tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post4747628120423544317..comments2024-03-27T02:22:35.327-05:00Comments on The Louisiana and Texas Retail Blogspot: Gulf Deauville Mall Webster Tx. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-81739545154917674132022-04-05T20:46:06.584-05:002022-04-05T20:46:06.584-05:00Sounds fakeSounds fakeLanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03144035406583026525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-63550794202356883862022-04-05T20:45:55.621-05:002022-04-05T20:45:55.621-05:00Rollin N. Dowe, sounds like an urban legend. 🤨Rollin N. Dowe, sounds like an urban legend. 🤨Lanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03144035406583026525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-89201356446339369722022-04-05T20:43:44.818-05:002022-04-05T20:43:44.818-05:00Rollin N. Dowe, sounds like an urban legend. 🤨Rollin N. Dowe, sounds like an urban legend. 🤨Lanmannanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-9063380941382115142019-11-04T16:39:55.628-06:002019-11-04T16:39:55.628-06:00Thanks for your comment :)Thanks for your comment :)jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-85312536501103073462019-10-22T12:19:04.618-05:002019-10-22T12:19:04.618-05:00Just talking about this mall with a co-worker! I ...Just talking about this mall with a co-worker! I went here and met "Greg and Jesse"(they were married to Jenny and Angie!) from All My Children-they did an appearance! The place was mobbed with screaming fans!!! Great memories!! Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-21513865013421777412019-09-27T16:56:07.072-05:002019-09-27T16:56:07.072-05:00Rollin N. Dowe, that is terrible. It is sad that t...Rollin N. Dowe, that is terrible. It is sad that these places that were considered safe zones for children were filled with these dangers. I wonder how many of these places I ran around in back in the day also had similar dangers. jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-51786628203479989092019-09-22T16:38:11.774-05:002019-09-22T16:38:11.774-05:00The child died from being stuck by a syringe in th...The child died from being stuck by a syringe in the ball pit. Discovery Zone went bankrupt from numerous lawsuits from injuries and deaths in the ball pits. When they closed the Discovery Zone and removed the ball pit, they found rotten/moldy food, syringes, diapers, shoes, and even used condoms at the bottom of the pit.Rollin N. Dowenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-41404036852743055772019-03-30T02:01:18.150-05:002019-03-30T02:01:18.150-05:00Ah yes, the wonderful "Blue laws" from b...Ah yes, the wonderful "Blue laws" from back in the day. Very few companies and even the Bookoo website still close on Sundays. The younger generation will never know of the inconvenience of shopping in those days. Deauville had their draw, but sadly they were unable to figure out how to stay relevant once the laws changed. jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-24598199516609512492019-03-17T07:18:05.412-05:002019-03-17T07:18:05.412-05:00The allure of Deauville Malls was that they were o...The allure of Deauville Malls was that they were open on Saturday AND Sunday, in open defiance of the "Blue Laws" that were in effect at the time. Thus, Baybrook and other shopping malls in the Houston area were closed, and losing out on the precious revenue. The Blue Laws prohibited the sale of 42 categories of items on consecutive weekend days, effectively forcing many stores to close on Sundays because it meant that department stores, for example, were unable to open many sections. When the Deauville malls and other stores started opening on Sundays, Texas retailers filed to have the laws repealed. a repeal of the last Texas blue law was signed in May by Gov. Mark White in 1985, Once these major retailers started opening on Sundays, people stopped shopping at Deauville and the small "oddball" stores that they contained and were willing to openly defy these laws to remain open both Saturday and Sunday.Fred Swerdlinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-53595093813961818732016-07-23T22:01:15.474-05:002016-07-23T22:01:15.474-05:00I looked in the Houston Chronicle archives for any...I looked in the Houston Chronicle archives for any information about this, but I did not find anything there. That does not mean nothing happened, but I guess whatever may or may not have happened was not newsworthy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-30617250731223515332016-07-15T22:32:56.448-05:002016-07-15T22:32:56.448-05:00I also work at BBB, and we are still looking for i...I also work at BBB, and we are still looking for information about the death of the girl at Discovery Zone. It would have been between 1985-1992.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-72771381280138624782015-07-18T18:44:32.318-05:002015-07-18T18:44:32.318-05:00it seems form google maps that they have torn down...it seems form google maps that they have torn down a sizable portion of the central court vicinityAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-73443979118224877212015-05-10T16:50:56.234-05:002015-05-10T16:50:56.234-05:00Does anyone know about the death of a little girl ...Does anyone know about the death of a little girl at this specific discovery zone back in the 90s? My coworkers talk about it, they claim our store is haunted and people have seen and heard her.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-33316947902179160262015-03-02T23:49:41.828-06:002015-03-02T23:49:41.828-06:00Thanks for the comment and additional info. I thou...Thanks for the comment and additional info. I thought that building looked out of place. jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-28334997543286700242015-03-01T17:46:17.092-06:002015-03-01T17:46:17.092-06:00When Buy Buy Baby was built the area that was form...When Buy Buy Baby was built the area that was formerly occupied by Oshman's / Sports Authority and some of the space around it was demolished and a new building was constructed for Buy Buy Baby.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-69488391570579933912014-08-17T15:53:02.145-05:002014-08-17T15:53:02.145-05:00Oh. My sister had a birthday party there when it w...Oh. My sister had a birthday party there when it was a Discovery Zone. I have a picture, and on of the workers was a Discovery Zone uniform. