Carbon-izer Presents FM 1960 West

CARBON-IZER PRESENTS FM 1960 WEST

This page originally started out as a complement to a page on West Houston Archives to make some additions and edits but it eventually expanded beyond that. It also, like WHA, kept the reverse-order of addresses. Unfortunately, the website eventually disappeared, and with it, the pictures. (The little camera icon-- indicated that WHA had a picture). While I hope to arrange some sort of agreement to get the pictures re-hosted here as of Version 11 it is unavailable.
The long-overdue Version 11 has a number of updates applied to the existing page with a few all-new entries (and removing an oddball entry). Like other pages this should be prefaced that this is to the best of my knowledge, there are of course things on this road that are not covered or are out of date.

Added: Staybridge Suites, Wortham Village Shopping Center, Extra Space Storage, 7910 FM 1960 West (former Boston Market), 7728 FM 1960 West (former TGI Friday's), Portillo's (revives old Fuddruckers entry), 7210 Farm to Market 1960 West (the first "demolished" entry on this page), 4701 FM 1960 West (former Target at North Oaks), WSS (at Falling Creek Drive), ALDI, Dutch Bros Coffee (at Walters Road), 4430 FM 1960 West (former Auto Republic), 3021 FM 1960 West (former Games People Play), Texas Thrift (former Kmart/Hobby Lobby), 2427 FM 1960 West (former Wendy's/Logan Farms Honey Hams Market/some other stuff that didn't last long), Loanstar Title Loans (at Kuykendahl--former Burger King), and 111 FM 1960 West (former Champ's).

Updated: McDonald's (at 290), PPLCARS (formerly titled as "13135 FM 1960 Road West"), Burger King (at Wortham Blvd.), Dutch Bros Coffee (formerly titled as "12901 FM 1960 Road West"), 12603 FM 1960 Road West (formerly titled as "Conoco"), Walmart (at North Eldridge), Oak Street Health (formerly titled as "CVS/pharmacy"), Black Rifle Coffee Company, 10951 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. West (formerly titled as "Big Lots"), Sichuan Pepper Express (formerly titled as "10843 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W."), Fitness Connection, Schlotzsky's (formerly titled as "10660 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W."), 8725 FM 1960 Road West (formerly titled as "G Motors"), Deseret Industries (link now works), 8550 FM 1960 Road West (formerly titled as "7-Eleven"), Willowbrook Mall, 7615 FM 1960 West (formerly titled as "Kirin II Japanese Seafood Buffet"), El Paso Mexican Grill, Olive Garden, Megacenter Willowbrook, Target (at Cutten), SignatureCare Emergency Center, Walmart (at TC Jester), Sun's Wholesale Club, 2907 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W., 2224 FM 1960 West, Daiquiri Island To Go (formerly titled as "1602 FM 1960 West"), Cypress Pointe (Red Lobster's demise/some other stuff), Cypress Station (retooled from "Lucky Penny Cycles") and 101 FM 1960 West (formerly titled as "JCI Grill").

Removed: 17203 Bamwood Drive (now at Numbered Exits)


US 290 to NORTH ELDRIDGE PARKWAY


As of this writing, the 290/FM 1960 intersection is mostly complete, with the new overpass and the first stoplight here is Wortham Boulevard ending just before Eldridge Parkway. Check out here.

McDonald's / 13145 FM 1960 West
This McDonald's was built in 1996 and got the "yellow eyebrow" update by spring 2008. It was also one of the first "new-style" yellow-eyebrow McDonald's I remember going to before they started to rapidly tear down or renovate older "mansard roofs" en masse.

Staybridge Suites / 13140 FM 1960 West
Staybridge Suites Houston NW Cypress Crossing opened in 2023 on the north side of the road and slightly off from it, it has an FM 1960 address but may as well have had a NW Freeway one.

Denny's / 13031 FM 1960 Rd. W.
This Denny's opened in December 1995 and is 24/7 again as of 2021. If only House of Pies could get the same idea...

PPLCARS / 13135 FM 1960 Road West
This former gas station opened as RaceTrac #523 in 1996 and converted to RaceWay in 2006. Around early 2018 it closed permanently. Sometime around 2024 it became a used car dealer.

Burger King / 12929 FM 1960 Road West
This Burger King (#9434) originally opened in 1996 and was rebuilt in 2015-2016.

Country Inn & Suites / 12915 FM 1960 Road West
Officially the "Houston Northwest" location, this hotel (60 rooms on 3 floors), was built as a Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites in 2001. In 2016 was converted to a Country Inn & Suites.

Construction of FM 1960 has eliminated the parking in the front and required a reduction of the swimming pool's footprint.

Wortham Village Shopping Center / 12914 FM 1960 Road West
This strip center was built in 2003. Tenants as of November 2024 (from west to east) include Publik Reserve, Pho Nguyen (this was Texadelphia at one time, closed circa 2014), House of Barbers, PJ's Eatery, Smoker Empire, Rose & Dagger Tattoo (the sign just says "Tattoo"), Fashion Nails Spa, and Bluewater Seafood.

Bluewater Seafood (its original location is located further down FM 1960 West and discussed on this page) has expanded its space with a patio, mock lighthouse, and redoing the east parking lot with new palm trees.

Dutch Bros Coffee / 12901 FM 1960 Road West
This operated as a Sonic from its opening in 2006 to early 2021. The Yelp review for the former Sonic indicates that it closed in early 2021 for miserable service than any other factor. A few years later (by late 2024) it became a Dutch Bros Coffee, though unusually they seemed to have renovated the building rather than rebuilt it.

Panda Express / 12895 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This Panda Express opened in 2006 not long after the Sonic next door, but has fared better than it.

The Home Depot / 12727 FM 1960 Road West
It apears that this Home Depot store was opened in early 2006.

Target / 12701 FM 1960 Road West
T-2144 opened in October 2006 (source). It replaced an early 1980s location at FM 1960 West and Jones Road.

