Time jump with me to the late 1800s. We are standing in front of 1601 Congress Street. This small commercial building was once the site of Weingarten Grocery & Saloon.
Joseph and Harry Weingarten owned this grocery and saloon from the early 1900s to about 1910. But who were the Weingartens? Let’s delve into the story of Weingarten’s. Hersch Harris Weingarten was a Jewish immigrant from Austria-Hungary. Harris and his son Joseph opened a grocery store in Downtown Houston in 1901.
Weingarten’s grew. By 1926, the chain had six stores. By 1938, twelve stores existed. By 1967, Weingarten’s operated 70 stores.
Before Weingarten’s, this building housed various grocers and saloons. Boarding rooms were located on the second floor. You can still see evidence of these “rooms” on the back of the building.
Around 1918, different businesses occupied this space. There was a barber shop, clothes cleaner, newsstand, and transfer company. Even into the 1970s, it served as a restaurant.
Joseph Weingarten was a pioneer. He advertised “Better Food for Less.” Weingarten pioneered self-service and cash-and-carry shopping.
In 1980, Weingarten Incorporated sold its stores to Cavenham Foods. The chain had grown to 104 stores in five states. Cavenham Foods transferred management to its chain Grand Union.
Grand Union resold most of the stores in 1983. Safeway acquired 43 stores. Randalls and Gerland’s Food Fair also purchased stores. This included 55 stores in the Houston area.
The Weingarten story doesn’t end there. Joseph Weingarten founded Weingarten Realty in 1948. The company built stores for his father’s business. Weingarten Realty became a public company in 1985. In August 2021, Kimco Realty acquired Weingarten Realty.
Weingarten Realty invested in shopping centers. These were primarily in the Southern United States. Grocery stores were often the anchor stores.
Weingarten’s impact extended beyond groceries. They also had a distinctive style. Consider the Erwin pattern. Its top border seamlessly integrates into the design.
Although the grocery chain is no longer, the name lives on. Weingarten Realty continues as a real estate developer. It focuses on retail shopping centers.
So, next time you’re near 1601 Congress St think of Weingarten Grocery & Saloon. Think about the Weingarten family’s journey. A journey from a small grocery store to a real estate empire.