BROWNWOOD, Texas – Members of The United Family® leadership team joined Brownwood community leaders to break ground here at the site of the company’s next United Supermarkets and United Express locations, 300 W. Commerce.
The ceremony caps a two-year effort to bring United to this central Texas community, with a 42,648 square-foot supermarket and 1,472 square-foot convenience store. Construction on the two stores will begin in August, with an opening targeted for June 2015.
Joining Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes for the ceremony were City Manager Bobby Rountree, Ryan Reagan, president of the Brownwood Economic Development Corp., and Ray Tipton, executive director of the Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
Representing The United Family were Robert Taylor, president; Sidney Hopper, chief operating officer; Tony Crumpton, executive vice president of facility, fuel and supply; Phil Pirkle, executive vice president of talent management; Mark Yowell, regional vice president; and Joe Rollins, director of real estate.
“This is an exciting day in the history of our company,” said Taylor. “It is always gratifying to extend the United banner, but especially to new communities like Brownwood. We’re looking forward to the privilege we have to introduce United’s special brand of service to this community and the people who call it home.”
The stores are expected to bring 140-160 new jobs to Brownwood, with an estimated payroll of $1.35 million per year. They will sit on a 9.8-acre site, with the United Express to be located near the corner of Commerce and Riverside Park Drive.
The Brownwood City Council and Economic Development Corp. has committed up to $360,000 in incentives for United, to be used on infrastructure and site improvements needed at this location.
“This store represents our newest United format, which we think Brownwood guests will really enjoy. It is all about ‘fresh,’” said Wes Jackson, chief merchandising officer for The
United Family. “It will feature the ‘fresh’ departments – produce and floral – at the front of the store, and the dining-food service area will be to the right of the entrance, away from the shopping flow. In addition to a wide assortment of grocery, dairy and frozen items that guests have come to expect, the store also will include a drive-thru pharmacy and a walk-in healthcare clinic.”
Other notable store features will include a full-service meat-seafood department, full-service bakery and walk-in beer cooler, along with LED lighting throughout the store to lower overall energy usage.
In addition to standard convenience items, the United Express store will offer sandwiches, breakfast burritos and other items made fresh daily in the main store. It also will include a four-pump (eight dispensers) fuel station, offering both gasoline and diesel.
About The United Family®
Now in its 98th year of operation, United Supermarkets, LLC – d.b.a. The United Family® – is a Texas-based grocery chain with stores in 35 markets across north and west Texas. A self-distributing company with its headquarters in Lubbock and distribution centers in Lubbock and Roanoke, United currently operates 68 stores under five unique brands: United Supermarkets, Market Street, Amigos, Albertsons Market and United Express, along with ancillary operations R.C. Taylor Distributing, Praters and Llano Logistics. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Albertson’s LLC.
For more information, please visit www.unitedtexas.com.
Source: The United Family®