The Hartz Chicken Buffet on Pinemont Road in Northside Houston will serve its last plates on Dec. 31, the restaurant's general manager announced this week. The landlord is pulling the plug on the lease after more than a decade at the corner of Pinemont and Ella, and fresh marketing for a nearby parcel is already teasing a future that could swap out fried chicken for a supermarket and new apartments. For regulars, that means a familiar counter and buffet line is on its way out just as the block gears up for a major shakeup.
Manager Says Lease Won't Be Renewed
Naro Mak, who has managed the Pinemont Hartz for about 12 years, told staff and customers on social media that the store must vacate by the end of the year. As reported by the Houston Chronicle, Mak said the landlord is not renewing the lease and called the news "a little abrupt and challenging" for long-time employees. He also thanked the community for its support as the location heads toward a Dec. 31 closing date.
Redevelopment Listings Include A Supermarket
A LoopNet listing for 1285 Pinemont Drive, the 10.1-acre parcel behind the Pinemont shopping center, lists "supermarket" among proposed uses and shows a site plan with apartments, retail and parking. The brochure pitches pre-leasing for a future shopping center, the sort of marketing that often lures grocers and national retailers into neighborhood corners that used to house mom and pop spots. LoopNet is hosting the marketing package and site plan attachments.
H-E-B Rumors And Hartz's Roots
Neighbors and social media chatter have zeroed in on H-E-B as a likely anchor for the redevelopment, but the grocer has not confirmed any plans for the Pinemont site, the Houston Chronicle reports. Hartz Chicken, meanwhile, traces its buffet concept to the early 1970s and remains a regional franchised brand headquartered in Spring, according to the company's website. Hartz Chicken notes that the chain expanded by franchising across Texas and Louisiana.
What Comes Next For Customers
The Pinemont Hartz will keep serving customers through Dec. 31 while the operator winds down, and the LoopNet materials suggest any supermarket buildout would be part of a multi-phase redevelopment that will take time to come together. Brokers are actively marketing pre-leasing opportunities, and tax and site details for the parcel are available via the LoopNet listing, but permits, construction timelines and formal tenant announcements have not been released. For now, the immediate reality is the loss of a neighborhood dining standby and the prospect of a very different future for this busy Northside corner.
