HTX-NCP: Impact 9/30/2025

Businesses along Northpark Drive have been struggling to maintain in-store traffic as a major construction project along the roadway continues.

To help raise awareness and drive business toward the area, local chambers of commerce Partnership Lake Houston and the Greater East Montgomery County Chamber banded together to launch the “Northpark Needs You” campaign in late July, which local business owners have said is already having a positive impact.

The impact: While conceding the roadway improvements and the addition of the overpass are needed, several business owners on Northpark Drive have reported declining revenue in the two years since the project began.

Daron Skero, owner of Skero’s Furniture & Mattress, said the business was required to borrow $750,000 to stay operational after losing more than $1 million in sales since construction began.

Quote of note: "Business is starting to pick up a little bit, for sure, and I know the work the chambers are doing is absolutely helping," Skero said.

Now open: Officials with The Golden Laurel Head Spa celebrated a June 29 opening of their location at Rogers Premier Salon Suites in New Caney.

The details: According to the business’ website, The Golden Laurel Head Spa offers head spa treatments, including:

• Scalp exfoliation
• Shoulder and neck reflexology
• Rosemary oil treatment

• 22186 Market Place Drive, Ste. 215, New Caney

Base Power, an energy company founded in 2023 and headquartered in Austin, officially launched in Houston on Sept. 24, according to a news release. 

Community Impact previously reported that the energy company originally opened in the Cy-Fair, Spring, Cinco Ranch and Mission Bend communities following its launch in Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth.

What you need to know: Co-owned by Zach Dell, Base Power is the only Texas energy provider that comes with a home backup power, according to the news release. The energy company offers an all-in-one energy plan that includes an entire home backup battery. When the grid goes down, the battery automatically powers the home, according to the release. 

Quote of note: “Houston has long been the energy capital of Texas, yet it has also endured some of the nation’s most painful lessons about unreliable power,” dell Said.

Check out several new restaurants that have recently opened across the Houston metro, as recently reported by Community Impact.

Smash City Burgers: The new halal smash burger and hot dog eatery concept recently opened in the Galleria area, serving a variety of halal comfort food items, including milkshakes and loaded fries.

Smash City first opened as a food truck location in Baton Rouge, as previously reported by Community Impact.

• Opened Sept. 13
• 6377 Westheimer Road, Houston

Krua Thai & Sushi: What was once occupied by the popular Thai Gourmet restaurant is now a new establishment called Krua Thai & Sushi.

Krua specializes in Thai cuisine, featuring noodle dishes and curries such as kaeng rawang, also known as green curry, and panang curry, also known as red curry. Customers can also order pineapple fried rice as well as kao soi, a curry noodle soup with chicken.

• Opened Aug. 28
• 6324 Richmond Ave., Houston