Sharpstown Mall, Sept. 16, 1988. (Buster Dean : Houston Chronicle file)
Sharpstown Mall, June 1981. (Buster Dean : Houston Chronicle file)
Sharpstown Mall in preparation, late 1950s. (Houston Chronicle file).
These are from a Houston Chronicle story on the 50th anniversary of Sharpstown Shopping Center. I love the old press release they dug up that appeared just before the mall opened on September 14, 1961:
There is pedestrian traffic only on the “streets” of Sharpstown Center and shoppers are free to move from store to store at perfect temperature levels regardless of outside weather.
The spacious, park-like setting of the 45,000 square-foot central mall features colorful and attractive store fronts, changeable planter box arrangements, and quiet zones where shoppers may sit down and rest their feet in a peaceful setting.
It’s hot in Texas, folks, so the AC is definitely a huge selling point. But changeable planter box arrangements?
2 Warps to Neptune 
I lived on Edgemoor in Sharpstown.. we lived there beginning in the 1960s.. my friends and I went everywhere barefoot.. especially the Sharpstown Mall… hung out… later I worked at Foleys!,,,,.we had to attend Clare’s in the basement for a few weeks ..and hit the floor running.. we’re told to Always accept a return.. no matter what..oh the stories !,,,, the Clock of Texas!,
I lived on Edgemoor too, on the corner of Osage. When that house was being built (1963) we lived in the Atwell Apartments. So sad to see the neighborhood slowly decline over the decades.
we still have malls in Australia. All the ones I grew up with – cursing the mall as a kid – in my local area still exist and are not at all diminished by the progress of time. Definitely changed of course. Wonder why they survived in AU but seem to have mostly died off in the USA.
Your last name wouldn’t happen to be Mangham?
I lived on Edgemoor too!!!!! Sharpstown mall was just down Bellaire and was the hub of all local activity. Anyone remember Food Giant? Kresge’s? J. Rigging’s men’s store? Good Time Charlie’s???
Sears was there long time, the mexican restraunt, [good too] Huge thing back then, to all us less old folk.
Boy Howdee, myself & my bubby, with bur and flat top hair cuts, would ride our new Schwinn stingray bicyclyes to the new mall. Barefoot, no noe seemed to mind. Also leave our bikes out front, UNlocked. The ,aim thaing was chicks [Girls] Ahh the old days. I remember the clock, I wish to find a video…
We bouhgt the house at 7909 Albacore before the street was full of homes. At $13,000 & 105 per month payment. Sutton elementry School, all i had best say about that. Then mean ole Jane Long Jr. High. back then, it was way past corporal punishemnt. he used a razor strap on our bunns. i showed ’em. i never bother ed to pass the 3rd grade. now am a Multimillionare.
Still live on the edge of Houston on 4 acres of comercial property, I was offered 1 mil for half by a builder. [Beltway 8] When I ask were would I go? He said anywere, I answered, I did. Out the door I went. 69 years later. i would give $10k for that purple stingray back, now. The house was 69k around 1985. i did find a house on carvel ther in 1984 for 16k, cash. Well good luck to all. God made us all equal, us, you, them and even Me?
Now the government took 53% of my inheratance as tax? True story! In 1940, Grandfather had started what grew to the largest Linen and Uniform Supply in the nation. True story! When the homes were sold there, Bayland Park was not to be a baseabll park! Until all were sold. Out tha door I went. The movie star that had grown up there was a naughty young lady, even smoked[?].
$ is a burden, I tell you what. Life is a gass!
Texas BluesMan
Didn’t Canned Heat, paly there for the opening? My friend won the Corvare Monza go cart at the opening too, Stud red one fibergalss body. He would do donuts whith back tire laving marks. The park was our hang out. They loved us, rascels. Wheelstands, burnouts. 1 guy still lives there on Beryl. Long hair cut. Whata hood, indeed… thank you all, & God Bless America!