rsb320 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 They open in the Alabama on Friday.From Chron: http://www.chron.com/business/article/Trader-Joe-s-to-open-Friday-in-the-former-Alabama-3875622.phpCute -Crews created faux movie posters to play on the building's past. They include "Gentlemen Prefer Blonde Ales," "Reservoir Hot Dogs" and "Pulpy Fiction." There's a genuine poster of Jack Benny's "Man About Town," the first movie the theater had in 1939. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGM Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 They open in the Alabama on Friday.Flack jacket - checkUpdated last will and testament - checkBullhorn to shout "I saw that last bottle first" - checkBear Mace - checkiPod with Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries queued up and ready to play - checkSaul Goodman's business card - checkUrban assault vehicle (aka Volvo 240 wagon or Jeep Eagle) gassed and ready - checkOh yeah; Grocery List - checkFriday should be an excellent day for a people watching field study for those enrolled in a sociology class. They should give out iPhone 5's to really make it interesting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) At least two local TV news shows have been giving the opening of the Alabama store at least as much coverage as they gave the shuttle earlier this week. They all but suggest one is some kind of degenerate if he does go there and buy stuff - today - as soon as possible. I usually drive west on Alabama in the morning when going to work. This morning I took Bissonnet but for reasons other than to avoid the Shepherd/Alabama intersection so I don't know how crazy things may have been. I could have stopped by and gawked at Mia Gradney. I'm pleased to see her back on TV after WB did it's little deed. Edited September 21, 2012 by Specwriter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I swung buy after having lunch with a friend near the Village. Only because I was on my bike and it was on my way home. Around 1pm it was a madhouse as expected, I only saw the small strip lot up front which was constantly full with people grabbing spots as people pulled out. I got the last spot on the bike rack and just poked my head in for 5 minutes. The isles were full but people were courteous, and the store was prepared. There were a ton of employees restocking, helping people out, and handing out samples. The fake movie posters were up along with some other signage. I snapped some pics on my phone which I'll upload later.The checkout line was really long, but every register was manned and it was constantly moving, albeit slowly.I'll go back later to grab my truffles, didn't have time to see how long that line would take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barracuda Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I swung buy after having lunch with a friend near the Village. Only because I was on my bike and it was on my way home. Around 1pm it was a madhouse as expected, I only saw the small strip lot up front which was constantly full with people grabbing spots as people pulled out. I got the last spot on the bike rack and just poked my head in for 5 minutes. The isles were full but people were courteous, and the store was prepared. There were a ton of employees restocking, helping people out, and handing out samples. The fake movie posters were up along with some other signage. I snapped some pics on my phone which I'll upload later.The checkout line was really long, but every register was manned and it was constantly moving, albeit slowly.I'll go back later to grab my truffles, didn't have time to see how long that line would take.I'm still trying to understand the pent-up excitement over this store. For me, this city is too full of supermarkets and places for foodies (Specs, Central Market, etc.) to justify toiling through such grand-opening madness. I am kind of curious how the interior gutting turned out though, if you or others can post photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skwatra Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 They have unique items, and their own line. Worth checking out when things calm down. People from the NE and Cali I'm sure are excited because it was a staple for them back home. If I moved to Cali and they decided to open a huge Spec's I would be there opening day. I actually did hear a girl on her cell saying "I just checked out at Trader Joe's, it feels like I'm back home". Anyways, here are the pics: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 Don't buy the peanut butter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJVilla Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 They have unique items, and their own line. Worth checking out when things calm down.People from the NE and Cali I'm sure are excited because it was a staple for them back home. If I moved to Cali and they decided to open a huge Spec's I would be there opening day. I actually did hear a girl on her cell saying "I just checked out at Trader Joe's, it feels like I'm back home".You can say that again! I would trade a Trader Joe and all the Bevmos for a Spec's. Bevmo is the closet to Spec's in SoCal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted September 26, 2012 Share Posted September 26, 2012 So how's the peanut butter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Oh boo...I don't like the interior. Those Texas stars don't mix well with Art Deco. surprised they didn't completely destroy the interior. I can still see a few remnants. Is the balcony still intact? Those stairs were beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houston19514 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Oh boo...I don't like the interior. Those Texas stars don't mix well with Art Deco. surprised they didn't completely destroy the interior. I can still see a few remnants. Is the balcony still intact? Those stairs were beautiful.The balcony? I think that might be the thing with the railing. You know, with the Texas stars plastered all over it. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arndthwrld82 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Trader Joe's had a recall of their peanut butter due to a salmonella outbreak.http://www.usatoday.com/news/story/2012/09/26/salmonella-outbreak-prompts-peanut-butter-recall/57846594/1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 The balcony? I think that might be the thing with the railing. You know, with the Texas stars plastered all over it. ;-) By Joe, you're right...missed that. I was too upset to look closely. Juxtaposition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Specwriter Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I'm sure there are many reasons related to life safety and liability that discourage management from letting the general public access the balcony. Wouldn't it be great though if they had musicians there playing for the shoppers. This could also help the local talent get some recognition. The Pot Belly sandwhich shop on US 59 at Cummins used to have this on nothing more than a canopy built over some of the dining booths.I stopped by last Tuesday and liked the look of the store and the selection in general. It reminded me somewhat of the old Lucky 7 on Fairview but with a "grander" space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/04-09-12-restaurants-buck-the-alabama-theater-interior-demolition-trend-and-hold-onto-houston-history/ ... somewhat related to this topic... old haunts around the Alabama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Is it true that the leveling of the floor of the Alabama Theater was because of ADA requirements and code, at least partially? