An iconic space in the heart of Houston's Montrose neighborhood will soon be home to a jazz and dinner club run by the mind behind San Antonio's Jazz, TX.
Doc Watkins founded Jazz, TX in 2016, and it instantly became a must-stop destination for the modern masters of jazz, hosting the likes of Kenny Garrett, Bill Charlap, and John Pizzarelli. The still-unnamed Houston location will be his first expansion outside the Alamo City.
Watkins brings serious jazz bonafides to the project. He has played Carnegie Hall with his own jazz trio and performs over 100 shows annually in addition to his management of Jazz, TX.
Jazz, TX draws some of the genre's top performers.
Jazz, TX Facebook
“I’m thrilled to bring this club to life in Houston, especially in a venue as iconic as the Tower Theatre,” Watkins said in a statement. “We look forward to creating a space where live music, great food, and Houston’s vibrant culture come together.”
The Tower Theatre is one of the last pieces of the surrounding neighborhood’s architecture that's still standing. Originally a movie theater, it also spent some time as a disco called Clubland. Its large size made it perfect to host touring acts as well as dance nights. Both John Lennon and the Beastie Boys played there.
After that, it was home to Hollywood Video, a Montrose location of the movie rental chain that closed in 2009. More recently, it housed both El Real Tex-Mex Cafe and a short-lived outpost of New Orleans-based seafood restaurant Acme Oyster Co.
Houston-based Radom Capital revealed plans to revitalize the property earlier this year. Tenants like Copy.com and Adam & Eve were phased out for a more upscale collection of eateries, boutiques, and fitness centers. One of these will be Nando’s Peri-Peri, the South Africa-based grilled chicken restaurant. The Tower Theatre’s distinctive art deco marquee will be preserved as part of the renovations.
The property, now known as 1111 Westheimer, joins Radom Capital's other projects, which include the Montrose Collective and M-K-T, a mixed-use development in the Heights.
