Market Basket
Encyclopedia
Market Basket is a supermarket
chain that serves southeast Texas
and Louisiana
. Formed in 1962, the grocer now operates 34 Market Basket stores and four Lucky Seven conventional supermarkets and employs 2,200 associates. It is headquartered in Nederland, Texas
.
Thompson and Hughes bought four stores as partners in the 1960s. During the early 70’s they obtained former A&P, Kroger
and Weingarten's
stores in Lake Charles
, Beaumont
, Port Arthur
and Orange
. In 1983, Bruce Thompson purchased Hughes’ interest in their jointly held corporation.
During the 1980s, two new stores were constructed, and the chain grew with the acquisition of 14 more stores formerly operated by Piggly Wiggly
, Safeway
, Theriot’s, Winn-Dixie
, and Weingarten's.
The next decade saw Market Basket begin an extensive remodeling and expansion program for half of the chain. More stores in the 90’s were acquired, including four Cash and Carry
locations and three AppleTree
stores. The Mauriceville
location was replaced with a newly constructed store during this time.
During the summer of 2001, the company purchased two Hughes Market Basket stores, in Port Arthur and Nederland
. In 2002, the grocer purchased two Price-Lo stores in Vidor
and DeRidder. Stanley’s in Leesville
and Pair’s in Winnie
were added, as well.
During the 1980s, several supermarkets in Southern California
operated under the Market Basket branding. The stores were reverted to the Boys Markets branding, after acquiring the chain. Boys Markets was acquired by the Yucaipa Companies in 1989. When Yucaipa acquired Ralphs
, the Boys brand disappeared.
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 that serves southeast 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...
and 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...
. Formed in 1962, the grocer now operates 34 Market Basket stores and four Lucky Seven conventional supermarkets and employs 2,200 associates. It is headquartered in Nederland, Texas
Nederland, Texas
Nederland is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,547 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Port Arthur, which serves the nearby cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
.
History
Johnnie Alford, Ed Hughes, Howard Hatfield, Roy Theriot and Bruce Thompson founded Market Basket in early 1962. Each was an independent grocer, owning one store each. The five grocers joined together in order to keep advertising costs low and pool their purchasing power. Three of the grocers remained one-supermarket operators while Hughes and Thompson formed a 50-50 corporation for joint expansion.Thompson and Hughes bought four stores as partners in the 1960s. During the early 70’s they obtained former A&P, 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 Weingarten's
Weingarten's
Weingarten's was a supermarket chain in the Southern United States until it was acquired by Safeway in 1983. J. Weingarten, Inc. had its headquarters in what is now the East End in Houston, Texas.The company survives to this day as a real estate developer, after leaving the retail grocery business...
stores in Lake Charles
Lake Charles, Louisiana
Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana, located on Lake Charles, Prien Lake, and the Calcasieu River. Located in Calcasieu Parish, a major cultural, industrial, and educational center in the southwest region of the state, and one of the most important in...
, Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Port Arthur
Port Arthur, Texas
-Demographics:As of the 2000 census, there were 57,755 people, 21,839 households, and 14,675 families residing in the city. The population density was 696.5 people per square mile . There were 24,713 housing units at an average density of 298.0 per square mile...
and Orange
Orange, Texas
Orange is a city in Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 18,643. It is the county seat of Orange County, and is the easternmost city in Texas. Located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, it is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. In 1983, Bruce Thompson purchased Hughes’ interest in their jointly held corporation.
During the 1980s, two new stores were constructed, and the chain grew with the acquisition of 14 more stores formerly operated by Piggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly
Piggly Wiggly is a supermarket chain operating in the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States, run by Piggly Wiggly, LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers. The current company headquarters is in Keene, New Hampshire....
, Safeway
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
, Theriot’s, Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie
Winn-Dixie Stores, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Jacksonville, Florida. Winn-Dixie has ranked number 24 in the 2010 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2009 fiscal year estimated sales of $7.3 billion by Supermarket News. and was ranked the 43rd largest retailer in the...
, and Weingarten's.
The next decade saw Market Basket begin an extensive remodeling and expansion program for half of the chain. More stores in the 90’s were acquired, including four Cash and Carry
Cash and carry
Cash and carry may refer to:*Cash and Carry , the first network-televised game show*Cash and carry , a revision of the Neutrality Acts, designed to aid the British...
locations and three AppleTree
AppleTree Markets
AppleTree Markets was a supermarket chain in Texas formed in 1969 when Safeway opened its first stores in Houston, which were spun off under the AppleTree name in 1988. The division once had 100 stores in Greater Houston and Greater Austin. As of January 21, 2007, AppleTree operated two stores in...
stores. The Mauriceville
Mauriceville, Texas
Mauriceville is a census-designated place in Orange County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,743 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
location was replaced with a newly constructed store during this time.
During the summer of 2001, the company purchased two Hughes Market Basket stores, in Port Arthur and Nederland
Nederland, Texas
Nederland is a city in Jefferson County, Texas, United States. The population was 17,547 at the 2010 census.The city is adjacent to the Southeast Texas Regional Airport in Port Arthur, which serves the nearby cities of Beaumont and Port Arthur. It is part of the Beaumont–Port Arthur...
. In 2002, the grocer purchased two Price-Lo stores in Vidor
Vidor, Texas
Vidor is a city in western Orange County, Texas, United States. A city of Southeast Texas, it lies at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Farm to Market Road 105, six miles east of Beaumont. The town is mainly a bedroom community for the nearby refining complexes in Beaumont and Port Arthur and...
and DeRidder. Stanley’s in Leesville
Leesville, Louisiana
Leesville is a city in and the parish seat of Vernon Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,753 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Polk South Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to the Fort Polk U.S. Army installation...
and Pair’s in Winnie
Winnie, Texas
Winnie is a census-designated place in Chambers County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,914 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winnie is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Historical development:The town plat was filed in...
were added, as well.
During the 1980s, several supermarkets in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
operated under the Market Basket branding. The stores were reverted to the Boys Markets branding, after acquiring the chain. Boys Markets was acquired by the Yucaipa Companies in 1989. When Yucaipa acquired Ralphs
Ralphs
Ralphs is a major supermarket chain in the Southern California area and the largest subsidiary of Cincinnati-based Kroger. It is the oldest such chain west of the Mississippi River. Ralphs also operates stores under the Food 4 Less and Foods Co. names in California.-History:Ralphs Grocery Company...
, the Boys brand disappeared.