Last Chance To See 600 sq mi: Hidden
Missed Connections: Gefilte Fish...and "Chain Connections"
H-Town Rock
Rock Talk, Vol. IX
There are a couple reasons Original New Orleans Po-boys owner Pete Hope gives for why he is suddenly closing up shop on Main St. after decades of serving everything from sandwiches to pancakes; the $5,000 a month rent is a burden, and even more so because of the dwindling number of customers - according to Pete, the rail line put him out of business.
Pam McClosky, a customer-turned-worker, said:
Once the rail came, people couldn't get here ... customers would come up to the register and say 'I couldn't get here, I couldn't get here...'
Well, they did indeed get there, obviously, and apparently many others did as well. According to folks at the Houston Architecture Info forum, the place wasn't hurting too badly customer-wise, and some are skeptical that the rail was a direct hit on business. After all, we can't remember a time when a track got in between us and one of our favorite meals.
Still, the restaurant is no more, and there will be a much-missed favorite along a part of Main St. that needs all the help it can get.
Photo: Flickr user focalplane
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As I type this they're taking down the "AFTER 29 YRS. WE'RE STILL HERE" and "YES ! WE ARE OPEN" banners, and I can't help but feel super depressed. That shack is more or less the view from my windows, and it always seemed busy at lunch time, so the reasoning seems bogus. Oh well, time marches on. Godspeed, Pete's pancakes.
Once the rail came, people couldn't get here ... customers would come up to the register and say 'I couldn't get here, I couldn't get here...'
Am I the only one who can't follow this line of logic?
The rail may have indirectly killed it. It raised the rent and gentrified the neighborhood.
I worked blocks from there during the rail construction. I avoided it whenever possible. Old-Style and greasy isn't a magnet for me.
I live less than three blocks from New Orleans Po-Boy and I can't believe Pete Hope is still griping about the rail. This is a bunch of BS on his part. He definitely has as much or more business than ever and I would say his business took the least hit of all the nearby restaurants from the crippling construction period for the rail. $5000 a month rent?! How many $3.29 po-boys and burgers do you have to sell to make that back? To be fair, the food is great and I'll miss it for sure. However, curmudgeon Pete doesn't take credit or debit cards, the phone is rarely answeres for call in orders and if you want anything besides fried shrimp/friend oyster or burger po-boys you're out of luck. Pete Hope's management style in the highly competitive world of fast food is out of date. It's not the light rail line, for God's sake! - David Beebe
Though I agree to a point with David Beebe (and completely DISagree with Bill Shirley's healthy eating habits - come on Bill, that's some good stuff), the main disappointment for me is that we're losing one of Houston's top five burgers. We're losing yet another interesting(albeit dumpy) building, inside of which was a unique culinary experience. I'm guessing there's more to Pete's story than what has currently been shared. Regardless, I'm bummed. Gentrification blows.
Gentrification blows.
Especially if it's the kind that replaces viable stuff with parking lots.