Shutterings and Openings: The Inside Scoop on Houston’s Biggest Restaurant and Shopping Changes

The little blue cottage is no more: Robin Lindberg and crew have brought Queen of Heirs’ enhanced bridal selection and custom design and repair expertise to Tenenbaum Classic Jewelers. Both businesses will operate under one roof at 1801 Post Oak Boulevard until Tenenbaum’s new space on Westheimer is complete, sometime this fall.

River Oaks District unveils Toulouse Café & Bar, a much-loved French bistro concept from Dallas-based Lombardi Family Concepts, slated for a March 11 opening (or thereabouts). The brunch, lunch and dinner menus span all things Gallic, from classic French pastries to mussels served with pommes frites, frog legs à la Provençal and escargot Toulouse.

Another Dallas-based company, sports apparel shop Saint Bernard, will follow Toulouse’s debut at River Oaks District with an April opening, followed by beauty brand NARS in late spring.

Little Liberty is officially open. The seafood-centric concept from F.E.E.D TX Restaurant Group (Liberty Kitchen, BRC, Petite Sweets, Lee’s Fried Chicken and Donuts ) replaced the shuttered Ruggles Café at 2365 Rice Boulevard in Rice Village. Little Liberty is similar to F.E.E.D’s Liberty Kitchen restaurants but also serves daily breakfast, New York-style pizzas and a build-your-own poke bowl.

Little Woodrow’s owner Danny Evans expands his bar conglomerate with the soon-to-open Kirby Icehouse at 3333 Eastside Street off Kirby. Expect a 6,500-square-foot venue with diverse taps and 300 parking spaces.

Fast food gets a facelift with the launch of European neighborhood market Borgo Food Station, at 3641 West Alabama Street. The stop-and-go-style eatery, which is now open, specializes in slow-cooked quality to-go meals.

It’s official! Celebrity favorite spin studio SoulCycle opens its first Houston location in April at 2549 Kirby Drive.

Indian restaurant Kiran’s moves from its current location at 4100 Westheimer Road to a new space in the mixed-use Kirby Grove development at 2525 Richmond Avenue. Chef-owner Kiran Verma will also launch a new menu for the new location. Saturday, April 9, marks the restaurant’s final day on Westheimer. 

Gr8 Plate Hospitality’s Paul’s Kitchen will soon be a restaurant no more. Owner Paul Miller will transform the space at 2502 Algerian Way into a full-service event venue that will go by the name The Merrill House. Sunday, February 28, will be last day of operation for Paul’s Kitchen. The Merrill House plans to open for business on March 2.