CultureMap recognized

Who's the best marketer of all? It's big versus small in annual AMA awards

The American Marketing Association (AMA) Houston Marketer of the Year awards recognize the best, from automotive sales to fine arts.

The 34-category, 145-nominee list includes nationally-renowned companies, organizations and institutions — M. D. Anderson, the Houston Texans and Haliburton — as well as small ones, like the breakfast klub restaurant.

Local eatery Jenni's Noodle House is recognized alongside Denver, Colo.-based burrito manufacturer, Chipotle. All four of our professional sports teams are represented. Downtown gem, Discovery Green, and suburban pride, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, battle it out in the category for Venues and Arenas.

Last year, CultureMap took home the prize for the Best Marketer in the Media: Print category. This time, your favorite source for local news is a contender in the Services: Web/Internet category, along with Captavi, ContentActive LLC, Schipul, Server Side Design and Upstream Marketing.

"The AMA Houston Chapter is among one of the strongest in the country, and is recognized year after year for the high level of achievement not only by its members, but by the chapter itself," said Carey Kirkpatrick, CultureMap's director of marketing.

"It's first an honor to be recognized by such an esteemed group of peers in the marketing community, but it's also an honor to have so many of our community partners recognized as well — a true testament to the work we're doing at CultureMap, to help shine a light on all of the unique and exciting elements of the city that make Houston such a vibrant community."

In its two short years of existence, CultureMap has partnered with the Houston Zoo, Lawndale Art Center, Houston Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, Momentum Audi, Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies at Rice University, Texas Oncology, Hotel Granduca, Blue Sky Marketing, Houston Food Bank, Houston Dynamo, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Discovery Green and the Pavilion.

AMA members can vote online here through Tuesday at 5 p.m. The overall winner of the coveted 2011 Marketer of the Year will be announced on March 12, during a reception and awards ceremony at the Alley Theatre.

Past overall winners include the University of Houston Athletic Department (2010), Blinds.com (2009), Kelsey-Seybold Clinic (2008), the Houston Zoo (2007), Weatherford International (2006) and the Houston Symphony (2005).

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return of the paperback

Beloved used bookstore returns to Montrose 5 years after closing

Photo courtesy of Half Price Books

Half Price Books closed its original Montrose location in 2021.

One of Houston’s most beloved place to buy used books, movies, gifts, and more is returning to Montrose. Half Price Books has acquired the former Soundwaves spaces at 3509 Montrose Blvd for a new store that’s expected to open next year.

The real estate sleuths at the Houston Architecture Info forum discovered that the deed for the property had recently been transferred to a LLC owned by Half Price Books.

The new store represents Half Price Books’ return to Montrose, after closing its location at 1011 Westheimer in 2021 after almost 20 years. That property will become the Starling, a mixed-use development from real estate developer Skanska that will offer both a residential component and 30,000 square feet of retail space. Half Price Books closed its popular Rice Village store in 2019.

Once Houston’s premier, locally-owned music store chain, Soundwaves closed its Montrose location in May. It had been open since 1997.

Half Price Books president Kathy Doyle Thomas provided a statement to the Houston Chronicle about the company’s decision to return to Montrose:

"We were thrilled when we had the opportunity to purchase this building," Thomas said. "Our previous store in the Montrose neighborhood closed in early 2021 when the landlord decided to redevelop the area. We’ve heard from countless customers in the last five years how much they miss the Montrose store, so we’re looking forward to being back in the loop."

Half Price Books was founded in Dallas in 1972, according to the company’s website. It has more than 100 locations nationwide, including six in greater Houston — Westchase, Pearland, Sugar Land, Humble, Copperfield, and Clear Lake.

half price books montrose