Landing with a thud on the city planning commission’s dais this week: the rendering above depicting what Arizona-based beer and pizza chain Bottled Blonde wants to do to the former Weiner’s Dry Goods Store No. 12 at 4901 Washington Ave. Most of the building’s original architectural details — for instance, the signage and storefront entrance shown above at Durham Dr. —Â are long-gone according to Tim Cisneros of Cisneros Design Studio, the firm responsible for the planned makeover.
And so the renovations Bottled Blonde has planned will look more forward than backward in order to reshape the structure from what it is now, a shuttered Cash America Pawn branch:
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Double-doors off the parking lot will remain the primary way into the structure, but that’s about all that’s staying the same on the building’s west side. The entrance will be neighbored up top by the chain’s signage and pinup mascot:
New landscaping and windows are inbound, too, along with an outdoor staircase for access to the planned rooftop patio:
On the Wash Ave. side of things, new floor-to-ceiling openings — shown above — commandeer what’s now a windowless facade. But the chamfered corner of the building that once housed the main entrance off Durham will stay bricked over:
It’ll also lose the wraparound awning that’s been there since the building went up in 1946 in order to make room for some extra right of way the city plans to grab along Washington.
A second female figure cleans up on the Durham-Dr. side:
Houston is the fourth city that the bar chain plans to step into; it’s current locations are in Dallas, Scottsdale, and most notably Chicago, where local Eater reporter Ashok Selvam has been all over the city’s escalating campaign to shut the place down (as well as the bar’s counter-efforts to stay open) in the face of alleged on-site “nuisance behavior” such as repeat public vomiting and sidewalk urination. It lost its liquor license last year, but has since filed an appeal. Less recently, the location also captivated Reddit when a list of its oddly specific dress code requirements went viral on the website’s r/Chicago community.
Renderings: Cisneros Design Studio. Photos: Yolita Schmidt (Weiner’s); Orlando G. (pawn store)
I hope they get over their silly dress code.
That’s very misleading photo of the building to show to demonstrate what does and doesn’t remain of the original design. As opposed to this view https://www.google.com/maps/place/4901+Washington+Ave,+Houston,+TX+77007/@29.7704034,-95.4105374,3a,75y,247.28h,91.3t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNwXqzE-fVWzDTF8AS9LENg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x8640c0b4b856721d:0xe5e3da18f60f589b!8m2!3d29.7702571!4d-95.4108497
which shows the rounded entry, the canopies, and even the original window and door openings.
god this looks dumb. have driven by this for 3 decades hoping it would get re-vamped with its original architecture. instead a bro bar to be.
Cisneros needs to go back to architecture school. This sucks. And when the business tanks, the owners are stuck with a generic piece of crap that nobody will touch.
from the preservation houston instagram:
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“Renderings have been released of proposed alterations to the former Weiner’s Dry Goods Store No. 12 (1946, Irving R. Klein) at Washington and Durham, which would wipe out the building’s extant Art Deco facade. Preservation Houston offered to research and write a landmark nomination for the building and explained potential preservation-related parking and tax benefits; we also provided historic photos like the one here to show how much of the original building survives and could be rehabilitated.
PH advocates for re-using historic buildings while preserving the architecture that makes them unique, creating a richer urban fabric for all Houstonians. It’s a shame to see a missed opportunity like this.”
Oh man… If your business needs to enforce a “classy” dress code, your establishment is inherently not classy.
I think these are the same folks behind the failed sex doll shop.
Wow, what a trashy establishment. Basically a breast-raunt a la Hooters or Bombshells. It will be an embarrassment to this neighborhood, especially at such a prominent intersection.
Fine work on the title, for the record.
Tasty looking pizza, but the dress code kills it for me. When going out for beer and pizza, I’m simply not going to put that much thought into my attire.
One of my FAVORITE BARS in Scottsdale and Dallas! The ambience is phenomenal. If you’re looking for a great time, sexy, Vegas style, I highly recommend!!
Did I forget, the woman are smoking hot and the management team is amazing!!
^^^ Vegas style. That is precisely what I was hoping to avoid :-/