Valvoline Instant Oil Change / 12611 FM 1960 Road W.
A Steak N Shake restaurant opened with much fanfare here in 2008 but ended up closing in 2015. After more than five years standing vacant, in 2022 it was finally torn down for Valvoline Instant Oil Change, which opened in spring 2023.

12603 FM 1960 Road West
This was a Conoco (branding since at least 2007 and facility there since 2000), and in lieu of a large convenience store, this Conoco has "Car Spa Car Wash" and an oil change/state inspection center. It has been here since 2000, with the Conoco branding here at least since 2007. I was informed that as of August 2023 (when Version 10 of this page went up) that it had closed due to construction. "Temporarily", apparently, but this seems to be permanent.

12620 FM 1960 West
This three-building strip center is a little hard to explain in writing. The first incarnation of the property was John Eagle Honda (12602 FM 1960 Road West) from approximately 1984 to 2003. After it moved, two buildings were developed, a strip center at 10311 North Eldridge Parkway, and an Eckerd at 12600 FM 1960 West. Unfortunately, the Eckerd closed in 2004 (operating for less than six months, as it was too close to existing CVS stores when Eckerd was dismantled). Eckerd was replaced by Sound Fitness, which operated from around 2006 to 2013. After closing, the sign of Sound Fitness remained up for several years afterward.

The third incarnation of the property renovated both buildings, and rebranded the former Eckerd/Sound Fitness building as 12620 FM 1960 (Building C) while adding an all-new Building A with the same address. (Presumably, the Eldridge building is "B"). Building C now has Walgreens (which relocated from their larger store catty-corner), Vision Concept, a vacant space, and Charleys Cheesesteaks. Building A features Candila Media Graphics (for a graphic company, the font is awful, the "a"s look like "o"s), The UPS Store, Avis/Budget, Verizon, and Tex Mex Grill & Bar.

More information is available at The Houston Files (back when it was the closed Sound Fitness) or Houston Historic Retail for a more modern look.


ELDRIDGE PARKWAY to JONES RD.


WSS / 12445 FM 1960 Road West
This was a former Walgreens that operated from 2000 to 2020. It relocated to the former Eckerd catty-corner (in a significantly downsized space). WSS opened in 2022.

ELDRIDGE TOWN CENTER & WINDERMERE VILLAGE

This somewhat sprawling strip center (archived version here) is anchored by Kohl's and Kroger.

Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers / 12407 FM 1960 Road West
This appears to have opened in early 2015 on what used to be Walmart's parking lot (the side closest to the road).

Chick-fil-A / 12325 FM 1960 West
This Chick-fil-A originally opened in 2002 in the parking lot of the Walmart and was completely rebuilt in 2021-2022 with better drive-through capacity.

Walmart / 12353 FM 1960 West
Originally branded as Wal-Mart Supercenter, this large discount store + food mart opened in July 2001. The store, 3297, still has a McDonald's inside.

Regency Inn & Suites / 12349 FM 1960 Rd. W.
This opened as a two-story Americas Best Value Inn & Suites behind the Raising Cane's (described next entry) sometime around late 2016 and early 2017, but between 2020 and 2021 it assumed the current name it has now.

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers / 12345 FM 1960 Rd. W.
Raising Cane's opened in April 2012 but chose to focus on the fact that it opened on Friday the 13th rather than its ascending numerical address (12345).

Oak Street Health / 11600 FM 1960 West
The aforementioned Eckerd probably closed because of a CVS here, built around 2003. In 2024 it was closed and converted to a Oak Street Health clinic (owned by CVS) though the CVS pharmacy (and a VERY small retail section) remained.

Shell / 11702 FM 1960 West
I'm told this was opened c. 1996 as a Texaco but by 2007 this was a Valero (with a dry cleaner sub-tenant and car wash nearby). It became Exxon by 2011 (the dry cleaner had closed by then) and in 2018 the convenience store (but not the gas canopy) was torn down and rebuilt, adding a Subway inside. It gained the Shell branding around 2021 and finally gained a long-promised Golden Chick in early 2024.

11560 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
The Starbucks here opened in 2013, along with a Jersey Mike's Subs on the opposite end. As of March 2022, other tenants include Vivid Dental, Top Star Kitchen & Bath (this was "Absolute Vapor" as of 2019), and T&M Dry Cleaners Professional Tailor.

Texaco / 11595 FM 1960 West
This Valero has a generic food store (d/b/a Evergreen Food Mart) but the unique design of the station shows its legacy as a Stop N Go. It converted to Valero in the late 2000s (from what, is hard to tell--it's not Diamond Shamrock) and to Texaco sometime in 2019.

Econo Lodge / 11570 FM 1960 Rd. West
Located between and behind the strip center and Zaxby's is this hotel. This was built in 2016 as a Budget Host Inn (with its dated brown-and-yellow logo) but converted to Econo Lodge (Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Houston NW-Cy-Fair) by mid-2018.

Zaxby's / 11550 FM 1960 West
Zaxby's opened here in 2010. Although it was one of the earlier Zaxby's locations in the area, it was neither the first in Texas nor in Houston.

Extra Space Storage / 11500 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W
This storage unit building is not the only tenant here (it converted from LifeStorage between Nov. 2024 and March 2025) as it has some sub-leased tenants (industry-oriented, HVAC, parts, etc.) toward the back. A narrow alleyway connects it to Glenora Drive.

In 2007 it was Four Seasons Self Storage.

