Weingarten's Car Coaster
Add a small reminder of Houston's shopping past to everyday drives with this Weingarten's car coaster. Hersch Harris Weingarten and his son Joseph opened their first grocery store downtown in 1901, beginning a story that grew across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Joe Weingarten promoted “Better Food for Less” and helped introduce customers to self-service shopping. For former shoppers, local-history fans, and collectors of regional brands, this coaster connects an ordinary commute with a memorable Southern supermarket story.
Weingarten's began in 1901, when Hersch Harris Weingarten, an immigrant from Łańcut, then in Austria-Hungary, and his son Joseph opened a grocery store in downtown Houston, Texas. A second store followed in 1920. Joseph, known as Joe, promoted the slogan “Better Food for Less” and pioneered self-service and cash-and-carry shopping. The Texas-based chain expanded into Arkansas and Louisiana, growing from six stores by 1926 to 12 in 1938, 25 in 1951, and 70 in 1967. Weingarten Incorporated later chose to focus on retail shopping-center real estate and sold its 104 stores in five states to Cavenham Foods. In 1980, Cavenham transferred management to Grand Union. Grand Union then resold most locations, with Safeway acquiring 43 stores, and Randalls and Gerland's Food Fair also receiving stores in 1983. The Houston-area chain had held an 18 percent grocery market share in 1980. Lease disagreements meant the Post Oak Center store continued operating under Weingarten's until the end of March 1986. Weingarten Realty Investors was acquired by Kimco Realty in 2021.
| 2.6'' × 2.6" | |
| Width, in | 2.60 |
| Height, in | 2.60 |
| Thickness, in | 0.30 |
Product features
- Made from 100% soapstone — naturally absorbent
- Available in 1, 2, or 4-piece sets with the same print on each
- One-sided full-color print with a matte finish
- 2.6″ × 2.6″ size fits most vehicle drink holders; notch for easy removal
- Removable “Made in China” sticker on the bottom
Care instructions
- Gently wipe the dirt or dust off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Gently wipe the dirt or dust off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth