A reader sends this photo of the long-time Longhorn Motor Company property at the corner of N. Shepherd and W. 15th St. in the Heights. Longhorn, writes the reader, “recently got rid of all its cars and went on the market. A couple of weeks ago an application to TABC turned up. I tried to do research and found nothing on it but the prospect of a nice little beer joint on that stretch of North Shepherd is pretty exciting.” County records show that the 1.15-acre property changed hands in June. That TABC sign the reader mentions is dated July 2; it names “Heights Bier Garden” as the applicant here at 1433 N. Shepherd.
Photo: Rachelle Varnon
then it begins
There is also another beer garden type place going in at N. Shepherd and 18th by the DownHouse guys.
Same owners as down house…
This one is not by the Downhouse crew. Their new spot is up between 18th and 19th.
From what I can tell, this one is owned by the guys behind Kobain and 8.
Yesssssssssssssss
Two is a coincidence, three is a trend. Let’s hope for a third soon.
But for the dry area, N. Shep would become Washington Ave 2.0.
I hate all of those little car dealer lots. I wish they would all go away and get redeveloped.
I highly doubt that this beer garden will be a beer garden and will be nothing more than a club. Mohammd Baratizadeh is the principal of the company that owns Heights Bier Garden. If that name sounds familiar it’s because he owns NOX off Washington Avenue, OTC, and other clubs in Houston including another opening in Midtown in the near future. This is nothing more than an attempt to turn The Heights into Washington Avenue. Let The Heights be The Heights not Washington Avenue 2.0.
I feel like I woke up in the Simpsons episode where Springfield was discovered by the Hipsters.
I think Old School is correct – that the dry zone (hem) dampens the prospects of North Shepherd becoming the next Washington. The Hunky Dory (Feasty Housy) is in a dry zone and will have to employ club rules. However, this new bier garden is located in Heights Annex which is not a dry zone.
North Shepherd… not the street I envisioned for a bar district.
Where exactly are the dry zones in that area?
As a near neighbor, I say bring it on. I’d much, much prefer an actual beer garden to a club, and hopefully the new owners (whoever they are and whatever their existing projects) will create something that fits the neighborhood and the built-in market since that’s just smart business. But that said, anything is better than an endless parade of shady used car lots.
Washington 2.0 is fine for North Shep, it is a total sh** hole right now.
Below 16th Street, the Dry Zone ends about two blocks east of Shepherd. Above 16th, it extends two blocks west of Shepherd.
Here’s a (not very legible) map:
http://www.houstonheights.org/newsletter/2009-06/dryareamap.pdf
I’m ready for one of these bar owners to come down to Willowbend and build a decent bar. there’s nothing down here. I have to drive across town to get a decent beer.
Its a great neighborhood but we outsource all of our entertainment. No decent bars, restaurants, or anything else.
What is the dry area? What are the regs? On who’s authority?
It has been dry for over a hundred years, before Houston annexed the Heights. The map is above.
@Matthew: No love for Hunter’s Pub?!
Hunters only gets a bit of credit because it has a small outdoor space. They don’t have decent beer and for the most part it’s the same old people that are in Emmit’s (Former Crowe Bar) and Carolyn’s. no comfortable seating and you feel like you’re in a bunker w/ no windows. The signs everywhere telling you what you can and can’t do are also annoying.
At least they don’t charge cover.