Uchi and Sushi Raku architect Michael Hsu is behind these designs for Hunky Dory, the open-air bar and restaurant to be built over the next year in the Heights. Located just about 3 blocks north of the very recently proposed Heights Bier Garden at the old Longhorn Motor Company dealership, the new all-good hangout will also be replacing a used-car lot — Salmex Auto & Trucks at 1819 N. Shepherd, between 18th and 19th St. Alison Cook reports that Hunky Dory — with a courtyard designed around an 85-year-old live oak — is a collaboration among Down House and D&T Drive Inn owner Chris Cusack, former Feast chef Richard Knight, and current Down House chef Benjy Mason.
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- Cusack, Knight & Mason unveil Hunky Dory plans [29-95]
- Everything’s Hunky Dory in the Heights with new tavern from restaurant dream team [Culturemap]
- Previously on Swamplot: Drinking, Not Driving: Heights Used-Car Dealership Sold to Beer Gardeners, Feasting on the Leftovers at Feast, The New Old Heights Ice House, Uchi Houston’s Termite Appetizer, Finding the Uchi in the Ruins of a Tex-Mex Empire, Lost Felix, Discovered Sushi: Austin’s Uchi Coming to Montrose, A First Glimpse of Uchi in Houston: Leasing Lower Westheimer Retail by the Piece
Renderings: Hsu Office of Architecture
good news here is shepherd streamlines the drinking/driving process with 1 way traffic.
and, as a resident of the heights, I can assure you the police presence in the area is next to nothing.
huh?
Will be nice to see something along that stretch of N. Shepherd besides used cars, gold and silver buyers, and payday loan stores. We’re movin’ uptown baby!
Is this Shadyacres? The Houston Heights is dry. Of course the media thinks the Heights is from Parker to the Montrose.
This is in the dry area; I assume they’re using the “club” system like Down House.
The original Beaver’s Ice House (a real ice house, now Buffalo Fred’s) was between 27th and 28th on Sheppard. But I believe that is north of the original Heights dry zone.
These folks must be going for a private club license like Shade.
Here is the description of the dry area:
From White Oak Bayou and Heights Boulevard to the west line of the Heights plat – north to 16th Street – west to west line of Houston Heights plat – north to center of 26th Street – east down center of 26th Street to center of Yale Street – south on center of Yale Street to center of 22nd Street – east on center of 22nd Street to east end of Heights plat again – then south following east line Heights Addition to White Oak Bayou – following bayou to Heights Boulevard.
To add a bit to Vonroach: the southern part of the west line of the Heights is around Nicholson, the northern person is either Shepherd, Durham, or a block west (not sure); the east line is mid block between Oxford and Beverly.
U could get a map.The original City of the Heights is small and there are little signs saying Historic Heights at the old borders. Look at White Oak east of Oxford.See the little sign. NO BARS to the immediate West of
the sign.
Or you could look for liquor stores.
I wish swamplot would do a post all about the Heights dry zone. A good, map history, etc. Allyn?
I doubt there will be too many people stepping forward to bewail the loss of yet another of the seemingly endless string of used car lots on North Shepherd. Actually, to call them used car lots is being generous, because the majority of them are actually “note lots”. They’re not so much interested in selling you a car, but rather, they make their money from selling you a car note at an almost crippling rate. They prey on poor, working-class people that live in a city where owning a vehicle is almost mandatory.