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Saturday, January 10, 2026 • Vol. 71 • No. 2
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Hartz Chicken owner gets reprieve, plans for future, as potential supermarket development looms off Ella By BETSY DENSON The Leader News Contributor
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When regulars pull through Naro Mak’s Hartz Chicken Buffet drive-thru on Pinemont Drive, they’re greeted by name, familiar faces who’ve been coming for years. They bake him cakes and hand gifts through the drivethru window. It’s the kind of community connection Mak has built over time, making the pros-
pect of leaving bittersweet as the neighborhood readies for a major transformation. Mak, a veteran and infantryman of the United States Marine Corps, has operated the Hartz Chicken Buffet on Pinemont Drive for 12 years. He learned late last year that his landlord, Urban Meridian Group (UMG), was selling the property to make way for what multiple sources indicate will be a grocery store. The
news initially meant a Dec. 31 closure, but the entity acquiring the property has since extended his lease month-to-month, giving Mak breathing room as the development moves forward. While neither Mak nor UMG explicitly named the grocery brand in their communications, the grocer’s involvement is widely understood, although See HARTZ P. 2
Photo by Betsy Denson
Naro Mak and his crew in front of Hartz Chicken Buffet at 1215 Pinemont.
A CUT ABOVE
Grassroots effort seeks to restore Hollywood Bayou name By JUHI VARMA The Leader News Contributor
Communities In Schools of Houston recognizes National Mentoring Month
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Welcome, Tiny Houstonians: Meet the area’s first babies of 2026
Page 5 Current owner Jeff Armstrong in front of Doug’s Barbershop
Photo courtesy of Doug’s Barbershop
A near century in the chair at Doug’s Barbershop Back by Popular Demand: Drunk Romeo & Juliet returns to Emerald Theatre
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Coming to a Table Near You: Zero-proof cocktails and seasonal menus kick off the new year
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By ALEKSA RADENOVICH The Leader News Contributor In 1928, when a barbershop first opened at 219 E 11th Street, Houston was smaller, quieter, and still figuring out what it would become. The shop was practical and unassuming, built for a neighborhood that needed a place to sit, talk, and get cleaned up. Nearly a century later, the street has changed almost completely. The barbershop has not. Doug’s Barbershop is not the oldest barbershop in Houston. Its distinction is narrower and more fragile: a barbershop has operated continuously in this exact location since 1928. Names have changed. Owners have changed. The chairs have been replaced over the years, but the purpose of the room has remained the same. “There has always been a barberPhoto courtesy of Doug’s Barbershop shop here,” said Jeff Armstrong, who An 87-year-old barber cuts hair
bought the shop in 2014. “That’s the constant.” For much of its history, the shop existed without much notice. Then, in the late 1990s, it briefly entered popular culture. In Rushmore, directed by Wes Anderson and starring Bill Murray, the shop appears during a quiet, uncomfortable moment. Murray’s character, Herman Blume, sits in the barber chair as the barber works around him. They exchange sparse, slightly awkward conversation — a scene about loneliness and routine more than grooming. For the film, the production dressed the shop for the screen, enhancing the space while keeping its character intact. It looked fuller and sharper than it had before, still unmistakably a working barbershop, just briefly polished for the camera. See BARBERSHOP P. 2
A grassroots effort is underway to restore Little White Oak Bayou’s historic name: Hollywood Bayou. Little White Oak Bayou feeds White Oak Bayou, a major waterway running southeast through Houston before joining Buffalo Bayou. Houston’s bayous also provide habitat for a range of wildlife, including river otters, alligators, turtles and frogs. Organizers say the renaming effort centers on a formal proposal that will be presented to the U.S. Geological Survey, while the petition is intended to supplement the application by demonstrating community backing. “We’ve been informally gathering support for about a year and a half,” said local changemaker Taylor Chapman, “As conversations about improving access and adding the Bayou Greenway progressed, the idea kept coming up: if we’re investing in this bayou’s future, we should also reclaim its historic name.” Chapman, a venture capitalist by profession, is a co-founder of the Hollywood Bayou Trail Coalition and serves as a bayou director with Friends of Woodland Park, among several other bayou-related volunteer roles. “Hollywood Bayou briefer, prettier, less confusing, and more historic,” Chapman said. In Houston Tentative Plans for its Development (1913), Arthur Coleman Comey’s report to the Houston Park Commission describes “Hollywood Bayou” as a tributary of White Oak See CLEANUP P. 2
Photo by Taylor Chapman
Cleanup efforts along Hollywood Bayou have become a visible part of the movement. Volunteers regularly remove trash, plastics and other debris from the water and its banks.
Paris Baguette continues U.S. expansion with new Heights location ReelAbilities Houston Film & Arts Festival sets dates for 2026
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By JUHI VARMA The Leader News Contributor South Korean bakery franchise Paris Baguette will open a new location in the Heights, the brand confirmed. The new café at 1835 N. Shepherd Drive is currently under construction and is expected to open by May 2026, said spokesperson Lavender Ye in an email. “19th and Shepherd Drive is a very busy street in the Heights,”
said spokesperson Lavender Ye in an email. “Lots of car traffic and foot traffic from surrounding residents. Importantly, to reestablish the neighborhood bakery cafe as the heart of the community around the world is our vision at Paris Baguette…we are just very excited about Paris Baguette finally going into the Heights area.” The new café will be approximately 2900 square feet, with 32 seats and a patio. Paris Baguette offers a range of
sweet and savory treats along with craft beverages, including classic coffees and lattes. Specialties include the Crème Brulee Bombolone, a doughnut filled with soft custard cream and topped with a sugar crust. “One of the all-time favorites for everyone is definitely our Ham and Cheese Pastry,” said Ye. “It is very cheesy and crispy, each bite feels like it’s taking you to an authentic French Café. See BAGUETTE P. 2
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Photo courtesy of Paris Baguette