Independent grocery store Klein’s Super Market closed down in April, after doing business in Tomball for 89 years — almost half of them at the corner of West Main St. and Buvinghausen. Next up for the 31,628-sq.-ft. vacant space at 1200 West Main: New life as a “community-based outpatient clinic” for the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. The Veterans Administration has signed a 20-year lease for the property, Congressman Michael McCaul announced today. Renovations are expected to be completed next summer; the clinic should open to patients next fall. Also announced: a similar clinic at 750 Westgreen Blvd. in Katy, in an existing medical building.
- Locations for Katy, Tomball VA clinics announced [Katy Times]
- The end of an era: Klein’s Super Market to close doors at end of April [Tomball Potpourri
Photo: Jesse Smith
So one more private business bites the dust while a government agency gets larger. Me thinks this is not a good trend.
I drove down Main street in Tomball not too long ago, and was sad to learn of the closure. I grew up in the area, and have a lot of fond memories of Kleins, including countless shopping trips as a small child, since it was the only option in the area for many years (not to mention that we had a ton of friends who worked there during high school, which made buying booze a breeze…:) ). But, with the addition of HEB and the Mega-Super-Kroger at four corners, Kleins was operating on borrowed time for many years.
Wow… Klein’s Supermarket is closed – I had no idea. I remember my first visit to Klein’s in 1978 – we moved to Tomball from the Alief area. Went to Tomball Elementary right next door – sad to see it go!