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollusk Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Tige, I'd imagine it was more a matter of preventing the joyous mayhem that would have ensued if there were shopping carts rolling wildly towards the western end of the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Alabama-That carpeted staircase was beautiful...such a shame. Is the balcony gone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 Modern pictures on Yelp show it's still there, but it's probably employees only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luminare Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 I haven't been inside this, but a colleague at my firm said that they did a pretty good job of keeping a good portion of the interior. Honestly at least it's getting some use instead of falling apart like so many of the old theaters in the area. Maybe after some more densification then we might see a conversion back to its original state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 The Alabama Theater's sloping floor was covered in concrete, several feet in places. Restoration is plausible but I can't see it happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 I never saw the inside of the Alabama as a movie theater. I saw it when it was a bookstore. I grew up with a few of the old theaters, so I can say that it was, at the time I frequented it, sympathetically re-purposed. The entrance was beautiful. I haven't seen it since it changed owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted July 6, 2014 Share Posted July 6, 2014 The changes made to the Alabama to repurpose it as the Bookstop were for the most part reversible with minimal effort - they didn't even take the screen down. Not so with the changes made to repurpose it as Trader Joe's - the concrete pour that leveled the floor is the biggest one. If it were ever to be repurposed back to its original use as a theater, which I don't see happening any time soon, it would probably have to be done along the lines of the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, where an interior "jewel box" was built up within the shell of the original 1920s-vintage structure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted July 7, 2014 Share Posted July 7, 2014 nice photo... I have to say once again, I love those old theater ramp designs better than the new stair ones. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djrage Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 (edited) The changes made to the Alabama to repurpose it as the Bookstop were for the most part reversible with minimal effort - they didn't even take the screen down. Not so with the changes made to repurpose it as Trader Joe's - the concrete pour that leveled the floor is the biggest one. If it were ever to be repurposed back to its original use as a theater, which I don't see happening any time soon, it would probably have to be done along the lines of the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard, where an interior "jewel box" was built up within the shell of the original 1920s-vintage structure. Wow this is a flashback to my childhood. This is exactly where I saw Grease with 3 of my cousins. They were selling all kinds of Grease merchandise. I bought a comb.. the cashier thought I was asking for a coke Edited July 9, 2014 by djrage 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted July 27, 2014 Share Posted July 27, 2014 I had read that one of the features that Weingarten destroyed they claimed wasn't an original 1920s part of the theater, which sounds dubious (an excuse to have it ruined). But I also heard that the oldest theaters (dunno about the Alabama) didn't even have sloped floors, at least not at the rate that the Alabama had. Of course, I wasn't alive when the Alabama was built or even saw it when it was the Bookstop. I did some buy some cookie butter, candied ginger, and chocolate covered espresso beans there yesterday, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NenaE Posted August 27, 2020 Share Posted August 27, 2020 The movie theaters I experienced as a kid in the '60's had sloped ramps. You entered through doors from a straight back wall and walked down. The Broadway and Santa Rosa theaters come to mind. The Santa Rosa had a balcony with stairs. I remember the circular lobby couch, port hole windows in the doors, thick carpeted stairs, and double "love seats" on some of the aisle ends. The Alabama seemed grander to me than the Santa Rosa. I only visited it when it was the Bookstop. The restoration company did a good job. They retained many of the original features. The stairs, balcony, and screen were still there. I vaguely remember a sloped aisle in the book shelves area. Too bad it all disappeared with the recent transformation. The Gulfgate Twin Cinemas had those sloping aisles, but no balconies.The original screens and theater areas were huge. The color scheme included bright white, deep red and royal blue colors. The outside covered ticket booth area had painted red concrete floors. The stained glass lobby was beautiful. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkultra25 Posted August 28, 2020 Share Posted August 28, 2020 23 hours ago, NenaE said: The Gulfgate Twin Cinemas had those sloping aisles, but no balconies.The original screens and theater areas were huge. The color scheme included bright white, deep red and royal blue colors. The outside covered ticket booth area had painted red concrete floors. The stained glass lobby was beautiful. Those old General Cinema theaters were very nice. The Northline and Meyerland twins were built around the same time as the Gulfgate and all three shared the same design and similar fixtures. I'm biased toward the Northline twin as it was the site of my very first moviegoing experience when I was 3 or 4 years old, and I saw a lot of movies there in the ensuing years until its eventual closure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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