At the Houston Public Library today I ordered a few more photos taken at Almeda Mall that are archived in the negatives holdings. (To be delivered in the coming week.)
I also flipped through the 1966 and 1968 bound holdings of the Houston Chamber of Commerce Magazine in the hopes I might stumble on something Almeda related. The entire year is bound into a very thick book, so the pages are not very friendly to photos thanks to the warping, but I gave it my best.
From October, 1966 was a small piece on "Foley's Fourth" and the grand opening of the store "on the prairie" that was marked by the ceremonial cutting of an azalea "ribbon" by the mayor.
At the time, it was officially known as Foley's Almeda-Genoa.
Foley's Almeda-Genoa -- Foley's fourth store and third suburban branch -- opened in early October with a ceremony attended by a large group of businessman, city dignitaries, Foley's officials and other guests. A "ribbon" of azaleas was snipped by Mayor Louis Welch at the grand opening.
The two-story, 209,000-square-foot store -- set in a grove of transplanted palms -- is the first building to be constructed in the proposed Almeda-Genoa Shopping City which will occupy a 56-acre tract at Gulf Freeway and Almeda-Genoa Road (approximately 12 miles from downtown Houston).
The "contemporary Southwest" exterior of the store was designed by Lloyd, Morgan & Wright. The architectural firm said it combined all the influences that are the heritage of Texas - Indian, Spanish and French -- to achieve a look that is "singularly Southwest." The brick facade is the color of adobe and strikingly simple. A series of tall, narrow classic archways -- 24 in all -- parallel three sides of he store. Each archway is hung with an enormous turquoise awning especially designed by the architects.
The fourth side of the store will ultimately open into a 200,000-square foot mall which will be lines with shops and stores. J.C. Penney Company will construct the department store at the other end of the mall.
President Milton Berman of Foley's -- pointing out that studies have shown there are approximately 35,000 persons residing within 15 minutes driving time of the site -- said, "The population within this 15-minute driving time radius increased at an average annual rate of 18.1% from 1950 to 1960, as compared with the average annual grown of 5.4% for Harris County during the same period."
The completion of the Almeda-Genoa store gives Foley's a total of about two million square feet of floor space in the downtown store and three branches. Foley's is now preparing to begin construction of a fourth branch store -- Foley's Northwest -- which again will be the anchor for a regional shopping city.
Foley's Almeda Genoa consists of give shopping areas -- women's fashions and accessories, men's wear, children's wear, smallwares (including records and radios) and home furnishings (including furniture, carpets, draperies and housewares).
A 100-seat auditorium on the first floor will be the setting for programs, fashion shows, and meetings. The store also has a beauty salon, bridal slon, pharmacy, ticket center and watch repair shop. A post office sub-station will open soon.
The Terrace -- a restaurant with a Caribbean decor -- combines a dining room and coffee ship on the second floor.
In addition to the store, there will be a Foley's tire and auto accessories center constructed on the site.
President Berman credited Foley's top officials with having developed plans -- in conjunction with the architects -- for the new store. They are Executive Vice-President Stewart Orton (who also serves as general merchandising manager) Vice President William Shifflick (in charge of operations and control), and Vice President Lasker Meyer (in charge of branch operations). These three -- with President Berman and Vice President Robert W Dundas Sr. (in charge of public affairs) -- form Foley's management team.
President Berman said the opening of Foley's Almeda-Genoa was the "completion of another phase in the long-range expansion program to put a Foley's in the hub of every booming Houston area."
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