Volkswagen Cypress / 11411 FM 1960 W.
This car dealership opened around December 2022 or January 2023 (possibly as early as late 2022), moving from a dealership on Northwest Freeway. Back in 1986 it opened as Steeplechase Lincoln-Mercury, 1986, which added Subaru vehicles soon after to be Steeplechase Lincoln-Mercury-Subaru by 1988, and converted to Charlie Thomas Lincoln-Mercury-Subaru by year-end. By 1990 it was Charlie Thomas Lincoln-Mercury-Isuzu-Subaru (adding a fourth brand to the mix) and later that year became Leland-Steeplechase Lincoln-Mercury-Isuzu (dropping Subaru). In early 1996 it changed hands again to become Texan Lincoln-Mercury-Isuzu and closed a few years later. By 2003 it was Northwest Suzuki (operating in the smaller half of the facility) but that closed in 2009. This smaller building was used for Northwest Dodge Certified Pre-Owned briefly in the mid-2010s but it was gone by late 2017. By January 2023, Volkswagen Cypress was open and had rebuilt the lot completely with new parking lots and buildings.

Dairy Queen / 11130 FM 1960 West
Now branded as a "DQ", this restaurant has been here since the 1970s and at one time was the only establishment between the Jones Road intersection all the way to the Hempstead Highway intersection.

Whataburger / 11030 FM 1960 West
Whataburger relocated here from 10843 in August 2023 though there was a full four-day gap between the move.

Black Rifle Coffee Company / 11006 FM 1960 West
This former Taco Cabana closed in January 2021 a year after the big Taco Cabana closures, and reopened as Black Rifle Coffee Co. in September 2022.

I'm having trouble determining when Taco Cabana opened (I guess in the 1990s?) but back in the 1980s (before the Chevron merger) it was a gas station (according to Anonymous in Houston, "The TC/Black Rifle property used to be a Gulf gas station...with a spinning sign no less!").


JONES RD. to PERRY RD.


For more information on Jones Road, check out the North Houston page.

10951 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. West
This store was built as a Kroger "Super Store" (a model of Kroger, not a branding), originally opening in late 1978 or early 1979. Exterior-wise, this was a "greenhouse" Kroger. Ultimately, the Kroger pulled out less than a decade later (closed by late 1986) and by 1988 it was Pic'N'Save and in 1992 it was Mac Frugal's, the new name of the chain. In 2002, the store was rebranded as Big Lots before closing in late 2024 as the chain crumbled. More on this former Kroger will be explored soon.

Sichuan Pepper Express / 10843 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
Whataburger (#279) relocated here from 11035 Jones Road (see the North Houston page) in the mid-1990s and closed in August 2023 when it relocated to 11030 (see above). WHA's picture (currently unavailable) showed the restaurant with its blue trim, which it had since the late 1990s but changed at some point in the 2010s.

This building's replacement, Sichuan Pepper Express, opened in November 2024.

Wendy's / 10953 Farm to Market 1960 West
This 1985 Wendy's was the last Wendy's I knew of in Houston that had the original "solarium" roof. Unfortunately, in 2018-2019 the restaurant was renovated and doesn't look like that anymore. Good thing I took my own interior pictures!

Wendy's exterior, February 2017
Wendy's solarium, February 2017

Fitness Connection / 10920 FM 1960 West
The original tenant here was Eagle Discount Supermarkets from 1974 to 1985, a supermarket chain that was operated by Lucky Stores out of California and was Lucky in all but name. It served as a few other grocery stores afterwards including King Saver Warehouse Foods (1985-1988, though there appears a time when it was closed for a year before reopening with a new store number. In the late 1980s it served as Freshville Foods, a one-off that occupied other former Eagle locations, and from 1992 to 1996 it was now-defunct hobby retailer Crafts Etc. (closing with the chain's bankruptcy), and finally it was 24 Hour Fitness from 1999 to 2015, with Fitness Connection reopening it in 2016. Fitness Connection doesn't use all of the space, there was a restaurant nearby in the same building (10922 FM 1960 West). In the 2010s it was CiCi's, and in late 2023 Sleepy's Po-Boys opened in the space but it closed within a few months.

Chimac / 10860 FM 1960 West
Formerly a dated Hartz Chicken Buffet (Hartz Chicken) restaurant (#113) that operated here from 1989 to 2016, the space today (opened early 2019) is a Korean chicken restaurant. Hartz is now located a bit down the street (but didn't move immediately, see next entry).

Schlotzsky's / 10660 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This was built as a Taco Bell in 1993 and later renovated into a combo Taco Bell/Long John Silvers (the building was later renovated, possibly when LJS was added around the early 2000s). Taco Bell/LJS closed between May 2016 and May 2017. Hartz Chicken Buffet, its next tenant, didn't move here immediately from their old location, opening in 2018 but closing in summer 2023. In late 2024 it became Schlotzsky's.

TitleMax Title Loans / 10610 FM 1960 Road West
This was a McDonald's (with a Playplace, looks like) from approximately around 1991 to 2001. After that, it was several other businesses including Zak's (~2002), Tio Chucho Ostioneria & Bar (2003-2004), Pete's BBQ (2007-2008), Overtime Sports Bar & Grill (2008-2009), Bikini Wing Bar (2010-2012). In March 2012, Bikini Wing Bar was rebranded as Babe's (aka Babe's North to complement Babe's at 5614 Hillcroft) but was shut down later that year. TitleMax Title Loans opened by 2014 and has been there since.

Buddy's Home Furnishings / 10602 FM 1960 West
This establishment was originally a Wolfe Nursery then "Liquid" in the early 2000s and Bizarre Bazaar sometime until 2017 or 2018. Liquid sold the same sort of stuff Bizarre Bazaar did...smoking accessories, sex toys, the like.

Captain Tom's Seafood & Oyster Bar / 10501 FM 1960 West
This boat shaped restaurant was originally further down the street but moved to this new location in late 2015/early 2016 after moving from its old spot in the strip mall parking lot down the street.

Idlewilde Apartment Homes / 9915 FM 1960 West
This apartment complex was built in 2008.

Circle K / 9403 FM 1960 West
As of December 2007, this was Valero with Corner Store. By 2019 Corner Store had converted to Circle K, and in 2021, dropped the Valero gas brand entirely. It was originally Stop-N-Go (likely self-branded) when it opened circa 1988.

