Remembering Houston

Before we had O’Reilley’s we had Hi-Lo!

Remember going to Hi-Lo and getting good advice from the person at the counter? It’s hard to come by these days!

As a kid I used to see the David McDavid logo and wonder how a dealership based in Texas could use such a bad drawing of Texas as the basis for a logo.

Having to draw a map of Texas in 7th grade shut me up pretty quick. 🤣

Before there was HEB we shopped at Weingarten’s.

The employees were always so well dressed there. Back when grocery shopping could be both affordable and luxurious.

Did you ever shop at Weingarten’s?

Did you know that during the Groundbreaking of the Astrodome, Harris County leaders swapped shovels for six shooters?

The pistols were wielded in reference to the Astros original name the C**t .45s. They got their name from a contest in which the winner suggested a reference to the gun that won the West.

When the Astrodome was proposed, there was no plan for a name change. However, with Houston leaning into being Space City in the 60s the name change was suggested in 1964 with the C**t .45 name being retired in favor of the Astros the following year. The unnamed Domed Stadium would also be given a new name, The Astrodome.

Remember shopping for clothes at Weiner's?

If you've ever talked to someone from out of town about buying Weiner's clothing you probably got some wide eyed stares. Weiner's was founed in 1926 and shut down in 2001 after Tropical Storm Allison.

Tons of us spent every year from grade school to high school shopping for school clothing at Weiner's. Honestly if you said you didn't have clothing from Weiner's you were probably lying!

After years of selling clothes to young and old alike, Weiner's shutdown in 2001. Their insurance refused to cover flood damage, and the company was unable to continue.

Remember Prince’s? They sold Hamburgers fit for a king!

The poppy seed bun, tomato sauce, and incredible onion rings were a tradition for many Houston families. Before we had McDonald's or Burger King, most Houstonians had their first taste of a hamburger at Prince's. Prince's raised a generation on car hops and drive-up service, something you just can't find in Houston today.

Back when I was a kid we would always go to Fingers for furniture! They also sold appliances too. Not sure exactly what happened to them but I remember the last ones became Ashley Furniture around 2006.

The site the building sat on was originally Buff's Stadium, Houston's first major league baseball stadium. After the C**t 45's came to town the field was far to decrepit for anything other than a practice field.

The Finger Family got a hold of the property and demolished the old stadium for a flagship furniture store. They marked the spot of the Buff's home plate and opened a local sports museum in part of the store.

After sitting vacant for years the Finger Furniture store and sports museum inside were demolished around 2013.

Did your family ever shop at Fingers?

For years our family tradition was to go to 59 Diner after church and have some brunch before Easter Dinner later that night.

What restaurants do you miss?

Very sad

Back when I was a boy growing up in Houston, Almeda Mall felt like the center of the universe. It wasn’t just a place to shop—it was where Saturday mornings turned into little adventures. My folks would let me tag along as they made their rounds, but what I really looked forward to was going to Foley’s. There was something grand about that store, with its escalators and that scent—new clothes, polished tile, and just a hint of perfume from the cosmetics counter. I’d wander off sometimes, just far enough to feel grown-up, but never far enough to worry my mother.

We’d always end the trip with something simple. Maybe a pretzel, maybe just leaning over the second-floor railing and watching the crowd move below like a lazy river of people. It’s funny, you think those days will go on forever—but one day you blink, and you’re the one telling stories about them.