Blockbuster Beauty

Since the day Blockbuster on Cavalcade at the five corners closed, everyone has been aflutter wondering what was going to go in to the space. The "For Lease" sign came down and work was seen in progress but no one could answer the question "What will it be?" 

Apparently, it will be the newest location for Sola Salons:

In 2004, Sola Salon Studios® was established with the opening of our first location. Now with over 200 desirable locations open nationwide, Sola Salon Studios® is proud to offer salon professionals the freedom and benefits of salon ownership without many of the risks associated with opening a traditional salon. Sola Salon Studios® is an innovative salon model in which experienced hairdressers, estheticians, nail stylists, massage therapists and other like-minded salon professionals come together under one roof to take their careers to the next level. To date, we have provided more than 5,000 professionals with premium, individual salon spaces in which they own and operate high-quality salons. If designing your own salon space, setting your own schedule and prices, and creating a larger profit margin with retail sales appeals to you, then follow your dreams with Sola – all for about the same price as renting a chair or booth (and maybe even less).   

We take pride in being the largest, fastest-growing salon studio business in the country. Join the Sola Salon Studios® community and experience a level of creative independence and career support you won’t find anywhere else.

So there it is. They have divided the building, built out a small space and a larger space, from what I could tell, and now have two front doors. Maybe Sola's concept will only be part of the complete build out? I guess we will just wait and see. According to a follower on FB, the whole building will be salons, possibly as many as 22 individual studios.

You can find out more about Sola Salon Studios on their website or Facebook page

What's also curious about Sola Salons going in to the old Blockbuster is the other new business opening in the strip just south of 20th. "Glam and Glow" at 1911 Studewood has paper over the windows and a sign promising blow outs, sunless tanning, and other beauty treatments. What they do not have is any on-line presence. It's like all of the sudden this part of the Heights is some kind of beauty vortex. It's interesting to me that these businesses turned up here, when the only other recent development in that area has been a dialysis center and beer (TownIn City brewery). 

Of course, if you drive around East Sunset Heights or even Monte Beach, you can see the rapid changes going on. Development has pushed quickly in to those neighborhoods, as original homes come down and townhouse, patio homes, and large single family homes replace them. It's still unusual to see these types of businesses be the trailblazers. Makes me wonder what will be next?

I45 Project Moving Again

I just received this email from Jim Weston of the I45 Coalition. If you're new to the neighborhood or haven't been following this development, PLEASE READ! 

This project WILL have a major impact on our community. Participating in these meetings is the way we can all decide of that impact with be positive or negative. It's amazing how much work our friends and neighbors have already done and how community involvement has changed the scope of the project, but there is still much work to be done. We can't let TxDot think we have become complacent, so PLEASE join me and your other neighbors for the next round of public meetings!

TxDOT is starting to roll again on the I-45 project! 

TxDOT has just scheduled the 3^rd round of public meetings to be held Thursday, Nov 14 at Aldine Ninth Grade School, 10650 North Freeway & Tuesday, Nov 19 at Jeff Davis High School, 1101 Quitman. Both meetings will be open house format from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

As a brief recap to remind you where we are ... because it has been a while:

TxDOT wants to ‘improve’ the I-45 Corridor to alleviate current traffic and plan for future traffic.

1)      TxDOT held its 1st Public Scoping meeting in November 2011 to hear from the public on what to do in the I-45 corridor. 

After analyzing the input from the public from that meeting:

2)      TxDOT held its 2nd Public Scoping meeting in October 2012. TxDOT broke the project into 3 segments: Segment 1 (Beltway 8 to 610); Segment 2 (610 to I-10); and Segment 3 (Downtown Loop System).

Each segment had 6 Preliminary Alternatives for a total of 18 alternatives for all 3 segments.  TxDOT was to determine the 3 most popular alternatives for each segment (for a total of 9) from evaluating the responses from the public.

Supposedly, “Within 2 months following each meeting, a report from TxDOT summarizing public comments and responses will be made available to the public”.

 After the 1st Public meeting, it took 10 months for the public comments to be available. After the 2^nd Public Meeting, it took TxDOT a full year to post the comments .. it just went up this week!

TxDOT has also just announced the 3^rd Public Meeting  in November 2013 (mentioned above).

3) This 3rd Public Meeting – is where they will announce the 3 alternatives for each segment (for a total of 9) and we, the public, will choose the final “winner” in each segment.  So this is a VERY IMPORTANT MEETING!  The results from this meeting will determine how & where the I-45 corridor will proceed!  Please mark your calendars now & plan to attend in November!  I do not know which 3 alternatives in each segment received the most favorable input at this time.  However, within the next 30 days, the I-45 Coalition will be evaluating all comments to determine which alternatives appear to be most favored.

You can find all the details of the 1^st Public Meeting & the 2^nd Public Meeting on TxDOT’s website for this project -www.IH45Northandmore.com.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE plan on attending either of the two upcoming meetings (they both should be identical) so you can (1) hear firsthand from TxDOT what they say are the 3 favored alternatives in each segment & (2) make an informed decision as to what you feel should be the final alternative!

If you made a comment & submitted it to TxDOT after the 2^nd Public meeting, I would suggest that you check to make sure your comment is ‘on the record’, by going to TxDOT’s website & checking.  All comments are indexed, so it should be easy to find. If it is not recorded, or not accurate, please let me know.

If you are not on the I-45 Coalition email list, please add your name by going to www.I-45Coalition.org and sign up.  You can also find us on Facebook.  Once on our list, we will notify you of any updates, meetings or changes to the project.   Also if you would like to attend our Steering Committee meetings, just let us know!

Please get involved and/or stay involved!  This is important.  These decisions will affect you, your family, your home or business & your neighborhood. If you ever use I-45 or have any concerns about what will or will not be done on I-45 ... you need to be involved!

Thanks.

Jim Weston

I-45 Coalition

jim@I-45Coalition.org

See you then!

Harold's Torched for Tacos But What About Those Signs?

Click here for the complete pdf of plans

If you've been waiting with bated breath to see what happens to Harold's old store front, here is some info. This flyer was passed to me tonight and I am both sighing with relief and feeling underwhelmed at the same time.

Obviously it is wonderful to see most of the original building facade remain the same. This is smart redevelopment that moves forward but also respects the past. I do love that about it.

My problem is I am just so "meh" about Torchy's. An Austin chain putting a second location right in the heart of the Heights. It's not bad enough to be disappointing, but I can't get excited about it either.

My big question now is: What about the signs? Those red signs, that retro font, iconic in the neighborhood. Harold's was so special to the Heights. Harold kept the faith in the Heights when others wouldn't let their daughters north of I10. 

So, the last literal signs of an institution. Where do they go? The Wiesenthal family might want them, but wouldn't they have taken them already? My vote would be to donate them to a well established gallery or to the Heights Association. I would love the HHA to hang it in the first floor of the firestation... What would you suggest happen to the signs?