Fix Auto / 9350 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This was a MAACO when it was built and opened in 2005, though in 2023 it was replaced by Fix Auto (possibly switching franchises). Next door is a vacant space (9306 FM 1960 West) where a Shell most recently operated. The Shell opened around 1990 as a Mobil though became Shell by the early 1990s and demolished in 2023.


PERRY RD. TO SH 249


McDonald's / 9351 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. West
This McDonald's opened in 2001 to replace the one down the street. While also initially a "mansard roof", the restaurant received an exterior change in 2017.

Exxon / 9275 FM 1960 West
This 7-Eleven/Exxon (includes Laredo Taco Company) was built on a vacant pad that originally housed a Red Lobster, then Prime Time Steakhouse, which operated from sometime in the 1990s to 2013. It was demolished six or seven years later. 7-Eleven opened around January 2023.

8725 FM 1960 Road West
An abandoned Sonic stood for nearly a decade before becoming this used auto lot (Houston Used Auto Sales) in fall 2016. This became G Motors between 2022 and 2023. Following an incident with some dogs ripping apart fenders they moved in May 2024. As Sonic, it had an incredibly short life, opening in mid-2006 but closing up by the end of 2007.

Deseret Industries / 8625 FM 1960 Road West
Formerly a Sports Authority until it closed in the spring 2016 with the chain, this was a former Oshman's as WHA states. However, it was more than just an Oshman's, it was Oshman's SuperSports USA. An ad in a September 1995 issue of the Houston Chronicle showcased all the features of the new store. Sometime around late 2005 or early 2006, it was rebranded as Sports Authority with the rest of the chain (but by its closure, most of those nifty features SSUSA had were gone). In early 2021, it opened as Deseret Industries thrift store, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Notably, it is their first store outside of the western United States.

Jack in the Box / 8603 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This fast food chain has been here at least since 1994, predating Oshman's.

8550 FM 1960 Road West
This opened in late 2013 as RaceWay and after RaceWay sold its area stores to 7-Eleven in early 2021, and was operating as such by April 2021, complete with a branded canopy. (It may have even skipped the "Mobil Mart" transitionary phase!)

However, it closed in May 2024 and the whole gas component was completely demolished by November of that year.

Burlington / 8415 Farm to Market 1960 Road West
This opened as The Home Depot back in 1985, one of the very first Home Depot stores in the Houston area. In March 1994 it closed and moved to 18355 Tomball Parkway (which has since moved again). Burlington Coat Factory opened later in 1994 and the rest is history (well, aside from dropping the "Coat Factory" from the store name). Behind it is a vacant lot that used to be a scrapyard back in the 1970s and 1980s (see West Houston Archives).

WILLOWCHASE CENTER

Willowchase Center (also known as Willow Chase Center, and also briefly also known as Willow Chase Fashion Center) began as an "off-price" complement to Willowbrook Mall, featuring Mervyn's (which later "disconnected" from the center legally), J. Brannam (stand-alone), T.H. Mandy, Willow Chase Health Club, and The Home Front.

Willowchase Center is a bit of a definitively downscale center these days, but one thing to note is the Fiesta Mart is in fact original (well, not at opening, but it didn't replace anything). You can see the PDF I used for reference of the shopping center here (archived from the original link. The center has been a bit hard to research because not only are their addresses for the tenants, but that some of them merge or divide.

Rooms to Go / 12990 Willow Chase Drive
Rooms to Go was once a Mervyn's department store (#127), opened in spring 1984 with several other Mervyn's stores in the area, until its closure in January 2006 (which was also when Mervyn's exited Houston, among other areas). A few years later, an extensive renovation followed that gutted the building and transformed it into Rooms to Go.

7-Eleven / 8015 West FM 1960
At the southwest corner of 249 and FM 1960 is a 7-Eleven gas station with a Laredo Taco Company (it is self-branded). It replaced a Texas Land & Cattle Steakhouse, a chain restaurant that operated here from 2000 to January 2017. The restaurant building and its adjacent parking lot were demolished, 7-Eleven opened in 2021.


SH 249 TO CUTTEN RD.

They renamed this section of FM 1960 West as "Cypress Creek Parkway" in the early 2010s. As a result, the addresses here as referred to Cypress Creek Parkway, not FM 1960 West or FM 1960 Road West, though this isn't consistent and we'll use both in this page.


Sam's Club / 7950 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
Opening in August 1994 as "Builders Square II" (a larger version of the Builders Square hardware store, owned by Kmart). The Builders Square II name was later de-emphasized—it was not used in advertisements and by the late 1990s it was only Builder's Square no matter what it said on the outside. In June 1999, the company (spun off from Kmart in 1997 and merged with Maryland-based Hechinger) filed for bankruptcy and closed the remaining six stores in Houston (the company would go out of business later that year after unsuccessfully trying to convert Builders Square to their other brand, Home Quarters). In 2001, the store reopened as a Sam's Club.

Willowbrook Mall / 7925 FM 1960 West
Willowbrook Mall uses the 2000 Willowbrook Mall address these days but we have a dedicated page on this very website. Check it out here. A few things of note is that is that regrettably, but not unexpectedly, Sears Hometown did not last a year (and is to be replaced with a Round One)...there's a good write-up on Houston Historic Retail written by "Anonymous in Houston", and there are a number of departed tenants that have come and go here. To prevent overlap, I've written them at that HHR post.

7910 FM 1960 West
Former Boston Market and opened 1995. It was the next to last location in Houston when it closed around April-May 2024.

7728 FM 1960 West
This former TGI Friday's was spared the closures that gutted the remaining Houston locations in early 2024 but wasn't spared when the company went bankrupt and exited Houston for good.

In the mid-1990s (1994-1996) this was Grady's American Grill (which I'll discuss another time) with TGI Friday's opening in 1997.

