 Company
History Rice
Epicurean Markets, the oldest family-owned supermarket chain
in Houston, opened its first store in 1988. At that time Rice
Epicurean was a division of Rice Food Markets , Inc. Founded
on May 5, 1937, by William H. Levy, grandfather of the current
owners, the first Rice Food Market store, a 2400 square foot
building located at 2501 Rice Boulevard, was aptly named Rice
Boulevard Food Market.
In 1937, The Village shopping center west of Rice Institute
was an undeveloped, wooded area. Rice Boulevard was an unpaved
dirt road and West University Place was in its developmental
stages. In those early days, there were only two buildings
in the shopping center, an ice house at the corner of Rice
Boulevard and Kirby, and William H. Levy's Rice Boulevard
Food Market at 250l Rice Boulevard.
The
first store was only 40 feet by 60 feet, and included William
Levy's wife Edna among the personnel, which numbered only
five. That successful first store was eventually enlarged
on five occasions until there was no longer space on the site
for expansion.
In 1955, William Levy's son-in-law, Alfred L. Friedlander,
now Co-Chairman Emeritus, joined the business. Two years later,
his son, Joel M. Levy, now also Co-Chairman Emeritus, came
into the family business.
In April 1957 the family opened its second location at the
corner of San Felipe and Post Oak in Tanglewood. The Tanglewood
store, as it was referred to in conversation, necessitated
a change in the firm's name from Rice Boulevard Food Market
to Rice Food Markets.
When the Tanglewood store opened, it was surrounded by farmland
and many customers were nearby rice farmers who were delighted
not to have to go into the city for groceries. The store virtually
stood alone and was the only major structure in what was to
become the prestigious Galleria area.
William H. Levy passed away in 1968, but Rice Epicurean Markets
continues to maintain his concepts from the first neighborhood
location: quality products and personal service.
Before the advent of the supermarket of today, customers shopped
in their own neighborhood and were known by name by the grocer,
who usually offered charging privileges by simply signing
their names on the grocery bills.
For Rice to now compete with the larger chains, we re-created
ourselves in a successful effort to be the best grocery store
in town. In 1988, the first Rice Epicurean was born.
Today, each store operated by Rice Epicurean Markets is still
merchandised to be in tune with its particular neighborhood.
The charge card system with monthly billing, introduced in
1964, remains in effect. Rice Epicurean Markets prides itself
on the growing number of employees who have been with the
chain for 20 years or more and can tell you by name, the customers
and their families who have shopped with them for many, many,
years.
The Rice Epicurean concept pays close attention to the regular
stock of grocery store items, but special requests, gourmet
products and customer service figure prominently in the overall
operation. The perishable departments receive special attention,
featuring the finest meat, produce, chef prepared salads and
entrees, up scale floral departments and European bakery departments.
To further distinguish us from our competition, we exclusively
offer HoneyBaked Spiral Sliced Ham ©, and See's Candy. In 2002, Rice Epicurean became the only
Houston grocer to offer Online Shopping.
In 1996
Rice Epicurean Markets was awarded the prestigious, Nationally
Acclaimed Award of Excellence honor by Supermarket
Business.
For many
years, Rice Epicurean has also been recognized by the Houston
Business Journal as a Top 50 Owned Family Owned Business in
Houston.
Rice Epicurean Markets, Inc. is wholly owned by founding
family members. Current family members involved in the daily
operations of the business are: Gary Friedlander, President
and Chief Operating Officer; Bruce Levy, Senior Vice President
and Chief Financial Officer; Scott Silverman, Vice President
and Director of Specialty Foods; and Phil Cohen, Vice
President Marketing, Community Relations and Webmaster
Today, the company operates five Rice Epicurean Markets,
which range in size from 25,000 to 42,000 square feet.
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