Socialite's Wonder Closet Robbed

Burglar hauls away $1 million in handbags, watches and jewelry from socialite's much-talked-about closet

A three-story fantasy "she-cave" closet that has gained worldwide attention has caught the eye of burglars, too.

Friday night, a thief broke into the Woodlands home of Theresa Roemer and cleaned out much of her massive, much-talked-about closet. Roemer tells CultureMap via email that she estimates that the burglar took between $800,000 and $1 million worth of handbags, jewelry and watches.

CultureMap was the first to tell readers about the 3,000 square foot triple-decker space that resembles a high-end fashion emporium after noting a post on the Neiman Marcus blog. Since then Roemer and her closet have been highlighted on dozens of major national and international outlets, including Good Morning America , the London Daily Mail and Cosmopolitan magazine.

The top floor of the closet houses furs and hats. The second floor is as much activity center as storage space. In addition to her shoes, clothes and vanity (professional salon style for hair styling and makeup application), there is a champagne bar for high style partying amid the cache of designer labels. Roemer has hosted several charity fundraisers in the space.

It appears that the burglar set his sights on the first floor of the closet, which is home to her jewelry and handbags, including over 60 classic Hermés styles, among them a number of iconic Birkin bags.

Roemer explained that she and her husband decided to run over to the Carlton Woods Country Club only two blocks away for a quick dinner, so she did not think to set the alarm. The thief entered through a window in the master bathroom. Police are investigating the burglary.

KHOU Ch. 11 News reports that surveillance video shows a suspect who was able to conceal his face with a ball cap and a hoodie. He left with three Birkin travel bags worth $60,000 a piece filled with jewelry and other expensive items.

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strike up the band

Historic Houston park raises the curtain on new stage at Juneteenth festival

Photo by Darryl Howard

The new stage also includes store and a green room.

Houston’s historic Emancipation Park will celebrate Juneteenth in style. As part of the parks annual festival to mark the holiday, the Third Ward park will dedicate its new performance stage.

Funded by the Kinder Foundation, the 5,000-square-foot stage includes an outdoor performance stage, green room, climate-controlled storage, and a tech room for controlling lights and sound. It’s phase one of an $18.5 million renovation project that will also include upgrades to the park’s cultural center that are expected to be completed later this summer.

“The completion of this new stage marks an important milestone for Emancipation Park and the community we serve,” said Corey Wilson, president and CEO of the Emancipation Park Conservancy (EPC). “Emancipation Park is rooted in culture and community, and our responsibility as stewards is to honor that legacy while ensuring the park continues to thrive for generations to come. This new stage creates a permanent space for cultural expression and community celebration — and there is no better time to open it than during our annual Juneteenth celebration.”

Of course, the park’s Juneteenth: The Reunion celebration will take place this Friday, June 19. The stage will be dedicated at 4:30 pm in a ceremony with attended by EPC board members and local officials. The annual concert will follow. Performers include Robert Glasper, Scarface, Brian Courtney Wilson, King George, 803Fresh, and the Juneteenth Choir.

The event, which will take place from 4-10 pm, will also include a domino tournament, a kids zone with family-friendly activities, food vendors, and themed merchandise. Attendees are encouraged to wear all-white attire.

Famously founded in 1872 by a group of Black community leaders on a 10-acre plot of land they purchased for $800, Emancipation Park has served as the center of Houston’s Juneteenth celebrations ever since. The new upgrades build on the success of a $34 million renovation project that transformed the park when it was completed in 2017.

“Emancipation Park is one of Houston’s most significant parks, and Kinder Foundation is proud to continue investing in its future,” said Nancy Kinder, president and CEO, Kinder Foundation. “This new stage honors the park’s powerful legacy while creating new opportunities for arts, culture and community gatherings.”

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