Today we’d like to introduce you to Gary Friedlander.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Our company was started in the Village on Rice Blvd in 1937 by William and Edna Levy, grandparents of the current owners. Their goal then is pretty much the same as it is today, 80 years later; to provide excellent service and top quality products in a clean, friendly environment.
In 2012 we sold four of our remaining five stores in order to focus on our real estate business. At the time we didn’t really plan to stay in the grocery business but we were left with one store. We decided that if our associates wanted to stay we would continue to operate the store and see how that would work out. We were very fortunate in that almost everyone we were able to offer a position to choose to stay.
Of our approximately 100 employees over half have been with us at least 10 years and many have been with us 20, 30 and even 40 years. With this great team and a very loyal following of customers, we were able to almost double the stores business and now we are still here five years later.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Running a single store was not something any of us had ever done before or even dreamed of ever doing.
Instead of having a corporate office running the business from the top down, our team had to learn that almost all decisions had to be made at the store.
Fortunately, as I mentioned before, we have a very experienced team that were more than capable of doing this and they have done a great job of maintaining our goals for the business.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Rice Epicurean Markets story. Tell us more about the business.
Back in 1987 we felt Southwest Houston was ready for a first class, upscale supermarket so we created Rice Epicurean Markets. We were the first supermarket in town to provide actual chefs making fresh products daily from scratch in a restaurant style kitchen. We squeezed fresh juice and provided fresh cut vegetables right on the sales floor. We partnered with See’s Candies and put in full service departments. We offered one of the largest wine departments in the city and were one of the first to provide a wine steward on site. Our floral department was staffed with actual trained florists. All this along with our top quality meat, seafood and produce departments made Rice Epicurean Markets not only the finest store in Houston but we were recognized by Supermarket Business Magazine as the Retailer of the Year and mentioned in Time magazine.
Later we were the first to offer Home and Office Delivery and added The Epicurean Catering Company which provides full service catering for events of any size.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck, good or bad. You get what you earn in life and in business. Sometimes it doesn’t always work out the way you hope but I don’t see luck as having anything to do with that.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2020 Fountainview,
Houston, Texas 77057 - Website: www.riceepicurean.com
- Phone: 713-783-8203
- Email: info@riceepicurean.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/riceepicurean/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/riceepicurean
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
