Wednesday, December 11, 2013

103-105 Boyett

I don't think "billiards hall" went with "wholesome", even in the 1960s (from the Battalion).

Part of this post has gotten split off as a new post and the resulting new edit focuses on 103-105 Boyett (one building) and checking on the history of that through Battalion archives (it's possible that stuff will get missed, but for Northgate, the Battalion is the most reliable).

Based on what I could find, 103 and 105 were originally two separate businesses, with both being combined at a certain point.

The oldest reference I can find for 103 Boyett is a short-order restaurant called Grannie's Restaurant (closed on weekends). (I'm putting [1950s] on the opening of the building) and the oldest reference I can for 105 Boyett is for Leon B. Weiss apparel in 1951.

For 103 Boyett, in summer 1963 the Aggie Cue Club opened, a restaurant/pool hall, by 1966 it had become the "University Restaurant and Recreation Center" before becoming El Ranchito in a matter of months, not to be confused with the El Ranchito that appeared at 1037 Texas Avenue South decades later...but then went back to being University Restaurant within the same year.

For 105 Boyett, between 1960 and 1962 it changed to The Discount House (also apparel) which went under in March 1963. In 1966, Sarge's Recreation is mentioned, which took the spot of 103 Boyett. It is likely at this point where the two spaces, Leon B. Weiss/The Discount House and Grannie's/Aggie Cue Club/University Restaurant became one.

There's no reference to 103 Boyett for five years until 1971 with Raywell Laundry & Dry Cleaners. While Raywell appears to have disappeared in the 1970s they did run the dry cleaning operation at the "old hospital" on campus (later picked up by FabricCare Cleaners, which remained until the building's demise). In 1973 105 Boyett was used for University Cycles (motorcycles, not bicycles). Then in 1981 105 Boyett is used for the College Station location of Whole Earth Provision Company which was inspired off of the late Whole Earth Catalog (the about page for Whole Earth Provision Company says as much) and it wasn't even the only chain to do so). While WEPC continues to operate elsewhere the local store closed in 1986.
From the Bryan-College Station Eagle, 1985

The 103 Boyett address re-emerged for its next tenant, Brazos Landing. In 1989 it moved to 4410 College Main) and became Waivers, a nightclub by the end of the year. In 1990, the spot changed hands again to AnNam Tea House...no references after 1992 and re-emerging in 1995 as "The Cue", another billiards hall. Switching over to The Eagle archives, O-Zone first appeared in January 1997 (though The Cue lingered on in advertising), though these were functioning as the same business ("Ozone/The Cue") and briefly becoming Vertigo (c. 1997) before Hole in the Wall took over in 1999. This disappeared between 2004 and 2005. I recall reading that they had common ownership with Shadow Canyon next door (with a connection to it), and the shutdown of Shadow Canyon in December 2004 seems to back that up. Since 2005 it has been O'Bannon's Taphouse, which uses the 103 address, even though actual door was once used for 105 Boyett. O'Bannon's is the most stable tenant of any of these, lasting for twenty years; nothing else got close to that.

UPDATE 06-06-2025: Extensive updates made. Many new businesses have been added to the site for the first time.