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This week’s edition of Business Leaders looks at a new brewery coming to the area, what the Creek Group has in store for Washington Avenue and an award for Memorial Hermann Greater Heights.
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Creek group buys Wabash location 1B · Take care of your will 3B · SPX students win essay contest 8B Saturday, February 6, 2016 • Page 1B
Eureka!
FROM YOUR NEIGHBOR Learning habitat gardening basics By Kim Ellis For The Leader My lifelong interests and education in wildlife ecology led me into my passion of creating personal wildscapes, with current projects ranging from a small patio backyard habitat to a large coastal prairie restoration. There are small things that each of us can do to protect, enhance and restore our yard habitats, right here in our neighborhoods. I’m a five year Garden Oaks resident and am currently working to fulfill this passion. There are the obvious benefits of viewing wildlife in your yard, but other benefits include cleaner air, less water runoff, and less maintenance with chemical pest control, fertilizers, and mowing. The use of a diverse plant pallet not only attracts a wide variety of wildlife, but balances the habitat allowing less chances for large scale pest issues. There are four basic needs in a habitat garden: food, water, shelter and space. Providing a diverse variety of year-round food and water sources is the most important factor in attracting wildlife to your yard. Providing shelter, of varying vegetation levels, for ground nesters, tree nesters, and all in between allows small wildlife to keep safe from predators. Space provides a place to raise young wildlife, by planting dense shrubs or building nesting boxes or snags. When planning and planting for a wildlife garden, the basics include: • planting native or well adapted plants, and removing invasive plants • planting a variety of bloom colors, flower shapes and bloom periods • avoid overhead irrigation to prevent nectar loss from flowers • keep cats indoors • promote beneficial insects, by making your yard a pesticide free zone • if you have to use insecticides, apply at night when pollinators are least active To attract different birds, provide a variety of yearround plants providing nec-
Contributed Photo (lFrom eft to right) Rob Eichenlaub, Casey Motes and Joel Swift, owners and founders of the new Eureka Heights Brew Co. The business joins a long list of new breweries opening in the Heights area over the past few years, and the trio hope to put a new spin on the local beer market.
New Heights brewery has high hopes By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, The Leader decided to take stock of near north Houston for new developments in what has become the city’s hand-crafted beerbrewing capital. We’re glad we did. Several weeks ago, three Heights couples signed a lease for 20,000 square feet of space at 941 W. 18th St. in the old Jake’s Finer Foods warehouse. The six principals have since started the design and installation of their new Eureka Heights Brew Co. They could not be more excited by the adventure. “We are all from engineering backgrounds,” said Casey Motes, one of the owners. “We are all kind of geeky. We love the brewing process, and we live in, and love the community. It’s a dream come true for us.” For three years, Motes has been brewing for Brock Wagner, owner of the highly successful St. Arnold’s Brewery
in the Fifth Ward. Motes says those years provided him with a wonderful learning experience. How does Wagner feel about the new competition? “Brock was gracious and supportive when I told him. He has been great about it,” Motes said. “He is happy for us.” The beers from Eureka Heights Brew Co. will be available in draft only, but the objective is to package in cans within the first two years. The owners anticipate brewing several stouts, two India Pale Ales (IPAs), one “hoppy Pale Kolsch, German-American hybrid,” said Motes, “and a malty English bitter.” While hand-crafted brews have skyrocketed in popularity across the nation, as the large commercial breweries
are suffering record low sales, another fact has emerged: craft brews tend to contain more alcohol then commercial brews. Sometimes, lots more alcohol. The folks at Eureka Heights Brew Co. have decided to buck that trend. Most of this brewery’s beers will hover in the four or five percent alcohol-by-volume range. Normally, craft beers run from five to 10 percent, while some reach 12, 20, and even 30 percent. Lower alcohol content is a decision the team at Eureka made for some very good reasons. “Lower alcohol does not change the flavor and, if anything, makes it harder to brew,” Motes said. “The alcohol in beer can cover a
Creek Group purchases former Wabash location
myriad of brewing flaws and the more alcohol there is, the more it will cover. Low-alcohol brews offer fewer places to hide but we think it produces finer products.” And there is another reason. “We also think sitting down with friends and beer is a social event. It is about a moment of enjoying flavors and companionship. If our beers mean I can sit down for two hours and have four beers with friends, I’d rather that than two beers and one hour,” explained Motes with a smile. At the moment, plans are to launch Eureka Heights Brew Co. in the summer of 2016. Keep your eye on The Leader for more information.
See Creek P. 7B
tar, pollen, seeds, berries, and native grass seed. Snags for nesting and shelter, and nest boxes will encourage them to stay in your yard after feeding. Hummingbirds eat flower nectar and tiny insects, but have a poor sense of smell, and therefore need red or orange tubular flowers. If you supplement feed with sugar water, it’s important to change out the water and clean the feeder frequently to prevent sickening the birds. Adjacent branches allow hummingbirds a resting place to protect their food source, as they are very territorial. Staggering plants or feeders around the yard will provide more feeding options. Bees are most often drawn to purple, yellow and white blooms, while butterflies see white, pink, purple, red, yellow and orange best. Flowers planted in masses are easier for them to see. Providing diversity in flower form allows different types of feeders to find the right feeding platform. For butterflies we also need to plant both host and nectar plants for various species to support the entire lifecycle. Bare areas of moist mud or a simpler puddler help male butterflies with hydration and mineral needs. Some of our best yard wildlife are those that help control pests. Amphibians and reptiles like frogs and lizards provide insect and rodent control. Providing loose stone borders for shelter and basking encourage them to stay. Little things can go a long way in providing habitats for our urban wildlife. Let’s start the conversation. Email kim@ plantahabitat.com
Providing habitats for nature’s beauty HABITAT GARDEN
Provides the elements of food, water, shelter and space to encourage use by urban wildlife.
By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader Things are moving quickly at the former site of the Wabash Feed and Garden Store in the Heights. On January 15, The sale of Wabash Feed and Garden located at 5701 Washington Ave., was concluded. Popular Wabash is moving to a larger location at 4537 North Shepherd Dr., and the old property was purchased by Gary Mosley, owner of the locally grown, and highly successful Creek Group of restaurants. The old space on Washington Ave. has been occupied by Wabash since 1987, when the area was “still kind of dicey,” said Wabash’s founder/owner, Betty Heacker. Today, the corridor is a thriving artery of
Kim Ellis
POLLINATOR GARDEN
Provides the host plants and nectar sources to help sustain our pollinating bees, birds and butterflies.
Kim Ellis’ Natural Passion After 20 years in the environmental field, I found my passion in the oddest of places, my own front yard. After a loss in the family, I looked to butterfly gardening to help with my healing process. As I looked at mine and my neighbors’ yards, I realized that a lot of the plants do absolutely nothing for our pollinators and other urban wildlife…. and so was born HABITATS.
RAIN GARDEN
Provides habitat for other native wildlife, while increasing water absorption and lessening runoff.
ADDITIONAL SERVICES:
• native plant selection • sustainable practices • COMING SOON - native plant nursery
713-259-9697
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kim@plantahabitat.com www.plantahabitat.com
Contributed Photo Creek Group Owner/Founder Gary Mosley with his dog, Chloe.
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