Griggs at South Park (Martin Luther King) Blvd. – Houston TX (opened September 1955; architect: Irving R. Klein & Associates)

 

From Houston magazine, 1954:

Palm Center, soon to go under construction in the southeast area of Houston, is the result of more than three years’ planning by Oscar F. Holcombe and Sterling T. Hogan, Sr., two of the Southwest’s most active builders and developers.

 

The gigantic shopping center, to cover twenty-six acres, will have sixty to seventy-five stores and involve more than $4,000,000.

[…]

Among major merchandisers which have already signed leases are J.C. Penney Company, Walgreen, Inc., and F.W. Woolworth Company.

 

The center is planned in the shape of a “T” with the top of the “T” paralleling South Park. Food and drug stores will be located here, while a department will be built at the lower end.

 

A wide variety of stores will be included in the initial 213,125-square-foot project, including shops offering many types of food, clothing, home furnishings, appliances, and hardware.

 

 

1955 Store Directory (from Sanborn Map plans):

5202 – The Chef Sandwich Shop
5208 – Oshman’s Sporting Goods
5218 – Walgreen, Inc. Drugs
5225 – Stork Shop
5226 – European Import Co. Liquors
5227 – Athas Flowers
5228 – Darlene-Richard & Co. Photo Supplies
5238 – Lewis & Coker Supermarket No.
5240 – Palms Coiffeur-Beauty Shop
5242 – Palms Center Barber Shop
5244 – Golden Needle Fabric Shop
5246 – Kings Candies
5247 – Home Beautiful
5248 – Guardian Financial Corp.
5249 – Frank’s Mens Shop
5250 – Foley’s Appliance Store
5252 – Napko Paint Co.
5254 – Wagner Hardware Co., Inc. Store No. 2
5256 – Texas Carpet Co. Store No. 3
5258 – Lauffmans Jewelry
5260 – Texas State Optical
5264 – Thornhill’s Cafeteria
5266 – Houston Shoe Hospital & Washateria
5268 – Thom McAnn Shoes
5272 – Walter Pye’s Hollywood Shoes

(numbers illegible)
-Ruth Crow Salon of Beauty
-Scheps’ Apparel Shop
-F.W. Woolworth Co.
-United Gas Corp. Offices and Display
-Franklins Dress Shop
-Nathan’s Men’s and Women’s Apparel
-Poll Parrot Shoes
-G.R. Kinney Co., Tex. Inc.
-Vogue Shoes
-Three Sisters Dress Shop
-Leder’s Tots-n-Teen Shop
-Krutes Stores Toys-Gifts
-Mode ‘O Day
-J.C. Penney, Co., Inc.
-Goodyear Store
-Palms Glidden Paint Center