The Leader • Saturday, November 4, 2017 • Page 1B
Third Age Learning runs model senior program By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader About 18 years ago, the Third Age Learning Center, or TALC, was launched in the Houston Heights and has grown into a model program for improving the quality, productivity and joy in the lives of aging adults. The TALC provides local senior citizens with an extensive selection of interesting classroom instruction, new friends, and a fresh, hot lunch Monday through Friday in the spring and fall. About 330 seniors enroll each semester, enriching their lives. Located in the cavernous Parish Hall at All Saints Catholic Church, the space would seem too large for the TALC. Not so. About 50 or 60 seniors regularly fill the hall for lunch; sometimes the seniors even perform on the room’s stage. Line dancing demonstrations, plays, ukulele bands and an occasional Elvis impersonator are examples of just a few. Classes start at about 9 a.m., and culminate with lunch at noon. The students are not
required to be Catholic to join. These lively, interesting, caring men and woman are not required to be anything other than adults age 55 or older who are hungry for learning and fun. The TALC is an allvolunteer effort. Membership costs $7 dollars a year. With about 40 local citizens donating their time each day, all the teachers are volunteers and most of the classes are $5 a semester. Instruction includes subjects such as Texas Hold ‘em, quilting, Ti Chi, and Computer 101. The hot lunch - including a main course, sides, a dessert and beverage - are available for an exceedingly nominal fee. As an independent nonprofit agency separate from All Saints Catholic Church, the TALC operates due to grants its board of trustees seek annually. The partnership with the church has proven to be a happy one for both organizations. The center reimburses the church for the use of the hall, and the food costs are the responsibility of the center. Carolyn Kares has been a
volunteer with TALC for years and finds the work enormously rewarding. This vital woman has forged many friendships and memories over her time. “It is a joy and an honor to participate, and to see our seniors happy,” she stated. Liz Lester is serving her second term as President of the board for the TALC, and has been with the agency for 15 years. This active, naturalborn leader is herself a senior and will celebrate her 85th birthday this week. She thrives as a member of TSLC and it shows: she could pass for 60. “The learning center is a tremendous program,” Lester said. “Our students are people who might not eat well at home, and would be isolated without the center. Here, our students make friends and learn new things, enriching their lives.” Jo’ Kelley is a member of All Saints Catholic Church and also served as President of the TALC four different time over her years with the agency. She See Third Age P. 2B
Contributed photo President of the Third Age Learning Center, Liz Lester, sports her lucky Astros shirt at one of the TALC luncheons before a World Series playoff game.
Republic Arms to re-open soon public by the end of the year.. Owner Art May said the company sustained heavy damage to our local shop, as well as several warehouses and another office that bore their attention, but reiterated that he indeed has plans to reopen as soon as time will allow. Though a specific target date remains up in the air, he hopes that time will be by December if all goes according to plan. “We’ve had some issues that have forced us to push back a re-opening date, but we should be back here within the next 30 days –probably sooner,” he said. “We’re making progress
By Landan Kuhlmann landan@theleadernews.com Longtime gun and ammo enthusiasts, will soon have their local shop back open on T.C. Jester. Since 1978, Republic Arms has offered firearms for defense, target shooting and hunting, along with hard-tofind specialty items such as hicapacity magazines and gun transfer services. But vver the last couple of weeks, residents have been faced with prominent “store closed” signage and boxes of records taped off in the parking lot. Even an internet search marked the shop permanently closer; however, it should be re-opened to the
Contributed photo Shown here is a rendering of the Warby Parker interior design at the Heights Mercantile Development at 7th Street and Yale. The store, which opened in October, offers Heights residents the opportunity to buy eyewear from an actual storefront, whereas in the past the only option was to purchase them online.
