed.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Galleria Houston Macy's at Sage Wing
New photos from Aug 2011.
The third floor of the Macy's has the older 1980's style lights that you do not see in most stores these days.
The ceiling in the middle of the store has much more color and detail than the newer bland 2000's look.
Macy's from the street level. This is the only older designed Macy's still left in Houston. Back in the mid 1990's Macy's sold all of their Houston locations (Deerbrook, Baybrook, and Willowbrook) to Dillard's except the Galleria. Dillard's has completely remodeled and expanded all of those former locations except Deerbrook. Deerbrook was only updated inside and still looks like the Macy's on the outside.
Here is the Galleria Mall Map; we are at the section at the very top of the map in blue. This part of the mall is attached to the main Galleria through Saks Fifth Avenue, and this may be the reason that this part of the mall is struggling. The Foley's on the North side of the Galleria was rebranded Macy's and the new store has probably hurt traffic to this part of the mall. The Sharper Image, Fox Sports Grill, and several stores have closed in recent years further weakening this part of the mall.
This is the Macy's at Sage. This anchor has not been updated much since opening in the mid 1980's and the store has been rumored to be on the chopping block for a few years.
The entrance to Saks Fifth Avenue with the former Fox Sports Grill on the left.
Here is the rest of the wing; there is not much open on this side of the Galleria. A barber, two small restaurants, and a few clothing stores are open in this quiet wing of the Galleria. The former Fox Sports Grill is under renovation to become a sports club.
The third floor of the Macy's has the older 1980's style lights that you do not see in most stores these days.
Here is the Galleria Mall Map; we are at the section at the very top of the map in blue. This part of the mall is attached to the main Galleria through Saks Fifth Avenue, and this may be the reason that this part of the mall is struggling. The Foley's on the North side of the Galleria was rebranded Macy's and the new store has probably hurt traffic to this part of the mall. The Sharper Image, Fox Sports Grill, and several stores have closed in recent years further weakening this part of the mall.
This is the Macy's at Sage. This anchor has not been updated much since opening in the mid 1980's and the store has been rumored to be on the chopping block for a few years.
The entrance to Saks Fifth Avenue with the former Fox Sports Grill on the left.
Here is the rest of the wing; there is not much open on this side of the Galleria. A barber, two small restaurants, and a few clothing stores are open in this quiet wing of the Galleria. The former Fox Sports Grill is under renovation to become a sports club.
Monday, January 10, 2011
PlazAmericas Mall Nov & Dec Updates
The Mall Mercado is almost open. These photos are from the first and second floors of the mercado.
Two new restaurants in the food court.
Unknown storefront next to the former Macy's upper level mall entrance; very 1980's.
Finger Furniture slated to become a nightclub in the near future. The lights have been turned back on, so the work may be about to begin.
Clairewood Mercado entrance
Here are the newly revealed store fronts in the Clairewood Mercado wing.
Unknown
Sears Portrait Studio, this was located in front of the former JCPenney that had a photo studio inside; not an ideal location for this store in the mall. The sign has since been removed.
Could not make out the labelscar here.
Frame-It; the sign has since been removed. Oriental Arts still has the sign up for now.
H&H Music
Two new restaurants in the food court.
Unknown storefront next to the former Macy's upper level mall entrance; very 1980's.
Finger Furniture slated to become a nightclub in the near future. The lights have been turned back on, so the work may be about to begin.
Clairewood Mercado entrance
Here are the newly revealed store fronts in the Clairewood Mercado wing.
Unknown
Sears Portrait Studio, this was located in front of the former JCPenney that had a photo studio inside; not an ideal location for this store in the mall. The sign has since been removed.
Could not make out the labelscar here.
Frame-It; the sign has since been removed. Oriental Arts still has the sign up for now.
H&H Music
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Mall of the Mainland November 2010
Mall of the Mainland in Texas City has been acquired by Boxer Properties the same company that is bringing Plazamericas Mall (formerly Sharpstown Mall) back to life. Redevelopment of this mall will be much more challenging because of the close proximity to new retail developments in nearby Dickinson and Baybrook Mall a few miles north. The mall can succeed if they can attract big box retail in the former JCPenney space and possibly a mercado, medical or office space in the former Dillard's. Since half of the anchors on one side of the mall are closed and only a small handful of stores are still open on that half of the mall; the mall can also be reduced in size to better accommodate a new development. The remaining stores can be consolidated and the wing demolished with a new mini anchor or hotel attached to the demolished wing of the mall.
Macy's
Palais Royal
Affordable Furniture (Sears is to the right of this entrance not pictured)
Movies 12
JCPenney closed in 2006
Dillard's closed in 2008 from Hurricane Ike damage.
A couple of shots of the food court; you can see the blue and pink neon lighting that is all throughout the mall; my son got into this picture.
Here are some of the closed storefronts within the mall. A Sam Goody, Dollar Store, Waldenbooks, and Zales are pictured here.
This is the inside of the JCPenney that closed here in 2006 through the mall entrance glass. A new store opened a couple of miles north around two years after this location closed.
Macy's
Palais Royal
Affordable Furniture (Sears is to the right of this entrance not pictured)
Movies 12
JCPenney closed in 2006
Dillard's closed in 2008 from Hurricane Ike damage.
A couple of shots of the food court; you can see the blue and pink neon lighting that is all throughout the mall; my son got into this picture.
Here are some of the closed storefronts within the mall. A Sam Goody, Dollar Store, Waldenbooks, and Zales are pictured here.
This is the inside of the JCPenney that closed here in 2006 through the mall entrance glass. A new store opened a couple of miles north around two years after this location closed.
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