Hey, wasn’t that mural on the side of the former Mary’s bar recreated with great effort just last year? As of last night, it’s been covered over — except for a bit of blue painting tape that’s allowing the red border underneath to reappear. What happened?
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Landlord Bobby Heugel — who’s getting ready to open his craft-beer-and-off-pig-parts venue, Hay Merchant, across the street in the revamped former Chances Bar space this Wednesday — tells Swamplot a letter came in from the City of Houston “requiring us to remove all graffiti from the building formerly known as Mary’s. We felt that painting the entire building at this time was necessary to meet these demands,” he continues. “However, we feel that Mary’s has always been a venue for social expression, and we plan to develop an outlet for this expression on the wall where the mural once was.”
The recreated leather-and-pool scene on the side of the former gay bar was meant to remain on the building only for a month or so after the annual Houston Pride Parade, Heugel announced last year. David Buehrer and Ecky Prabanto’s Blacksmith Coffee Bar is planning to open in the space at 1022 Westheimer late this spring or early summer, Heugel says. But the mural may not be gone from the Montrose street scene forever. “It will be put in another place soon,” a mural fan declares to Swamplot. “Maybe multiple locations.”
- Previously on Swamplot: The Two New Montrose Coffee Bars Coming to Westheimer, Mary’s Westheimer Mural: Playing Montrose Again for a Limited Time Only
Photos: Candace Garcia (top), Tha Joanna (white)
When is someone going to nail the city on their arbitrary notion of what “graffiti” is? Theoretically, can’t the owner just say it’s art?
The city cares about painting over art they don’t like, but will do nothing about my Montrose neighbor a few blocks away that has rusty tires in their front yard for months now.
I once was taking a girlfriend and her nephew to the zoo and they wanted to stop and get a quick snack so we stopped at the Burger King. After looking at the mural he said, “Hey, it looks like those two guys are fighting”.
I said, “Cock fighting maybe”.
Needless to say I was in a little trouble with the girlfriend.
“Visual blight means any unauthorized graffiti or any other unauthorized form of painting, scratching, writing or inscription, including without limitation, initials, slogans or drawings, regardless of the content or nature of the material that has been applied to any wall, building, fence, sign, or other structure or surface and is visible from any public property or right-of-way or is visible from the private property of another person.”
I’ve noticed buildings tagged with art graffiti get left alone *until* someone tags some random initials or symbols over it. My favorite Coolidge boston terrier lived on White Oak in peace until some thug sprayed some symbot on top… I think the owner was forced to paint over it. Sucks
There doesn’t seem to be a lot of actual real estate news lately.
It sounds to me like Heugel is trying to blame this on the city. I really doubt the city ordered him to paint over the mural. Whether it should stay or not is a valid question. I just think it’s lame for him not to take responsibility for his decision.
IF the city did indeed decide this was graffiti and needed to be covered over, it would be nice if the city was also concerned about the horrible condition of the city sidewalk immediately to the left of the building in the first photo. That’s more visual and physical blight than that mural. Sometimes I wonder if we don’t have a more pedestrian culture in our urban areas because the sidewalks are so bad, it’s hard to be a pedestrian.
Can’t say I liked the mural but it surely was a Houston landmark. So I’ll miss it.
What a load of bs, it’s a friggin mural, a historical one at that(or at least a recreation), not something that appeared with some spray cans over a few hours late one night. I’m guessing it just didn’t gel with the hoped-for clientele. Agree with J, owner should own up to it, wonder if the original complaintant is public record?
@(Nord) definition of visual blight,
That’s crap. Who gives approval? Why should you have to get approval?
Then why does that mural of Obama get to stay up? Does it have approval? And I wonder, who are the jackasses that keep defacing it?
So, when it was Mary’s the city never considered it graffiti? Tell the new owner he won’t have to worry about me ever darkening his door step.
There’s not enough Clorox in all of Texas to make me want a cup of coffee in that place.
I never realized that the Tower Theater marquis had been changed by El Real to read TEX MEX.
As far as Mary’s, I doubt the statement about the city requesting removal is true.
Historical? Landmark? Give me a break. I’m surprised the building itself is still standing.
“From Hdtex:
There’s not enough Clorox in all of Texas to make me want a cup of coffee in that place.”
I wonder how many others think this exact same thing but are too “PC” to say it, good on you Hdtex!
I’d like to see the letter Heugel got from the COH. I bet he’ll say it’s “confidential” or some such crap. Won’t be patronizing that coffee joint. And the COH has such arbitrary enforcement of code violations. There are numerous violations within 2 blocks of my home and I’ve reported them the COH and NOTHING has been done- for over a year. Such crap coming from City Hall these days.But in the the Westmoreland District where Annise & Kathy live ,they have smooth,paved streets,speed bumps, speed limit sighs,enforced code violations,etc. What a load from out ELECTED mayor and her agenda at City Hall!
shadyheightster:
Are you sure it’s a ‘city’ sidewalk?
I am responsible for repairing the one in front of my house. I thought it was the same with businesses. (I’m too lazy to look it up)
@PYE, I used to think that was the case, but in the Woodland Heights the COH has been installing new sidewalks as part of a better mobility program in residential areas. Also, when the city comes in a widens a street they install and pay for the sidewalks. So I’m not 100% certain about the law, but I know the city plays a financial role in keeping sidewalks functional.
Clorox??? They only let ONE cat sit in there and Mr. Balls had his own barstool! Sheesh!
“That place” is currently roasting some of the best coffee in the nation. I suggest you get over your problems with what the place was and give it a try.
considering the overwhelming number of dysfunctional and completely impassible sidewalks (for the disabled yo) i would have to assume most sidewalks fall within the responsiblity of the city.
Numerous urns of cremains are interred in
the old back yard of Mary’s . . . just
say’n don’t walk or spit on the dearly
departed yall.
@22 joel,
Not so. Or were you joking??
Likewise with curbs. Shady is right, the city will repair and/or replace if they do damage while repairing something else but as for routine maintenance, it is the property owner’s problem.
I was not aware of any better mobility programs but it’s something our civic association will look into. Our neighborhood is full of mature trees and we all know what tree roots do to sidewalks.
“Visual blight means any unauthorized graffiti or any other unauthorized form of painting, scratching, writing or inscription, including without limitation, initials, slogans or drawings, regardless of the content or nature of the material that has been applied to any wall, building, fence, sign, or other structure or surface and is visible from any public property or right-of-way or is visible from the private property of another person.â€
^Sounds like a simple letter of authorization of artwork is all it would have taken.
If you won’t drink coffee at the former Mary’s building, then you probably don’t want to know what went on at The Empire Cafe, when it was known as The Locker.
Hear, hear Darogr. And I’d like to “Clorox” a lot of these folks right out of the neighborhood!
It’s funny that the owners of ‘Hay Merchant’ are collecting Houston memorabilia while destroying others. I wonder what the ‘creative’ aspect that will go up after the mural will be? These guys are a joke.