Here is an older update from one of the few remaining retro Fiesta stores in the Houston area. Despite a complete renovation beginning in late 2022, this store has sat relatively unchanged since then. A very strange development since nearly all Fiesta stores have been remodeled since 2020. The good news is that we get to hold onto the neon and flashing lights for a bit longer. I have been to this store in 2024, and not much has changed. There is some video footage that I took from 2023 and 2024 that will be posted at a later time.
Interior renovation had begun.
The wood panel lattice had been removed from the light fixtures above the produce
Neon fading out.
The neon had been completely removed from the Chinese restaurant.
The neon was still on in this part of the store, but the wood panel lattice had been removed as well.
The lower food prices neon along with the parrots were now gone. You can see some of the dust build up where the signs were at.
The neon was off here and mostly removed. The wood panel lattice was gone as well.
The international flags were gone as well.
The neon removal had stopped here.
The red light fixtures had been removed from the frozen food area.
The wood panel lattice was gone here in the front corner of the store as well.
The wood panels above the checkouts.
The Chinese restaurant, now without signage.
Now for a bit more of the nearby surroundings.
What in the world happened to the Gamestop?
As you can see from the promotional posters and store hours, the store was still open.
Just before the neon signs came down. The larger sign on OST had already been replaced with the new company signage. This may have been the last neon Olive Garden sign left in the area.
In other news, Greenspoint Mall is officially confirmed to be closed. There was conflicting information online as to when the closure of the mall will happen, but as of August 23, 2024, the mall is closed. We can't pin down an exact date at this time, but the closure happened sometime between August 1st and my visit yesterday. The last two remaining entrances have been locked or chained shut. If you want to walk around the mall exterior you still have full access for now, but the inside is sealed off. August 31st update below.
August 31st update. Looks like some work is going on inside of the former Uniform Superstore/Palais Royal. From what I could see some of the kiosk businesses from the mall are setting up shop inside. People were getting turned away at the door so whatever is going on there is not ready yet. Even though the mall is closed, at least the old junior anchor may reopen to the public. I will keep my eye on this space if it does reopen.
And finally, a North Shepherd Sears demolition update. The area around the store is fenced off with debris and heavy machinery inside of the fence. We walked on the perimeter sidewalk to get one last view from afar. Only the skeleton of the store and flooring remains at this point. It is really a shame that this structure is getting torn down, there are so many generic newer shopping centers and homes in that area already. If anything, the auto center could have been saved and turned into a retro style shopping center.
The Sears auto center and main store in the far view.
The store is hallowed out so you can get a glimpse inside before the rest of the structure goes down.
The iconic sign is outside of the demolition area, so hopefully it will be saved. Seriously this sign needs to be saved!
It is quite strange that the Astrodome Fiesta Mart has not been renovated yet given that it is one of the more upscale and popular Fiesta Marts in the city. If Fiesta was just going to let the old decor sit, they probably should have left it as it was without taking out some of the elements. That said, removing the lattice has modernized some parts of the store. That woodgrain finish has actually become trendy again in retail design so I wonder if maybe it'll stick around for a while.
ReplyDeleteI've shopped at the Willowchase Fiesta a few times here recently. It is still sad to see the original decor gone, but I will say that the new decor does look pretty good if you can ignore how the store used to look. The new decor, along with the LED lighting updates, are much brighter and cheerier looking than many other decor packages used by grocers these days. It is a nice change of pace from the otherwise drab Kroger and Food Towns I shop at. The Champions Randall's Colorful Lifestyle v2 decor package is colorful as well, but the decor at that store is kind of small given the varying ceiling heights at that location so it really doesn't show as much of color as other stores with that decor package.
I'm not sure what's going on with that GameStop, but I'm guessing the store was probably burglarized at some point. I know that it was not uncommon to hear of people driving vans through windows and walls of stores in some inner parts of town in order to burglarize them a few months ago. I'm not sure if that is still a trend here in 2024. While not exactly the same, that storefront reminds me a bit of when I went to the I-45 & Tidwell RadioShack about a decade ago and the store had thick burglar bars and customers had to be buzzed in and out of the store. What a strange experience, but not entirely unexpected for that area I suppose.
Speaking of neon signs, I'm pleased to report that the vintage Mangum & Dacoma Firestone sign appears to be still standing even though that area was one of the hardest hit areas after May's storm. Unfortunately, since May's storm, I have not seen the neon turned on so perhaps that part of the sign needs repairs and I'm not sure if Firestone will even bother with that at this point.
I'm glad you were able to capture those Garden Oaks Sears photos, but it is sad to see the interior of the store gutted to the point that it looks like a freeway underpass. It really doesn't look at all how that store looked like when it was open since it was still a pretty nice store. We can also see how solidly built that Sears was, I doubt modern retail stores are built to that kind of standard.
I saw your comment about Greenspoint Mall over at HHR a couple of days ago and I think you're the first to report on the official closure of the mall. We all knew it was coming, but I guess this is the last chapter for the mall...or at least the last chapter until it is bulldozed. It wouldn't completely shock me if that mall turns into a bit of a Dixie Square Mall-type situation if they don't tear the mall down quickly. Given the rot at the Foley's already, I hope that old place doesn't sit and rot for too long.
Here's a potential update. I saw a regulatory document indicating that Landry's is planning on opening a Saltgrass Steakhouse where the Gulfgate Doneraki operates now. I'm not sure what that means for Doneraki. Doneraki has a relatively new location near Katy, so perhaps this won't be the last we hear from them, but Doneraki was a big name in Houston Mexican food some time ago and I have been to that Gulfgate location before years ago. The food wasn't exactly anything memorable, but it sure beat Pancho's at least.
Gulfgate seems like an odd location for a rather expensive restaurant like Saltgrass so I'm not sure how that will work out. It is too bad they aren't using the land across I-45 from Gulfgate where that ex-Bennigans is rotting. That has to be one of the most dilapidated retail buildings in town and it is in such a prominent spot especially for visitors arriving from Hobby Airport.
With my schedule this year, we haven't been to a Fiesta in a few months. It is possible some changes have happened since then to the few remaining stores with neon and the old signs. I sometimes drive down I-10 to check out the Fiesta near Lockwood, and the modified older sign is still going strong.
DeleteLooks like the former Palais Royal will host a few of the retailers from Greenspoint Mall for the next year or so. Last weekend, we drove by and saw some activity going on. From what you could see from the outside looking in was a couple of kiosks setting up shop. Since my update to the post last weekend, several news sources have announced the news as well. The old Uniform Superstore signage was still up, so I am not sure when that will be removed. Hopefully, these businesses will find new homes, that mall is in really poor shape.
Doneraki was a decent restaurant back in the day with reasonable prices. We have been to the Gulfgate location as recently as 2023, but it was much slower than we remembered it. Saltgrass has been slowly expanding again and opened up in New Caney recently in the power center that is continually expanding. A new Chuy's is also under construction next door to the new Saltgrass.
That Bennigan's looks horrible, every now and then I take that route home and see that blight. The area has really changed for the better, but that building is a reminder that more work still needs to be done.
The Gamestop really surprised me because up until that night, I had never seen a boarded-up business that was still operating. Burglar bars and protective glass are common, but a full boarded up entrance is odd.
One of the things that shows how solid that Sears store was built is that they had a dirt mover driving around on the second floor pushing debris off to the ground. I am actually glad to see the store come down at this point. They let the property fall into disrepair so quickly. I have a feeling that the sign will be saved and could possibly be turned back on in the future.