7615 FM 1960 West
Shoney's (#550) was here from 1993 to 1996, being replaced by Kirin Japanese Seafood & Sushi Buffet (also known as "Kirin II Japanese Seafood Buffet" to differentiate from the Greens Road location) in 1998. It appears to have closed in late 2024.

In-N-Out Burger / 7611 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
The Houston area's third In-N-Out Burger opened in September 2020 but the first in Houston proper. Previously, the site held a Chase bank, which I'm told was a Bank One prior to Chase.

El Paso Mexican Grill / 7607 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
Located behind In-N-Out and Kirin, this was Romano's Macaroni Grill from 1993 to around 2017, and has been El Paso since 2018 (it looks like it's closed as of this writing in March 2025).

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers / 7535 Cypress Creek Parkway
One of the restaurants that surrounds Willowbrook Mall, this restaurant has its nickname as "The Traffic Jam" and opened December 2014. It was some sort of bank originally, by fall 2008 it was already closed and dismantled.

Olive Garden / 7525 Cypress Creek Parkway
This Olive Garden restaurant has been here since 1989. I've never personally been inside of it but it had a cameo in the documentary series Ren Faire.

Portillo's / 7511 FM 1960 West
This Fuddruckers was operational since 1983 (one of the first restaurants on the outlots) and was planning to relocate into the mall proper before it burned down in a September 2022 fire and was demolished soon after. It was later redeveloped as a Portillo's restaurant (opened January 2025).

Jared The Galleria of Jewelry / 7400 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This opened in 1999 in a renovated former Two Pesos/Taco Cabana (1988-1996, approximately).

Best Buy / 7318 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W.
From 1976 to 1989 this was 84 Lumber (with its own rail spur) but became one of Houston's first Best Buy stores in 1991. In 2002 the store was rebuilt, going from 27,000 square feet to 44,000 square feet.

7210 Farm to Market 1960 West
This Whataburger restaurant went away around 2023 due to road construction.

7115 FM 1960 Rd. W.
This former NTB Tire & Service Center closed between February 2020 and April 2021 after being open since 1992.

Cabo Bob's / 7103 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This was James Coney Island (JCI Grill) from 1998 to the early 2020s when it closed and was leased to Cabo Bob's (opened 2022).

Megacenter Willowbrook / 7075 Cypress Creek Parkway
Built as a Wal-Mart in 1995 (store #597) and expanded to a Supercenter within seven years, this Walmart (as it was branded by that time) was marked for closure in January 2016. A few years later it was renovated a "Megacenter Willowbrook", some sort of hybrid office park/self storage center.

Eagle-eyed retail viewers will notice the store number is relatively low for a mid-1990s era store, and they'd be correct...it was originally located at 22420 FM 149 (now 22420 Tomball Pkwy.) and officially relocated to this location, despite being several miles down (a Supercenter at Spring Cypress and 249 did not open until 2003).

I won't link to Bluepages Wiki because it's wrong in this case (as of this writing anyway), claiming the Walmart Supercenter opened in 2000, which is only half-right...it expanded to a Supercenter in 2000.

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen / 7110 FM 1960 Road West
As I've found in writing about Katy Freeway, Loop 610, and Northwest Freeway, this Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen is right next to Pappasito's, in this case across Champion Centre Drive. Pappadeaux #10 opened in May 1994.

Pappasito's Cantina / 7050 FM 1960 Road West
Pappasito's Cantina opened in either December 1993 or very early 1994.


CUTTEN ROAD to CHAMPION FOREST DRIVE


En Vain / 6944 FM 1960 Road West
Restaurant, bar, and hookah lounge En Vain is the latest tenant at this location. Originally Robbins Bros. from 2007 to 2009, and Shannon Fine Jewelry from 2012 to June 2018, this reopened as sports bar Stacked Pickle in mid-2021 but it closed after less than a year. En Vain opened in October 2022.

The building sits on the site of the original 6940, Golden Corral (see "6940 FM 1960 West" below).

6940 FM 1960 West
Home of Freebirds World Burrito since 2007 with Jimmy John's joining it a few years later (in the back half of the building), 6940 was originally used for a Golden Corral where En Vain is now (where 6940 and 6930 now was part of their parking lot), which operated from 1992 to 2000, with Larry's Bar-B-Q replacing it from around 2000 to 2002. From 2003 to 2004 it was the Golden Bean Buffet. The empty building was torn down in 2005.

Target / 6801 FM 1960 Rd. W.
Target store T-2066 opened in October 2005. It replaced Target T-53 further east.

6705 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W.
The Mariner was here originally, same restaurant as the one formerly at 5919 Westheimer Road (see our Westheimer Road page for an advertisement) from around 1973 to 1986, and Interior Fabrics from 1991 to 2016.

This currently has two tenants, McCallum's Upholstery (Ste. B) and Bowen Fabrics (Ste. A). Both businesses moved here in 2016, though Bowen Fabrics was originally "House of Fabrics" until sometime 2022-2023.

Prose Champions / 6701 FM 1960 West
This apartment complex was built in the early 2020s but the address originally referred to some small buildings just directly east of 6705 FM 1960 Road West.

They were demolished in 2009 and there were three small house-like businesses sharing the 6701 W. FM 1960 address. These were photographed by John in 2009 but he had no idea what they were. Thanks to state taxpayer resources, we have now figured these out.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car from 1984 to 1993. This was not marked as "A" but rather the "main" building that was demolished first. (Possibly.)

6701 B was Gogi's Hair Styling for Tots & Teens from 1977 to 1983 and ABC Pet Grooming from around 1987-1988. Patty's Country Memories was here from 1992 to 1994, and Window Scenes from 1994 to 1996.

C was Kiki's Hair Place from 1982 to 1985 and Faye's Grooming and Boarding from 1988 to 2004.

Bluewater Seafood / 6107 FM 1960 Road West
This was a short-lived Hartz Chicken (1983-1986) before becoming Discount Carpets & Flooring in 1990, which it was until the mid 1990s. In 1996 it reopened as a restaurant, Bluewater Seafood and the first location of a small chain.

