Sorry, Lewis
Houston's famous Starbucks at 'the end of the universe' flames out
One of Houston's most famous Starbucks locations appears to have served its last latte. The windows have been papered over and the signage has been removed from the coffee shop at 2029 W. Gray St., which is usually a sign that a business has shuttered.
Of course, coffee fans won't have to go far to get their Frappuccino fix. The Starbucks across the street at 2050 W. Gray St. remains open — and had a lengthy line at its drive-thru this morning.
A representative for Weingarten Realty, owner of the River Oaks Shopping Center, responded to CultureMap's request for comment about the closure with the following statement: "The Starbucks at 2029 W Gray has closed. The closing was planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot announce a new tenant at this time."
That Houston was home to a Starbucks across the street from another Starbucks inspired comedian Lewis Black's epic rant about having found the end of the universe. We've embedded it below to save anyone the trouble of googling "Lewis Black Starbucks."
If the sudden increased demand from the closing of its neighbor makes the still-open Starbucks too busy, fret not. Consider the Starbucks counter in the nearby Kroger at 1938 West Gray St. or the Starbucks at 2801 S. Shepherd Dr., which also has a drive-thru.
Admittedly, in a time of a global pandemic, the closure of a Starbucks may not seem like a major loss, especially when another Starbucks exists directly across the street, but the twin Starbucks — and the epic rant they inspired — fostered a certain amount of civic pride. An Instagram post about the closure by the Houstorian, James Glassman, has drawn over 700 likes and 100 comments as of Friday morning, with many people expressing sadness at the shuttering.
CultureMap has contacted both Starbucks and Weingarten Realty, owner of the River Oaks Shopping Center, to confirm the closure and inquire about the future of the space. We will update this article if we receive a response.