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-41253800368571866792014-08-08T22:37:14.774-05:002014-08-08T22:37:14.774-05:00it was first a leaps and bounds and then bought bu...it was first a leaps and bounds and then bought buy discovery zoneAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-30854765769782865292013-10-13T12:24:48.954-05:002013-10-13T12:24:48.954-05:00The empty space next to Bed Bath and Beyond and Bu...The empty space next to Bed Bath and Beyond and Buy Buy Baby used to be a Discovery Zone in the '90s. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-17720975298778363512013-07-27T22:11:08.314-05:002013-07-27T22:11:08.314-05:00I'm not sure if the Oshman's/Sports Author...I'm not sure if the Oshman's/Sports Authority used up all that space that was demolished or not. Oshman's Super Sports stores were pretty big. I'm not sure how big Buy Buy Baby is, but perhaps it isn't as big and they (and the center operator) didn't want to pay to maintain and air condition it and stuff like that. <br /><br />I did not know about Alco's sale. I knew that they were planning on moving their headquarters to the Metroplex, but I wonder if this will change those plans. Argonne seems to be based in Atlanta, perhaps the headquarters will move there instead. Maybe not. But, yeah, hopefully this will allow Alco to grow and prosper. I'd like to see them do well because they can be a really good alternative to Target and Wal-Mart especially if they can lower their prices. If nothing else, hopefully it will allow Alco to continue to serve small towns that wouldn't have discount store shopping otherwise. I'm still not sure what is going on with the Gessner Rd. Alco, but hopefully that store will return to normal operating status soon. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-39613799812766821092013-07-27T17:32:08.539-05:002013-07-27T17:32:08.539-05:00That is a shame that they have taken away the rest...That is a shame that they have taken away the rest of the mall space. I guess the cost of maintaining the roof and other maintenance is the reasoning behind that move.<br />Alco is going to be acquired by Argonne Capital Group according to this article http://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/alco-stores-inc-enters-definitive-141000688.html<br />It looks like the company is going to be expanded once this transaction is completed, but I hope they keep their same formula and work on getting lower prices from the buying power they will get from growing. jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-15085962057491830982013-07-27T13:10:03.646-05:002013-07-27T13:10:03.646-05:00I don't think that empty space still exists to...I don't think that empty space still exists today though. The aerial image on the brochure and the Google StreetView of the back side of the center shows a continuous indoor space around the old Sports Authority, but the Google Maps aerial image of the place, which is presumably newer than the other photos, seems to indicate that the enclosed spaces surrounding the Sports Authority/Buy Buy Baby were demolished. I'm not sure why they would demolish that section, but I guess they did. This must have happened in the last couple of years. There are still very small parts that could still have a mall look inside like a little section next to the back of the Stein Mart, but I have no idea what that is being used for or what it looks like inside. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-79804691709753567452013-07-27T02:57:41.595-05:002013-07-27T02:57:41.595-05:00It looks like there is still space in the actual s...It looks like there is still space in the actual structure that may not have been converted into big box stores. I wonder if any of the old mall is still hidden in between those stores? jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-91376442499393691142013-07-25T01:05:07.889-05:002013-07-25T01:05:07.889-05:00I don't know what Leaps N Bounds was, but do y...I don't know what Leaps N Bounds was, but do you think that empty space could have been that? That covered walkway looks like it could have gone to something child oriented which Leaps N Bounds may or may not have been, but I really have no clue. The Google StreetView image of that place does have credit card stickers in the window, but that's about it really. The covered walkway does look a bit faded on the top so it was probably there for some time. There is some labelscar in the StreetView image, but it is very faint and I can't make out what it says. The <a href="http://legacy.kimcorealty.com/File/MarketingBrochure/webapps/webprints/Marketing_Package_for_Site_STXH0567.pdf" rel="nofollow">brochure</a> for this shopping center does have an aerial image with the covered walkway, but you really can't make anything out on it. It also does show a site map for the center. That empty space does start out somewhat wide, but then it becomes very narrow. It is an unusually shaped space, but I guess that is what you get when you convert a mall to a big box shopping center. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-14467796569091901902013-07-24T19:08:23.577-05:002013-07-24T19:08:23.577-05:00That is interesting, I tried to look in the glass ...That is interesting, I tried to look in the glass of the small store to see if it was an entrance to the former mall or cinema but I could not tell. After the conversion to a big box center the cinema still had a portion of the mall corridor going to their main entrance I guess like at North Oaks. jehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642257521152353045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8028753244746628643.post-66125604828730055952013-07-22T01:15:35.367-05:002013-07-22T01:15:35.367-05:00You can get a pretty close-up picture of this shop...You can get a pretty close-up picture of this shopping center using Google StreetView. The path in front of the stores were digitized in 2011. According to those pictures, that empty store was empty then too, but it had some sort of yellow and green covered walkway going to it with colored dots on the front and "Entrance" written on the side. It looks like that covered walkway is gone in your picture. I guess the center must have removed it. I have no idea who used that covered walkway though. The Buy Buy Baby space was also vacant in 2011, but it has noticeable The Sports Authority labelscar on StreetView. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com