MoneyMax Title Loans / 5918 FM 1960 Road W.
This was originally a Mr. Gatti's Pizza from 1977 to around 1997 (maybe early 1998) and Joey D's Grill & Icehouse from 2003 to 2005. It doesn't look like it was anything in the late 1990s and early 2000s (a 2002 ad mentions a moving sale hosted at that address). From December 2005 (or early 2006) to around early 2009 it was Alma Latina, with Patron Bar & Grill (probably meant to be read as "Patrón") by 2011. Since at least 2013 it has been MoneyMax Title Loans.

Champions Service Center / 5902 FM 1960 W.
This gas station and auto garage lost its Shell branding between October 2019 and March 2020. It may have since gotten a new brand. According to Harris County Appraisal District, the service station dates back to 1967. A banner went up in 2017 celebrating 50 years in business, and has definitely been under that name since 1980 (though the gas brand is unknown).

IHOP / 5790 FM 1960 Road West
This restaurant opened in 1991 and anchors this shopping center. At the other end of the shopping center was another chain restaurant, Outback Steakhouse (5710 FM 1960 Rd. W.--also opened in 1991 when the center was built), but it closed in February 2018 and is still vacant.

Starbucks / 5602 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This Starbucks Coffee location opened in April 2014, replacing a floral shop-turned-Ben & Jerry's (see West Houston Archives link) and a stand-alone Subway (which moved to the adjacent shopping center). For some reason it faces backward, with the drive-through lane and dumpster enclosure facing FM 1960.


CHAMPIONS FOREST DRIVE to STUEBNER-AIRLINE RD./VETERANS MEMORIAL ROAD


Fidelity Investments / 5322 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
Steak N Shake's first attempt at FM 1960 West was back in 1976 though it was not long for this world and sold its local restaurants to Grandy's in 1978. In 1993, it closed and was replaced with Houston's first California Pizza Kitchen restaurant in 1994, but it closed in 1996. In 2000, the vacant restaurant reopened as Brendan's Bistro Park, and by December 2001 became Stonegate Prime Steaks & Seafood, run by Jim Kelly of Del Frisco's (but not the one in Uptown today, long story). In 2008 Stonegate closed, and was replaced with Orioli's in 2009, which reused most of the signage to open as "Orioli's Prime Steaks & Seafood" but it closed in 2010. After sitting vacant for a few years, the restaurant was demolished for a Fidelity office.

CHAMPIONS VILLAGE SHOPPING CENTER

At the southeast corner of Champions Forest and FM 1960 is the Champions Village shopping center. This strip mall was unusual in that it featured similar tenants to a traditional shopping mall (including more upscale tenants) while hybridizing it with traditional strip mall tenants. While the shopping center even had a directory published in the paper (a 2021 version can be seen here), there were a few notable tenants:

Shell / 5103 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
The most notable change that this Shell station (at Greenwood Forest) has seen since March 2009 is that around 2018-2019, Timewise (which owned the store since at least the early 2010s) removed the canopy between the gas pumps and the store. It also has seen its main road sign changed out to a digital one.

SignatureCare Emergency Center / 5003 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This was a former Walgreens, which operated from 2002 to sometime around early 2016. The emergency room opened in the building in early 2019. At one point in time (guess when) they hung a banner clarifying that this was this was an emergency room, not a testing center.

4845 FM 1960 Rd. West
This currently-vacant restaurant first opened as Diego's, a Mexican fast food restaurant, in January 1979 and by Kentucky Fried Chicken by 1984. At some point in the 1990s KFC closed and was replaced by Fazoli's, which it was from about 1998 to 2007. Arby's replaced it, operating from 2007 to about 2022.

4701 FM 1960 West
The main anchor tenant of the former North Oaks Mall was originally Target (T-53) from 1978 to 2005. After a few years it was replaced by Hobby Lobby and Staples, the latter closing in 2018. In March 2023 the former Staples was replaced by a Gordon Food Service Center.


STUEBNER-AIRLINE RD./VETERANS MEMORIAL ROAD to KUYKENDAHL ROAD


Gold's Gym / 4425 FM 1960 Rd. W.
Perhaps we can cover the rest of this shopping center someday, but the main tenant was an Albertsons (from 1995 to 2002), and later was filled by 24 Hour Fitness (2006 to 2020, permanently closing during COVID-19 induced bankruptcy). By late 2022 Gold's Gym had moved in.

4430 FM 1960 West
This was Jojo's (diner) from 1978 to 1997. It later became Denny's and very briefly Clay Oven Bar & Grill (in early 2002, if it opened it was only for a few years). By early 2004 the building was torn down and a car wash was built in the spot by 2006. This was Ducky's Express Car Wash in 2011, by 2016 this became "My Favorite Car Wash" (which moved). By 2020 this became G Motors (which moved in the early 2020s to 8725, and then out again). As of 2024 a sign for "Auto Republic" is there, which has since closed.

4220 FM 1960 West
Spring Creek Barbecue opened here in 2007 but it appears they closed around spring 2020 for reasons we're all familiar with.

The Home Depot / 4159 Farm to Market 1960 West
This Home Depot store (#6828) opened in 2005. The entrance to the store is signal-controlled and shares the signal with Gladebrook Drive.

WSS / 3833 FM 1960 West
Much like the store at 12445 FM 1960 Road West, this WSS started out as a Walgreens (in 2001) and closed around 2016. WSS still opened in 2022.

ALDI / 3715 FM 1960 West
ALDI opened here in 2013 (one of the earlier Houston stores) replacing much of One Cornerstone Plaza (a small strip center behind Walgreens).

Dutch Bros Coffee / 3665 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This was a Salvation Army "Family Store" thrift store until around 2020, when it closed. A few years later it was demolished, and by late 2023 a Dutch Bros drive-through coffeeshop was here.

