TAMPICO HEIGHTS RISES AGAIN, THIS TIME IN A BUMPER STICKER CAMPAIGN 
In a setback for the upstart movement to rename Brooke Smith and portions of East Sunset Heights east of N. Main St. and west of I-45, the appearance of the name “Tampico Heights” on Google Maps got shut down late last month by a couple of eagle-eyed citizen editors who noted that the name was “being used by a small group of residents to try and encourage the adoption of the name for this neighborhood, much to a larger group’s displeasure.” The newfangled designation has now been removed. But pro-Tampico campaigners have taken to the streets — or at least the shopping-center parking lots: A reader sends Swamplot this photo of a Tampico Heights bumper sticker spotted on a Chevy TrailBlazer parked in front of “Party” Kroger on Studemont St. over the weekend. [previously on Swamplot] Photo: Mel
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Bumper stickers? And a website? The same people obviously created both as the website has a pic of the same bumper stickers. Who are these purveyors of trendy?
http://tampicoheights.com/
They act like the name Tampico Heights has been around for at least 100 years. Pure deception.
“Tampico Heights is one of Houston’s oldest neighborhoods with a rich cultural heritage.”
Tampico reminds me of the cheap off brand orange flavored drink which strives to be SunnyD but tastes like acid flavored vegetable oil.
from the website:
From the website:
“Where does Tampico Come from?
Tampico is cheery and fun, Tampico is dancing and refreshment. Affordable life styles for all and convenience!”
And the numero uno “To See” destination:
Tampico Refrescaria
Coincidence?
I thought they called that Kroger “The Bro-ger”…seems to mean the same thing.
Bros shop at Walmart. Viva Party Kroger, forever.
I love Tampico Heights! Too bad it’s no longer on Google Maps, that was awesome!
Klein Collins band huh? Must be local… Also brilliant idea for a bumper sticker asking other drivers to honk at you.
I came from DC and we saw this time and again….what I learned is the pro-namers almost always win. Turns out it is fairly easy to name an unnamed area. Of course, in DC (and SF, and LA), the names are almost always douch-ey NYC-wannabe abbreviations. The naysayers should just be glad they aren’t calling it TriNoMa (Triangle North of Main).
This is Grade A trolling. Real dedication.
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Seems like Tampico Heights shifted from Near Northside/Northside Village as initially referenced in that Houstonia article and has since relocated within the 610 loop/W of 45.
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@CAHBF – This neighborhood is not unnamed. This (now) triangle slice, N of N Main + S of W Cavalcade + W of 45, was named when established in the early 1900s. It’s called Brooke Smith.
@coconutbutter- the area deserves to be renamed, “Brooke Smith”…? Tell us the story behind the name, maybe there is some redeeming story there. It sounds like some developer decided to name his subdivision after his daughter. Other than catching faint glimpses of the sign in the esplande through all the weeds, I would never have known the name and I am a native Houstonian that has lived in area my whole life. Please explain.
@Higher Density – The neighborhood was named after Brooke Smith who established this neighborhood in the early 1900s. It IS named; I’m not asking to rename it. I wrote about the history of the neighborhood here as well as its namesake in the comments here: http://swamplot.com/tampico-heights-is-now-a-thing-on-google-maps/2014-04-25/
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whoevers car pictured in the photo is obviously the one that owns the website and domain name. the same white suv appears on the website. coincidence?…. it think not. The website was registered ‘PRIVATELY’ on 4/16/2014 which is dumb because why then would you put a bumper sticker on your OWN CAR??
Also whoever this is obviously lives up north in the Klien school district, which isn’t a shocker, because why would they want to rebrand their OWN neighborhood. Why not experiment with trashing the name of someone elses neighborhood.
My guess its an amateur builder looking to put some pizzaz on his own listings by listing them in “Tampico Heights”…. end of story.
I’m automatically against anyone trying to “push” a neighborhood name. These things evolve over time. Trying to force or ‘suggest’ a name looks sad.
The history of Brooke Smith is certainly well worth preserving.
Smith Heights it is then.
@Higherdensity
Demonstrating your lack of awareness is rarely a good way to make a point.
When I moved here (pre-gentrification) the people who lived here called it Montie Beach, after the park. The neighborhood came with it’s own gang, The Montie Beach Boys (or Boyz, idk) and it was pretty rough. All the new people moving in the area who are aggressively trying to preserve the history of the neighborhood are, quite frankly, a little nuts. Save a smattering of homes here and there, the only streets with any beautiful original homes are the one or two blocks of Archer and Cordell. Let’s face it, most of us who live in Brooke Smith do so because we were priced out of the Heights. I have a feeling that people who rail against the name Tampico Heights, do so because it does not sound WASPY enough for them. The name is not good for their ego or property values. No amount of history referencing or renaming is going to make us the Heights, we are, at least for the time being, the cheaper, uglier sister to the Heights and that’s okay.
Having said that, I love Tampico, with it’s delicious fried fish and yummy margaritas and think that it is a good representation for the neighborhood. Any time you go there you can find a wonderful diversity. Everybody from elderly people who have lived in the Heights all their lives, to Hispanic families, to DINKs who have recently settled here. If that is what the name is supposed to represent then it is a good thing. I would push for the ‘hood to be named Tacambaro Heights, but that’s probably pie in the sky hopes.
*Oh and after all that long winded entry, I think the Google Maps reference, the website and the bumper stickers are just Grade A trolling. I think Brooke Smith and/or the Near North Side have fallen victim to the “Streisand Effect”.
@CAHBF: It was fun watching the realtors renaming things when I was in DC. I enjoyed watching the area around 14th/15th from P up to U transform from “Dupont East” to “Logan West” when Logan Circle stopped meaning “prostitutes and knifings” and starting meaning “Whole Foods and hipsters.”
@RobertinHouston – I’m in for Brooke Heights.; sounds fashionable and close enough to Brooklyn Heights.
I think that @TH has helped me understand the frothing at the mouth of the Tampico Heights/Brooke Smith neighbors. While the current residents are trying to gentrify as fast a possible, it makes for a quaint story to try and revive the good old days of Mr. Smith. The ferocious defense of Mr. Smith and his subdivision works to make the residents feel better about their own personal inadequacy for having not been part of the skyrocketing gentrification of the adjacent Heights. You guys keep up the fight, I’m sure your values will continue to rise and you will actually have a great story to tell one day of what a pioneer you were back in the day.
Add another Inner Looper to the “Keep Brooke Smith” campaign. The historical names of the subdivisions should remain what they are currently.
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If you want to name an area, find some unpopulated region and stake your claim there.
Lols, Robertinhouston!
Moderator please delete the other one I posted. There was a word I used that could be taken as a slur and that’s not what I meant.
The original Tampico Heights is east of 45. The website refers to WTH which is west of 45. Tampico Heights is a real place with real people and I don’t know why this “Tampico Heights Groups†website refers to the W. Tamps.
I was fine with it being Near Northside to all the outsiders while us locals had our own name for home. Now these attention seeking losers are getting it all out in the open, trolls are messing with it and worst of all people are seeing what a great place it is. Next up, developers, townhomes and hipster chefs.
What a nightmare.
As long as HCAD continues to use Brooke Smith, that is the official name of the neighborhood. Anything else is just posturing and pipe dreams.
TwoDucks: I find it offensive that you find ‘homosexual’ to be a slur. :P
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Even though the internet is populated with crazy PC types that go out of their way to look for something that might be considered anti-(fill in the blank), or (fill in the blank)-Phobic, sometimes you have to be able to say something — where you mean no ill will — without having to worry about people jumping all over you.