United unveils $100M Lubbock investment to build new supermarket, remodel 7 stores

Posted: July 12, 2016 - 8:13pm  |  Updated: July 13, 2016 - 12:10am

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Denise Marquez / A-J Media

Robert Taylor, United Family president, announced the company's $100 million Lubbock investment with the addition of two new stores and remodel projects on seven stores. The annoucement was made during a news conference Tuesday at United's distribution center located at 5801 Martin Luther King Blvd.

By DENISE MARQUEZ

A-J MEDIA

United Family of stores officials announced Tuesday it will invest more than $100 million in Lubbock with new stores and remodels of seven of its nine stores in the Hub City.

United officials held a news conference at its distribution center located at 5801 Martin Luther King Blvd., where several city and county officials and Lubbock economic leaders praised the company's investment in the Hub City.

Renovations of the seven stores are scheduled to begin immediately and be completed in the fall. The remodel project is planned to begin at the United Supermarkets located at 82nd Street and Boston Avenue.

Updates to the stores will be staggered to help minimize interruptions to customers.

Robert Taylor, United president, also announced that a new United Supermarket will be built at Fourth Street and Milwaukee Avenue.

“We’ll break ground on that one later this year, which will give us another retail option in Lubbock,” Taylor said. “With the new store at Fourth Street we will also have retail space available for development, which will bring new retail business to that area.”

United is also in the middle of construction of a new United Supermarkets located at 130th Street (FM 1585) and Indiana Avenue, which is planned to open in the fall.

“The Lubbock community has been extremely loyal to United since we moved our offices here in 1956,” Taylor said. “People have invested in United and we’ve invested in Lubbock. It’s been a priority of our team.”

Taylor also announced the United Supermarkets located at 82nd Street and Frankford Avenue and Market Street at 50th Street and Indiana Avenue will receive an in-store Starbucks.

Chris St. Clair, United executive vice president of logistics and information, gave an update on the company’s ongoing $33.7 million distribution center expansion. Completion is anticipated in the fall.

“We are adding 200,000 square-feet to this facility," he said. "It’s a 500,000 square-foot facility today. We’re adding to the north, to the south and in between — everywhere you go we have a project going on. The new building addition is important to United because it has allowed us to expand our store count and our impact to our region.”

Taylor said hundreds of new jobs will be created with the expansion of the distribution center and the opening of the two new United Supermarkets.

“We’ve announced 200 new jobs in connection with the distribution center,” Taylor said. “We will also have 400 new jobs at the new retail outlets, so that will be a total of at least 600 new jobs for the city of Lubbock.”

Tim Collins, Lubbock Economic Development Alliance board chairman, praised United for its impact on the Lubbock community.

“We recognize that United has invested millions and millions of dollars in this community and jobs — those create a benefit to every citizen,” Collins said. “I hope that we can also recognize the reinvestment of those dollars put back into our community, ranging anywhere from local food drives and United Way campaigns, all the way to the United Supermarkets Arena. What a great legacy it is that United gives back to our community.”

Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope thanked United officials for their investment in Lubbock and for being a good corporate citizen.

“You’re our largest private employer and we do not take that for granted,” Pope said. “Your investment in Lubbock is something that we cherish. Thank you for your investment and thank you for being such a great citizen. We are so thankful for what you do.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary for the United Family of stores.

United remained a family-owned business for 98 years until its owners sold to Albertsons LLC on Dec. 27, 2013, for about $385 million, according to A-J Media archives.

Since Albertsons came into play with United, the West Texas company has also acquired 12 Albertsons stores (Albertsons Market) and has been transitioning those stores to have a Market Street way of business.