Chick-fil-A / 3655 Cypress Creek Parkway
This was what I originally wanted to cover in this section. WHA purports that the restaurant that was originally here (before Chick-fil-A) opened in 1980. However, that isn't the case, only the original "Hunan Chef" was. In actuality, this was originally a buffet restaurant called "The Covered Dish" which opened around 1989 (one of my friends worked here many years ago) but by summer 1994 it was a HomeTown Buffet (which was later bought by Buffets Inc.), which opened in the spot. The last mention of HomeTown Buffet was in October 2002 (many area groups met there over the years), with the first mention of Hunan Chef (operating as "Hunan Chef III") in 2006. In 2012, the restaurant closed and was torn down. Chick-fil-A was built on the site a few years later.

Walmart / 3450 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This store opened in October 2002 as a "Wal-Mart Supercenter" and has a McDonald's inside (still, even as of March 2025). It is store #1103 and replaced the store across the street (see below).

Sun's Wholesale Club / 3645 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
Sun's Wholesale Club (no relation to Sam's), is part of a reconfiguration that reworked the former Wal-Mart at 3275 FM 1960 Road West. It was the original #1103 and operated from October 1987 to 2002, expanding once in the mid-1990s. Other portions of the former building were reworked into other strip mall-like tenants. It seems that NAM's Treasures of the Heart thrift store inhabited this briefly.

The Brisket House / 3301 Cypress Creek Parkway
This was a Fuddruckers from 1993 to 2010 (though could've closed a few years earlier) and became Brisket House in 2016, which repainted the building.

The Pulperia / 3235 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This opened in 1988 as Quaker State Minit-Lube and later became Q CarCare (the full-service version of Q Lube) before converting to Jiffy Lube in the late 1990s and closing a few years later (this was a result of Quaker State merging with Jiffy Lube's parent company Pennzoil). Later it became Shakes Frozen Custard in the mid-2000s (with a rebuild, not the same building) and became Texas Car Title & Payday Loan before becoming The Pulperia in 2020.

3021 FM 1960 West
Abandoned site of Games People Play, an outdoor amusement park with mini-golf, a batting cage, and even a few waterslides. It opened in the late 1970s but has been closed since around 1992.

2907 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This was a Discount Tire from 1988 to spring 2020. As of April 2022, it has been renovated into a small strip center. Suite A is still vacant, but B is Advance Dental dental implant center, and C is Accent Nails & Spa.

Texas Thrift / 2325 FM 1960 West
This takes up a former Hobby Lobby and is part of the former Kmart #3331 which was here from March 1976 to August 1995. Family Dollar (2323 FM 1960 West) also occupies a part, with the old garden center (2327) being vacant. In the mid-2000s this was Hoffer Furniture and later (in the 2010s) Treasures of the Heart NAM Thrift Store.

2427 FM 1960 West
Former Wendy's and later Logan Farms Honey Hams Market Cafe. By the early 2020s it became Krab Queenz and later Blazin Cajun. It is vacant as of January 2025.

McDonald's / 2424 Cypress Creek Parkway
This McDonald's restaurant relocated here in 2000 from their old location at 15700 Kuykendahl.

Wings-N-Things / 2318 Cypress Creek Parkway
2318 FM 1960 has a build date according of 1970 according to HCAD with the first recorded tenant being Sambo's in 1974, a chain restaurant based out of California. Sambo's (as a chain) collapsed in the early 1980s due to allegations of racist imagery (though those problems really stemmed from the illustrations of the book it was based after being geographically incorrect) and poor corporate planning, though the California restaurant retained its original name until 2020. By December 1981, this location had become an antique store (Antique Gallerie), which lasted at least a few years. It served as Applebee's (then known as T.J. Applebee's) from 1984 to 1988, and very briefly Village Inn (1990-1991). In 1993 it re-opened as the home to sports bar and family restaurant Bleacher's All-American Grill and by 1998 it was Wings N More (so says the Houston Chronicle), yet it wasn't the Wings N More in Houston that later became BreWingz (it's a bit of a long story), and the store flipped back to Wings-N-Things by 2001.

Loanstar Title Loans / 2306 FM 1960 West
This former Burger King (#931) operated from 1974 to 2006.


KUYKENDAHL RD. TO I-45


Circle K / 2230 Farm to Market 1960 Rd W.
One of a rare breed of Circle K stores that opened in very early 2015 before the Corner Store acquisition, this Circle K (which changed to the "modern" logo just a few years after opening) replaced a long-vacant lot. Checkers opened here in 1994 but only operated until 1996. Prior to that it was Bammel Service Center (gas brand unknown) from 1979 to 1990. Circle K also replaced two smaller buildings at the shopping center (Corum Shopping Center) that were torn down around the time of the building of the Kuykendahl Road underpass.

2224 FM 1960 West
From what I can tell, this store was built as a Woolco opened at 2224 FM 1960 West in June 1979, bringing the total number of Woolco stores in the Houston area (along with a store at 12586 Westheimer) to 13, only to announce its closing a little more than three years later, with going out of business sales underway in fall 1982 with the last of its fixtures being auctioned off in January 1983...but not before part of the store became J. Brannam in 1980 (an off-price clothing store owned by Woolworth, often used some excess Woolco space). Later in 1983 Front Row occupied about 50k square feet of the space (presumably with J. Brannam occupying the rest). J. Brannam closed in 1985 and Front Row remained until the late 1980s when it moved to 2206 FM 1960 West to make room for Fiesta Mart #15, which opened in late 1989. The store closed in 1997 for a Randalls which opened in 1998. However, the store appeared to have been closed without much fanfare just a few years later. (I previously wrote about this store at my old Albertsons blog).

For over two decades the store has sat empty but will be renovated (along with adjacent store space) to become Asian grocery store Enson Market. However, it has not yet opened.

