Northside's new nickname 'Tampico Heights' faces backlash from some residents
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Just a few miles from downtown Houston, you'll find neighborhoods, businesses, even a new light rail line.
What do you call the part of town wedged roughly between 1-610, 1-45, and North Main?
A new nickname, Tampico Heights, is gaining in popularity. It's named after the popular Tampico Refresqueria, a family-owned snow cone and snack shop.
"Giving it a name makes it stick in people's heads," said Jim Badger, who runs a website called http://tampicoheights.com.
Badger admits the nickname is a joke, but it seems to have stuck.
"I don't really know this neighborhood," said Sister Mama Sonya, who lives in the Third Ward. "I come here to go to Tampico."
Not everybody likes the new nickname. This is an old part of town with a lot of history.
"This is Northside, just like there's the Southside and the Westside," said Carlos Conde. "Tampico is not going to fly."
Check out these tongue-in-cheek websites for more on the nickname:
http://imnorthside.tumblr.com/
http://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/274153/Tampico-Heights/
