Brookshire Grocery Company
Encyclopedia
Brookshire Grocery Company is a Tyler, Texas
-based supermarket
chain with 151 stores operating in Texas
, Louisiana
, and Arkansas
. Until recently, the company had operated 4 stores in Mississippi
but recently pulled out with a sale to Kroger
and a local chain, Food Depot. The company was founded in 1928 by Wood T. and Louise Brookshire, when they opened their first 25 x 100 feet (30.5 m) store on Tyler’s downtown square.
Brookshire's was originally part of the Brookshire Brothers
chain, which was founded seven years earlier in Lufkin, Texas
. The companies split in 1939, when Wood T. Brookshire took control of the Tyler-area stores in exchange for his share in the Brookshire Brothers partnership. The companies are no longer related except by name.
The 1960s saw the company's expansion into Louisiana and the construction of a 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) distribution center in Tyler.
The company opened several Super 1 Foods stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some of which were replacements for nearby Brookshire's locations. The company sold all metro area stores to (now defunct) Fleming, which re-branded them as Rainbow Foods. All Rainbow stores were closed when Fleming went out of business.
The Brookshire Grocery Company also opened FRESH by Brookshire's in Tyler, TX on February 16, 2011.
The company has long been known for its benevolent contributions and community service. Brookshire Grocery Co. is a loyal supporter of local food banks, schools, and various charitable organizations. Each year the company organizes an effort known as the Spirit of Christmas Food Drive that collects and delivers enough food to provide several meals for some 15,000 households of people in need. Brookshire’s Benefit Golf Tournament raises upwards of $230,000 annually for the Children's Miracle Network
and other children’s charities. The company’s Adopt-A-School Program teams up employee/partners with neighborhood schools and students to provide support for everything from mentoring programs to fundraisers. In 2005, partners built their first Habitat for Humanity house in Tyler. In all, the company contributes to more than 800 organizations each year.
.
On February 11, 2010; after a decline in market grocery shares against Kroger
and Walmart, Brookshire's exited Mississippi with a sale of two stores (in Flowood
and Ridgeland
) to Kroger and closure of two other stores (both in Jackson
). In late 2011, Brookshire's sold their South Jackson store at 2861 Terry Road to Kosciusko, MS based supermarket chain known as FOOD DEPOT. The North Jackson location is still closed, but could find a buyer soon.
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
-based supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain with 151 stores operating in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
. Until recently, the company had operated 4 stores in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
but recently pulled out with a sale to Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
and a local chain, Food Depot. The company was founded in 1928 by Wood T. and Louise Brookshire, when they opened their first 25 x 100 feet (30.5 m) store on Tyler’s downtown square.
Brookshire's was originally part of the Brookshire Brothers
Brookshire Brothers
Brookshire Brothers Grocery is a supermarket retailer headquartered in Lufkin, Texas.Brookshire Brothers operates 70 stores under the names Brookshire Brothers and B&B Foods, and seven stand-alone pharmacies in a market area covering Texas and Louisiana...
chain, which was founded seven years earlier in Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin, Texas
Lufkin is a city in Angelina County, Texas, United States. Founded in 1882, the population was 35,067 in 2010. It is the county seat of Angelina County, and is situated in Deep East Texas.-History:...
. The companies split in 1939, when Wood T. Brookshire took control of the Tyler-area stores in exchange for his share in the Brookshire Brothers partnership. The companies are no longer related except by name.
History
In the 1940s, the company expanded to other neighboring communities and opened its first shopping center location. Brookshire’s first warehouse opened in Tyler in 1953.The 1960s saw the company's expansion into Louisiana and the construction of a 175000 square feet (16,258 m²) distribution center in Tyler.
The company opened several Super 1 Foods stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area in the late 1990s and early 2000s, some of which were replacements for nearby Brookshire's locations. The company sold all metro area stores to (now defunct) Fleming, which re-branded them as Rainbow Foods. All Rainbow stores were closed when Fleming went out of business.
The Brookshire Grocery Company also opened FRESH by Brookshire's in Tyler, TX on February 16, 2011.
Today
Today the company has more than 13,795 employee/partners serving customers in four store formats.The company has long been known for its benevolent contributions and community service. Brookshire Grocery Co. is a loyal supporter of local food banks, schools, and various charitable organizations. Each year the company organizes an effort known as the Spirit of Christmas Food Drive that collects and delivers enough food to provide several meals for some 15,000 households of people in need. Brookshire’s Benefit Golf Tournament raises upwards of $230,000 annually for the Children's Miracle Network
Children's Miracle Network
The Children's Miracle Network Hospitals is an international non-profit organization that raises funds for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The organization, founded in 1982 by the Osmond family and John Schneider, is headquartered in...
and other children’s charities. The company’s Adopt-A-School Program teams up employee/partners with neighborhood schools and students to provide support for everything from mentoring programs to fundraisers. In 2005, partners built their first Habitat for Humanity house in Tyler. In all, the company contributes to more than 800 organizations each year.
Leaving Mississippi
In 2002, Brookshire's bought four Albertsons stores in MississippiMississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
On February 11, 2010; after a decline in market grocery shares against Kroger
Kroger
The Kroger Co. is an American supermarket chain founded by Bernard Kroger in 1883 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It reported US$ 76.7 billion in sales during fiscal year 2009. It is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largest grocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer...
and Walmart, Brookshire's exited Mississippi with a sale of two stores (in Flowood
Flowood, Mississippi
Flowood is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,750 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Flowood is located at ....
and Ridgeland
Ridgeland, Mississippi
Ridgeland is a city in Madison County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 20,173 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
) to Kroger and closure of two other stores (both in Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
). In late 2011, Brookshire's sold their South Jackson store at 2861 Terry Road to Kosciusko, MS based supermarket chain known as FOOD DEPOT. The North Jackson location is still closed, but could find a buyer soon.