Bargain Furniture / 2226 FM 1960 West
Bargain Furniture has been here since November 2017. It was formerly Cafe Pappadeaux (I'm not sure of any functional differences between it and Pappaddeaux Seafood Kitchen; in fact, the roadside marquee as of 2010 marked it as the latter) from 1987 to around 2010-2011, when it closed. The Chuck E. Cheese's discussed at WHA was not in this building, it was in the strip center behind it.

2103 FM 1960 West
The blight continues with this abandoned Chinese buffet, Woodland House. It is named as such as the original location was in the Woodlands (355 Sawdust Road) that existed from 1995 to 2003. This location opened a few years later but also stayed open much longer, operating from 1998 to 2013. Originally, this was a location of Chi-Chi's, which opened in June 1984. The restaurant chain pulled out of Houston about 18 months later, but by early 1987 it was replaced by The Olive Garden, which closed just shy of a decade later.

2025 FM 1960 West
While it has not been sitting quite as long as Woodland House, this abandoned Taco Cabana closed permanently in December 2018 and is in horrible shape. It originally opened in 1994.

BlueWave Express Car Wash / 2005 FM 1960 West
This was Black-eyed Pea from 1992 to 2016 (the year when BEP functionally disappeared as a chain). The building was demolished soon after and BlueWave opened in 2019.

Denny's / 1760 Farm to Market 1960 Road West
This Denny's restaurant opened around December 1977, and has been going since.

Pollo Regio / 1623 Cypress Creek Parkway
Krystal opened its only Houston location in 2006 and closed around 2012. It later reopened as Pollo Regio.

Daiquiri Island To Go / 1602 FM 1960 West
This Jack in the Box operated from approximately 1975 to around spring 2018. Daiquiri Island To Go opened in 2024 in the location.

Leslie's Pool Supplies / 1600 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
Leslie's has been here circa 1990, though this started out as Straw Hat Pizza Palace in 1973. Around 1980 it became New Vaudeville Pizza House and afterwards became Daddy's Grub (aka Big Daddy's Cafe) for a few years. In 1985 it was "The Party Tub" (event space, looks like), but other than that information is sparse for this one.

Food Town / 1420 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
The grocery store anchoring this strip center was Eagle Discount Supermarket from 1971 to 1985 and Gerland's Food Fair from 1985 to 2001. It was still branded as "Food Fair" up until 2015 when it was converted to Food Town.

Loanstar Title Loans / 1114 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This was Monterey House, which later became Monterey's Tex-Mex Cafe and Monterey's Little Mexico. As a restaurant it appeared to have closed sometime around the mid-2000s.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen / 1001 Cypress Creek Parkway
Opened late 2020 according to tax records, though as of mid-November 2020 wasn't quite ready yet.

ACE Cash Express / 810 Cypress Creek Pkwy.
This was Church's Chicken from 1977 to 1982, then Kentucky Fried Chicken from 1982 to 1988. From 1988 to 1992 this was Mr. Hoagies (Mr. Hoagies would move one more time before settling in its current home at 2040 FM 1960 West), but has been ACE Cash Express since 1993 (originally at 810 FM 1960 West, the Cypress Creek name came later). The Dunkin' (Dunkin' Donuts) next door at 814 FM 1960 West opened in October 1977 originally and has been there since.

Luby's / 730 FM 1960 West
This Luby's is a bit unusual because it has an office building (736) built onto it (as opposed as an "office tower with a Luby's on the lower level"). This partial upper level has businesses like a "Durrett Chiropractic and Natural Health Care Clinic - A Wellness Center".

Pappas Bar-B-Q / 703 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This was a Luther's Bar-B-Q until around the mid-2000s when it was converted to the Pappas name.

Slim Chickens / 510 FM 1960 W.
Carl's Jr. opened here in 2013 on the site of a Shell station (Shell since 1992 opening), but closed up shop around early 2020. Slim Chickens opened in 2022.

B!G Mart / 475 FM 1960 West
This was built as a 7-Eleven in 1986 (presumably with Citgo as the gas brand) but got sold to Stop N Go in 1988 with the rest of the 7-Eleven stores in the area. Eventually, it was rebranded as Valero/Corner Store (around 2005-2007, replacing Diamond Shamrock/Stop N Go) and ultimately got rebranded as Valero/Circle K by mid-2019. In early 2023, the station was divested to "B!G Mart", which rebranded the store and gas brand.

CYPRESS POINTE

This shopping center was built in 1993. Before it was built, an office building was at the corner of Cypress Station Drive and FM 1960 West. A PDF of the layout can be seen here.

Cypress Station / 211-235 Farm to Market 1960 Rd. W.
This shopping center (see lease plan), archived from here, this motorcycle dealership appears to be a former furniture store was anchored by Suniland Furniture from 1987 to 1994 and Louis Shanks Furniture from 1995 to the early 2010s. In the early 2020s the main section was taken up by Lucky Penny Cycles, but this has closed as of March 2025. Additionally, the 211 block has Crafty Crab as a main tenant; this used to be Bennigan's prior to 2008.

Pollo Campero / 130 FM 1960 West
This Latin American fried chicken restaurant chain opened in 2016. From approx. 1986 to 2003 Grandy's was located here. It was torn down by 2005. In the mid-2010s, Granny Dee's Kitchen (similar name, but no relation), a small little shack selling soul food and desserts, was located here.

Hooters / 120 FM 1960 West
Hooters has been here since 1992. Previously it held Two Yen Chinese Cafe (1989-1991) which despite the name and logo was not related to Two Pesos.

111 FM 1960 West
This was originally Champ's Restaurant #7 (possibly opened as Jim's) until the early 2000s (I believe it was the last Champ's to close). Afterwards it was renumbered as 111 and holds PLS Check Cashing and CiCis's (as of 10/24). Champ's also used the 103 FM 1960 West address here.

101 FM 1960 West
This was James Coney Island (later rebranded as JCI Grill) from around 1980 to 2024.

The adventures of FM 1960 continue with FM 1960 proper. It's not full coverage but you can see more at this page.


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