Day or night, Montrose’s Light Bulbs Unlimited is striking. By day, its red brick facade and massive murals demand you pay attention as you drive or walk by. When the sun goes down, the store lights up like a Christmas tree. But this summer, the stretch of Westheimer Road it sits on will get a little dimmer. 

Last month, a large sign appeared outside of Light Bulbs Unlimited advertising that the space would be for lease. Interested parties were directed to email the land’s owner, developer Radom Capital. Signs on the storefront advertising sales followed, sparking fears that the Montrose landmark would be closing. The little red building has housed Light Bulbs Unlimited since 1987.

Light Bulbs Unlimited is moving from its longtime spot at 1203 Westheimer Road, owner David Bekker confirmed to Chron on Wednesday. Bekker is moving all of his light bulbs and neon signs to a new storefront at 2100 Waugh Drive, next to Montrose bar Rudyard’s. Bekker said that rising rent was behind the move. 

“I can’t afford the rent here anymore is basically what it is,” Bekker told Chron by phone. “I’m looking to find a tenant and I’m hoping to be out of here by the end of July or early August.”

Bekker said he first received notice in early January that his rent would be going up from $13,300 a month to $15,800 because of rising property taxes. For a store that sells one thing and one thing only, that increase makes the store’s current location untenable.

“There comes a point where a light bulb store can only pay so much rent,” Bekker said. “It’s just too much for me.” 

According to Harris County property records, Radom Capital first bought the land in April of 2025. Radom didn’t respond to a request for comment by publication time about what, exactly, is planned for the spot, though a leasing information sign was still posted when Chron visited on Wednesday. 

While Light Bulbs Unlimited is only moving, not closing, it’s still a blow for the Westheimer strip’s quirky vibe. Radom has scooped up much of the land in that area and redeveloped some of it, including the recently completed renovations at 1111 Westheimer, which includes several restaurants and the new Doc’s Jazz Club at the historic Tower Theater building. As businesses on the Westheimer strip close, the area’s vibe continues to change from a strange, quirky assortment of longtime businesses into a ritzier area with high rises and shops. 

Light Bulbs Unlimited is one of those places that felt like it was there long before you and would be there long after you were gone. Bekker has been there since the beginning, when the store opened in 1987. Bekker and his brother, Harold, came to Houston from Cape Town, South Africa, and ran the shop when it opened. Both had experience in the lighting business dating back to before their Houston move, and the store became a neighborhood staple for those in need of everything from regular bulbs to exotic fixtures. Harold Bekker, noted for his strong ties to Montrose’s LGBTQ community, died in 2016. 

Bekker stressed that he has no hard feelings over the rent and that the move is purely a business decision. He said that Light Bulbs Unlimited’s new location on Waugh is currently undergoing renovations, and once that’s done, they’ll move everything over. 

“I’d like it to be over, but it’s not my first move and it won’t be our last,” Bekker said.