Luxury is becoming harder to miss in Houston, where global retailers are opening flagship stores, expanding existing boutiques and investing in some of the city’s most affluent neighborhoods.

What's happening: At River Oaks District, more than a dozen luxury retailers have opened or announced new locations in the past two to three years, while established brands are expanding their footprints.

Developers are also adding luxury residences, hotels and mixed-use projects across the Inner Loop, creating a growing market of high-end retail, real estate and hospitality. 

These investments come as the area in recent years has seen a boom in home sales that eclipse the $1 million mark—and are supported by many growing industries in Houston that are contributing to the economic base of the area.

Looking ahead: Luxury retailers and developers continue to announce new projects and move forward across Houston, with several concentrated in the River Oaks and Post Oak areas. Experts expect the city to become a major hub for luxury retail in the near future.

A new themed bar will replace the former Wild CBD and THC cocktail bar on Westheimer.

What is it: Bad Apple Good Bunch is a new bar that will open in late fall. Sean Fitzmaurice, who also owns Reserve 101 downtown, is currently working on the buildout of the bar.

"It's going to be a fun cocktail bar in Montrose," he said.

Fitzmaurice also said that he will announce the bar's theme and other amenities at a later date.

Also of note: Bad Apple Good Bunch will move into the space previously occupied by Wild, which closed in February. Wild has another location in the Heights, as well as a coffee shop.

• 1609 Westheimer Road, Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport welcomed travelers to its redeveloped Terminal B North Concourse on Oct. 22, following an official unveiling on Oct. 21.

The big picture: The three-level, 765,000-square-foot facility is part of United Airlines' $2.6 billion Terminal B Transformation Program. The project began in November 2023 and is expected to increase the number of customers who can fly on peak travel dates in 2026 by 40% compared to 2023.

Zooming in: The redeveloped terminal features the following amenities:

• A 54,000-square-foot United Club, which is the largest airline club in the Americas

• Seating for 800 travelers, two full-service bars and two buffet stations inside the club

• 22 mainline gates, giving United Airlines 48 gates in Terminal B

• 10 large-scale art installations and a dedicated sensory room

• 105,000 square feet of space for retail and concessions

• Climate-controlled jet bridges and a new baggage handling system

Looking ahead: The expansion will also allow United Airlines to add new international destinations, including service to Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico; Cartagena, Colombia; and Caracas, Venezuela.

Unofficial county data shows that 415,730 voters cast their ballots in Harris County during the first week of early voting. According to the Harris County Clerk’s Office, about 15% of the county’s more than 2.7 million registered voters have turned out for the midterm election as of Oct. 22.

Stay tuned: Key details from the election turnout and schedule include:

• Early voting and mail-in ballot totals set a record for first-day midterm turnout Oct. 19, with more than 104,000 in-person votes counted.

• Early voting continues through Oct. 30 at any of the county’s 75 early voting locations.

• Polls are open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. most days, except Oct. 25, when they are open noon-7 p.m.

• Voters can cast ballots in local races for county attorney, county judge and district clerk.

• In-person voting is also available on Election Day, Nov. 3.

Need to catch up on Community Impact’s coverage from this week? Check out six trending stories in the Greater Houston area from Oct. 16-23.

• Race Rock breaks ground on $100M expansion in Brookshire 

• League City approves nearly $50M construction contract for Pat Hallisey Park 

• Fort Bend County Tax Assessor-Collector Carmen P. Turner indicted

• Pearland reviews Flock camera use, data-sharing safeguards 

• New 5-year strategic plan aims to position Houston as a premier film destination

• Ronald McDonald House unveils new look, logo as part of worldwide rebranding