Heights Mercantile near capacity By Betsy Denson For The Leader Heights Mercantile, a development by Radom Capital LLC at 7th and Yale, is 99 percent leased according to Steve Radom, who also notes that they have their final space out for signature. Chubbies, the lifestyle apparel brand based in California that focuses on swimwear, shorts and casual clothing, was the first open tenant prior to the Fourth of July. They have been joined by Saint Lo Boutique, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Bespoke, Marine Layer, Will Leather Goods, Define, Melange Creperie and Lululemon. Three recent arrivals are Warby Parker, The Impeccable Pig and Q Clothier/Rye 51. Warby Parker Warby Parker Heights opened in early October. The custom eyewear business has
locations in 23 states and one in Canada. For seven years, Houstonians could buy eyewear online from Warby Parker, but Heights Mercantile is their first Houston storefront. “We’ve been looking for the perfect spot to set up shop in the city for a long time,” wrote CEO Dave Gilboa in a press release. The Heights location looks like a classic library. As an homage to their spot by the bike trail, and to encourage walk-ins, they’ve installed a glasses shaped bike rack outside their door. If you can’t decide on glasses while you are in the store, an advisor will send you a digital overview of the frames you tried on during your visit. The Impeccable Pig The Impeccable Pig started in Dallas as a home decor shop, but shifted toward apparel in 2005. There are 20 locations of
the store in the southeastern United States with one existing Houston storefront in Rice Village. The Heights Mercantile location has been open a month. Cameron Van Patten describes the clothes as those appropriate for an “everyday girl that are also super affordable.” She says the highest price item would be a dress for $80. “Owners Laura Robbins and Jennifer Correa are a mother daughter team,” said Van Patten. “Jennifer is a mom of two so she looks for things that would suit a range of ages, from middle school girls to their moms.” Q Clothier/Rye 51 Sales associate Jordan West explains that the store has a dual focus. Q Clothier offers custom men’s suits and Rye 51 is their ready to wear branch that offers a range of men’s business and casual clothing. The Heights Mercantile
location is the second one in Houston. There is also a store at Kirby and Westheimer. West says they’ve been open for seven weeks and are getting good traffic from the hike and bike trail. “People will run by and see us and then come back by later,” said West. He says customers range from 20 to 80 years of age. The market for custom suits tend to be older professionals in the legal or real estate realm while younger patrons might come in for a blazer and jeans to get ready for the weekend. A custom suit takes 4 to 6 weeks to make. “For custom jobs, we have a customer’s measurements so women can come in and shop for them,” he said. Remaining Heights Mercantile tenants Local Foods will open in late November, Paloma Beauty will open late December and Postino Wine Café will open in early 2018.
Business Briefs DOGPOP Hosts Largest Dog-Friendly Market In The Heights
This Saturday, November 4, from 5 to 10 p.m., DOG POP will bring its dog-friendly market and pup party to the parking lot of Birds Barbershop and Steel City Pops at 420 E. 20th Street. Highlights include a pet costume contest, dog play area from Modular Dog, 20+ petindustry vendors, wine and drinks by Neue Creative, beer from Independence Brewery, food by Cochinitia & Co. and Happy Endings food truck and music by DJ Illset and DJ Dayta. Steel City Pops and Birds Barbershop will also offer photo booth stations and other goodies. The event is free, with a suggested minimum donation
of $5 to benefit the Houston Homeless Pet Project. For more details, visit www.houstondogpop.com.
stein will be present.” For more information visit www.sweetcupgelato.com/.
Sweet Cup opens in Ella Plaza
Lovett Dental first tenant for Braun on Shepherd
Jasmine Chida with Sweet Cup Gelato & Sorbet said that they have had their final inspection and that their grand opening party will be this Saturday, November 4 at their new Ella Plaza location from 3-6 p.m. “In addition to our Grand Opening party we will be handing out Free Swag and have light bites and complimentary drinks,” said Chida. “But most importantly, we will be serving $1 scoops in which the proceeds will be donated to Second Servings Houston. The founder of Second Servings Houston, Barbara Bron-
The 2016 announcement by H-E-B that they would open a new location at the site of the old Fiesta in the Heights at 23rd Street and North Shepherd, has driven an uptick in activity on an already busy corridor. Braun Enterprises purchased 1.05 acres at 2401 North Shepherd at the corner of 24th and N Shepherd in the fall of 2016. The first announced tenant for the complex is Lovett Dental. Their marketing flyer shows more than 20,000 square feet of available space for lease.
Flood Damaged Nundini to reopen in mid-December
Restaurateur Giampaolo Nundini has been affected by floods before. The original location of his food importing business was on Allen Parkway until 2001’s Tropical Storm Allison swept into town. At that time his store and restaurant were relocated to 500 North Shepherd Drive. This time it was Hurricane Harvey that necessitated a close and remodel. Nundini is shooting for a mid-December reopening. If you have something for Business Briefs, please e-mail betsy@theleadernews.com
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