Pinecroft Center

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Ephrata1966
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Pinecroft Center

Post by Ephrata1966 »

This shopping center is in The Woodlands, Texas. I used to live in the area around 1996-1997, but this is a mystery when it opened (early 80's, perhaps?). Possibly it was built in the early 90's, but it looked rather old and run down even when I shopped there. The stores are (or were) Target, Linens 'N Things, Marshalls, Toys "R" Us, Service Merchandise, and Barnes & Noble. I thought I heard somewhere it opened in 1994, with the nearby mall, but that sounds a little too late (I would guess closer to 1984). Does anyone know when this opened?
TenPoundHammer
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Re: Pinecroft Center

Post by TenPoundHammer »

Ephrata1966 wrote:This shopping center is in The Woodlands, Texas. I used to live in the area around 1996-1997, but this is a mystery when it opened (early 80's, perhaps?). Possibly it was built in the early 90's, but it looked rather old and run down even when I shopped there. The stores are (or were) Target, Linens 'N Things, Marshalls, Toys "R" Us, Service Merchandise, and Barnes & Noble. I thought I heard somewhere it opened in 1994, with the nearby mall, but that sounds a little too late (I would guess closer to 1984). Does anyone know when this opened?
Phase 1 opened in 1991 according to this.
Ephrata1966
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Re: Pinecroft Center

Post by Ephrata1966 »

TenPoundHammer wrote:
Ephrata1966 wrote:This shopping center is in The Woodlands, Texas. I used to live in the area around 1996-1997, but this is a mystery when it opened (early 80's, perhaps?). Possibly it was built in the early 90's, but it looked rather old and run down even when I shopped there. The stores are (or were) Target, Linens 'N Things, Marshalls, Toys "R" Us, Service Merchandise, and Barnes & Noble. I thought I heard somewhere it opened in 1994, with the nearby mall, but that sounds a little too late (I would guess closer to 1984). Does anyone know when this opened?
Phase 1 opened in 1991 according to this.
Thanks so much! How did you ever find this?
TenPoundHammer
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Re: Pinecroft Center

Post by TenPoundHammer »

Ephrata1966 wrote:Thanks so much! How did you ever find this?
A little thing called Google.
Ephrata1966
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Re: Pinecroft Center

Post by Ephrata1966 »

Interesting. If the Target were there longer before the rest, I would have guessed it started as a Richway. The 1991 movie "Career Opportunities" was filmed at a Richway/Target in Atlanta. Target had bought these much older stores in 1988-1989. Richway was liquidated by Dayton Hudson and the stores had heavy renovations done. Lots of them were still replaced by new Target Greatlands around 1995-1996. The old stores then became Value City, now out of business too. Some have recently relocated again. My question is, would a new 1991 Target really be obsolete by 1995 standards?

I also wonder if the earlier Targets in the Houston area could have been Ayr-Way.
wnetmacman
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Re: Pinecroft Center

Post by wnetmacman »

Ephrata1966 wrote:Interesting. If the Target were there longer before the rest, I would have guessed it started as a Richway.
I also wonder if the earlier Targets in the Houston area could have been Ayr-Way.
Actually, that would be no to both.

Some of Target's earliest growth outside Minnesota was to Houston. All of their Houston stores were originally....Target. There are still several old Target buildings around Houston that had a separate Food Stores.

A large portion of Target's growth in the 1970's and 1980's was through acquisitions (Richway/Gold Circle, Ayr-Way, Gemco/Memco, and others).

Richway was a very southeast-oriented company (GA, FL, etc.). They were an offshoot of Atlanta-based Rich's, which is now Macy's. The closest store to Houston would have been in Georgia.

Ayr-Way was concentrated in IL, IN, and OH. They were created by Indianapolis-based L.S. Ayres, which is also now Macy's. They had no other stores, and were centered around Indianapolis. I was born in Danville, IL, which had an Ayr-Way that converted to Target, which lasted for just over 20 years. My aunt worked at that store, and her and my mother both started at the Kmart next door (an original 1964 Kmart that is still open).

I don't believe many, if any at all, of the Ayr-Way stores are still Target. Target is pretty progressive. I've seen them replace an original 1988 store recently.
Scott Greer
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