HOUSTON — A Houston institution for more than half a century is closing.
Belden's grocery store will shut down in mid-January. It is, in part, the latest victim of Hurricane Harvey. The closing will hit Meyerland's Jewish community, especially hard.
On the corner of Braeswood and Chimney Rock stands a full-service grocery store with longtime customers.
“I’ve been shopping in Belden's since the 1960s, when they had a store on Post Oak," Peggy Walker said.
Another shopper, Molly, adds she’s been a customer since 1958 in three Belden’s locations.
The Jewish community especially appreciates the large Kosher department.
“We bring in a lot of kosher products from around the country and bring in a lot of Israeli products for that clientele," said store director Darryl Ames.
“You have to come here to by your kosher meats, milks, and every holiday, they bring in whatever is new and exciting," said customer Perlleah Fishman.
So with such enthusiastic customers, why is Belden's closing?
“In the Meyerland area, we've had three major floods in three years," Ames said. "After Hurricane Harvey, a lot of our longtime customers left the area.”
“This neighborhood has changed a bit with all the flooding. HEB was closed three times by flooding, but this place has always been open," said customer Jeff Kaufman.
Ironically, Belden’s will now close because of flooding fallout and because the stores that did flood are rebuilding.
"With both HEBs going in, that is definitely gonna drain folks from here," Kaufman said. "HEB is opening up one that’s going to have a kosher store, too. To say it’s all about the flooding, no. It's the nature of business.”
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