History of 801 Houston

This site was originally where Hockley County’s second courthouse was built, in 1923. Ground breaking occurred n 1927 on the third courthouse and would move the courthouse back to the square where it stands today.  The site of the second courthouse became the Stroud Hotel. The hotel was named after Hockley County’s first sheriff. The second floor was complete with rooms for reservation while the first floor was used for businesses. There was a separate entrance on the west side of the building off of Ave G with a staircase that led up to the hotel rooms. A small café called the Coffee Shop once occupied the entrance space leading up to the hotel rooms. The first store front on the first floor of the building was Tipp’s Men’s and Ladies Apparel. Ellis Pharmacy was Tipp’s neighbor on the first floor and there was a clothing cleaning service in the back of the first floor behind Tipp’s. The upstairs hotel closed before 1962 but the first floor continued to be used as business space. Upshaw Drugstore was a tenant at some point and since, several other tenants such as Hogue Gifts and Framing have also rented the first floor store fronts. A&A This and That got their start here and the last tenant was a karate studio. The upstairs is currently undergoing renovations and the lower portion is home to The Door Church.

Listen to an audio file about the history of 801 Houston.

Second courthouse built in 1923 on the North side of the square.

Upshaw Drug 1949 ad

A&A's This and That first location

The Door Church