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Covering the Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest & the neighborhoods of North Houston Saturday, July 14, 2018 • Vol. 63 • No. 24
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Whole Foods 365 opening For The Leader Whole Foods Market 365 will open its first store in Houston and tenth store nationwide on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The 30,000-square foot store is located at 101 North Loop West in Independence Heights. Whole Foods Market 365 stores offer exceptional value and unique products in a fun and convenient new format, all while maintaining Whole Foods Market’s rigorous quality standards. Independence Heights store will feature an array of natural and organic products. “We can’t wait to join the Independence Heights community in Houston,” said Jeff Turnas, president of Whole Foods Market 365. “At Whole Foods Market 365, we take the neighborhood grocery store concept to the next level with plenty of great deals, exciting new products and convenient shopping options.”
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Photo by Jean Dukate Fans at King’s BierHaus intently focus on the Belgium/Brazil match last Friday. Local businesses have become hot spots for World Cup viewing since it kicked off June 14.
Businesses cater to World Cup fans By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Houston – along with its smaller subsets in our local area – is a melting pot of various cultures and people. And while it is a part of daily life, it is also no more evident than during worldwide sporting events such as the World Cup, with our neighbors flocking to watch their national team. And thas made restaurant establishments World Cup headquarters. Even though the Americans failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, the enthusiasm in local neighborhoods has brought out the soccer fan in all of us, with locals flock-
ing to neighborhood spots such as King’s BierHaus, McIntyre’s, and more in droves since it began June 14. “I’d say we have 20-30 percent more coming in [these last few weeks] compared to normal business. For a typical weekday, I’d say we normally serve 200 or so. These last few weeks we’ve been looking at anywhere from about 250-300 daily,” King’s BierHaus General Manager Ryan Posato said. BierHaus, according to Creative Director Adam Lamprecht-Morphew, has been positioning themselves as the World Cup headquarters through various promotions, such as created themed menus
– with special food and drink promotions – along with showing and featuring games as often as possible and bringing out sponsors. Big screens installed around the patio and projectors put in around the restaurant, so any customer can watch to their heart’s content. “We’ve just been focusing on trying to go all in on catering for it, or not do it at all. We’re still trying it out, because we really haven’t really had sports games much before,” he said. “We tried here and there during the Astros’ run, and through there I feel like we had a lot of people come in and were able to bring See World Cup P. 2A
Locals were rooting big for their home countries By Betsy Denson For The Leader Despite the fact that for many Americans football means, well, football, and that for the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. men’s national team did not qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup – there is ample local enthusiasm for the international football/soccer tournament which comes around every four years. Houston is an international city, and there are plenty of avid fans who Renata Weiss and her family cheered have roots in the finalist countries. on Brazil, who made it to the top eight Out of 32 teams, there were four in in the World Cup. (Photo supplied) the quarterfinals – Belgium, France, England, and Croatia. Belgium lost By press time, the finalists will be to France on Tuesday and England known, but to the fans, there is still and Croatia played Wednesday. much to celebrate.
Garden Oaks’ Candice Croker was born and raised in Gent, Belgium but moved to Texas when she was in the fifth grade. Her parents were both born and raised in Belgium. “All of my children also have Belgian passports now so they can live and work anywhere in the EU when they get older, which I love being able to offer as an opportunity for them,” said Croker. As her entire extended family is still in Belgium, excitement was high about their performance. “Belgium is always thought of as the ‘ugly duckling’ of Europe and gets teased as much as we tease our beloved Aggies here,” said Croker. “We love sharing with our friends See Home Pride P. 6A
Last year, the 14th District Court of Appeals confirmed that the Garden Oaks Maintenance Organization could not enforce its deed restrictions against Peter and Katherine Chang, homeowners who challenged the organization’s legal standing. Then -- after being denied a re-hearing before the 14th Court of Appeals -- GOMO hired a law firm to handle bankruptcy proceedings that would allow the homeowners’ association to potentially re-organize, and there have been some new developments in the process. According to Johnie Patterson of Walker & Patterson, who represents the estate of GOMO in the organization’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, at a Garden Oaks Civic Club meeting Tuesday night, a creditors’ committee has been appointed on behalf of the community for the proceedings. A creditors’ committee is a group of general unsecured creditors appointed to represent the interests of all general unsecured creditors. “This will not work unless you all get involved. They have a fiduciary duty to serve the creditor body as a whole. But they don’t know what that is, and they can’t do that unless you tell them what you want them to do or what you think they should do,” Patterson said. “Otherwise you have five or six people in a room just doing whatever they want to do, without any input. If neighbors want a say in what happens and how things go in this case, then get involved.” Patterson said creditors’ committees do not necessarily have a “say,” or the ability to simply tell the court what to do or not do – they can simply ask the court to make a certain ruling. And as of now, Patterson said the committee has filed suit against GOMO, asking that it stop collecting fees and cease all enforcement activities. Meanwhile, he said GOMO is trying to work on a way to reconstitute or work on a plan in which they can continue to provide the services and deed enforcements they have in the past. And some residents are not thrilled with how the committee went about filing the suit. “They did this totally without communicating at all with the neighborhood, not asking for input, and not sharing this information,” said one, who wished to remain anonymous. However, since the committee just recently got appointed, there has been no plan drafted yet according to Patterson. Important dates along with contact information for the appropriate parties community members can contact to get involved should be posted soon on gardenoaks.org for those who wish to participate. “If they don’t hear from the community, they’re going to assume everyone thinks what they do. And if that’s the position of the community, then that’s what (GOMO) will do,” he said. “The organization is here for the community – but if we don’t know what you want to do, we can’t do it.”
Camerata in the Oaks coming to Stomping Grounds By Betsy Denson For The Leader Stomping Grounds on West 34th has its first tenant. Paul Petronella, owner of Paulie’s, Camerata at Paulie’s and partial owner of OKRA Charity Saloon, and Chris Poldoian, Camerata wine director and general manager, are partnering to expand in Houston by opening a second Camerata location in the Revive development at 1225 West 34th. According to a press release, the 1,500 square foot location will be called Camerata in the Oaks, and is slated to open in the spring of 2019.
The partners say it will be similar to its sister location, Camerata at Paulie’s in the Montrose District. Primarily designed as a retail wine store, there will be limited seating for in-store patrons. There won’t be a kitchen, but there still will be options for nibbling. “The 10 seats will surround a bar, with intentions of guests enjoying our by the glass options,” said Petronella. “We will have mostly meat and cheese plates to enjoy on site.” Petronella said that the pasta and sauces which will be sold on site, would need to be cooked at home.
The focus of Camerata in the Oaks will be on the wine. Expert sommeliers will be on hand to introduce new wines to accommodate various palates. They will carry domestic beer, as well beer from different parts of the world; and also offer wine from lesser known regions. Chris Poldoian said there will always be a selection of $15 bottle wines. “Camerata will offer cellar-worthy fine wine and immediately drinkable weekday values,” he See Wine Store P. 2A
c u r r e N t p r o p e rt y L i s t i N g s
Camerata in the Oaks will be similar to its sister location, Camerata at Paulie’s. (Photo supplied)
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