Was the highly popular Houston’s restaurant taking a break from us? Or breaking up?
Hillstone Restaurant Group closed its Country Club Plaza Houston’s in early 2017. It didn’t promise to return. But it gave local fans some hope, saying it would continue to look for other area sites with unique features.
The Country Club Plaza’s new owners, HP Village Management, says that while security is first, second and third in its customer surveys, Houston’s is fourth and fifth.
Can it woo them back? Kansas Citians would sure like to know.
Stephen Summers, whose family co-owns HP Village Management and is leading the Plaza’s leasing efforts, says he’s trying.
David M. Block of Block & Co. Inc. Realtors originally brought the chain to the metro in late 1984. It wanted to be in Johnson County and opened at 7111 W. 95th St. (current home of the new Sickies Garage Burgers & Brews).
It was one of only 14 Houston’s across the country at the time and quickly became a Johnson County favorite with its then trendy exposed brick, wood and brass decor.
It closed in Overland Park in mid-2002, saying business was good but the chain was unwilling to invest the money needed to bring the building up to the company’s standards when it just had three years left on its lease.
The Plaza location, 4640 Wornall Road, opened in 1987. Hillstone blamed its closing on needed infrastructure improvements. At the time, Plaza officials issued a statement saying they were sad that Houston’s was leaving but they had done all they could to try to get them to stay.
Hillstone officials declined to comment Saturday.
The company currently has Houston’s in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and Tennessee. It now exclusively looks for standalone buildings or land that it can purchase.