this week's hot headlines

Texas YouTube star's BBQ ranks lead Houston's top 5 stories of the week

Truth ranked the highest of the three Houston-area restaurants.

Photo by Robert Jacob Lerma

Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week. A YouTube star with 10 million subscribers rated three Houston-area barbecue joints, and Girl Scout cookies are on sale. Plus, we have details on a couple of pricey properties for sale. Read the five hottest Houston headlines of the week below, then find some fun things to do this weekend right here.

1. YouTube star ranks 3 top Houston BBQ joints against Texas' best. The Houston restaurants earned strong ratings, but the former chef ranked others even higher.

2. 2025 is the last year to get this Girl Scout cookie flavor in Houston. Girl Scouts all over the Houston area are selling cookies through March 23.

3. 3,300-acre ranch in the Texas Hill Country hits market for $65 million. The property boasts 12 lakes, eight houses, and over 20 miles of paved roads.

4. Only 2 penthouses remain unsold at hotel-connected Houston high-rise. Ranging in size from 3,500 to 7,200 square feet, these shell-spaces are listed in the upper $3 million range.

5. All the nominees vying for glory in the 2025 Houston Tastemaker Awards. We'll reveal the winners at an epic awards ceremony and tasting event on April 3.

hot-headlines

sorry, crafters

Joann Fabrics is closing these 4 stores in Houston

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Seven Dallas-Fort Worth Joann Fabric stores will close.

It's a sad day for crafters everywhere – Joann Fabrics & Craft Store is planning on shuttering over 500 locations nationwide, including 18 in Texas.

The closure follows after the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in January 2025. Joann Inc. initially filed for bankruptcy in March 2024.

"This was a very difficult decision to make, given the major impact we know it will have on our Team Members, our customers and all of the communities we serve," the company said in a statement. "A careful analysis of store performance and future strategic fit for the Company determined which stores should remain operating as usual at this time. Right-sizing our store footprint is a critical part of our efforts to ensure the best path forward for JOANN.”

The company was founded in 1943 in Cleveland, Ohio, and has been a beloved destination for quilters, sewists, knitters, crocheters, and other hobbyists. It currently operates about 800 locations and four distribution centers across 49 states.

While Texas will lose 18 locations, California will see the most Joann Fabric store closures, at 61 stores

Three Houston Joann stores and one location in Katy were included in an initial closing list, according to court documents filed on Wednesday, February 12. It is unknown when these stores will officially close, or when clearance sales will take place. The filings also indicate more stores could be added to the list at a later time.

The Houston-area stores that will close are located at:

15520 FM 529 Road, Houston
9960 Old Katy Road, Houston
290 Meyerland Plaza, Houston
1219 North Fry Road, Katy

The Joann Fabrics location at 12918 Willow Chase Dr. will remain open as the only Houston proper store. The Webster, Humble, Spring, and Sugar Land stores were also excluded from the initial closure list.

Dallas-Fort Worth will lose the most Joann Fabrics stores in the state, at 8 locations.

The DFW stores that will close are:

137 Merchants Row, Suite 165, Arlington
6330 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas
2640 West University Drive, Denton
1439 W. Pipeline Road, Hurst
715 Hebron Parkway, Lewisville
2000 FM 663, Suite 500, Midlothian
1049 E. IH 30, Rockwall
19105 Lyndon B Johnson Freeway, Mesquite

The remaining Texas Joann locations that are listed in the initial closure are:

3206 South Clack Drive, Abilene
9500 S. IH 35 Frontage Road, Austin
6351 E. Highway 191, Odessa
500 N. Jackson Road, Pharr
3142 Southeast Military Drive, Suite 126, San Antonio
4127 N. Highway 75, Sherman

closings stores retail texas houston katy

this week's hot headlines

Texas YouTube star's BBQ ranks lead Houston's top 5 stories of the week

Houston charity dining event returns with $25 dinners and $15 lunches

Experiential Asian fusion eatery serves up steak and sushi in Upper Kirby

Must-see modern Houston home hits market for $3.25 million

sorry, crafters

Joann Fabrics is closing these 4 stores in Houston