2024 marks Food Town’s 30th anniversary as Houston’s independent grocer.
It was late 1993 when a handful of grocers joined together on a mission to provide affordable access to national-brand products, quality meats and fresh produce throughout Greater Houston. And it was a continued dedication to service tailored to the Bayou City that created a business with true staying power.
Houston’s Food Town grocery chain is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Lifelong groceryman Ross Lewis and six associates opened the first Food Town on April 28, 1994, at 2040 South Richey St. in Pasadena. Two other locations opened the following month, and as time progressed new stores followed suit.
Today there are 29 Food Town stores in and around Houston.
The quick growth track was the result of careful planning by a company dedicated to offering something better, said Mike Lewis, Ross Lewis’ son and the company’s president.
Food Town Co-Founder Ross Lewis (right) and current President Mike Lewis.
“These guys didn’t just have the grocery business in their blood, but they had Houston’s best interests at heart,” he said. “They put thought into everything from the prices they offered to where they did business.”
The founders housed their stores in pre-existing retail spaces, something which wasn’t only fiscally conservative, but was proven to have lasting benefits for a community. In addition, they catered individual store inventories to suit their surrounding neighborhoods’ needs and preferences.
That willingness to go above and beyond was a large part of the chain’s success, Joe Valdez, Food Town’s grocery vice president, said.
“Stocking niche products unique to certain locations isn’t necessarily the easiest or most efficient way to operate, but it sends a clear message to customers that we’re listening, and we’re here to serve,” Valdez explained. “Those small touches build relationships.”
Finding ways to cater to all customers — of all ages — proved equally important, Meat Division Vice President Billy Drews said. That’s meant keeping up with the industry’s shift toward high-tech tools.
The company launched its Food Town+ mobile app in early 2020, while same-day delivery via Instacart was introduced in 2023. Curbside pickup, currently available at two locations, is rolling out one store at a time.
“We’re finding the right balance between uncomplicated, traditional shopping experiences and tools that draw younger generations,” he explained. “You can access coupons online or in the app, or grab them off shelves in-store. Our grocers still write out signage by hand. It’s a mix of old and new, because every person’s experience matters.”
2024 marks Food Town’s 30th anniversary serving communities in and around Houston.
As Food Town continues through its 30th year, the company looks forward to celebrating alongside customers with special markdowns, in-store events and the like.
“Thirty years is something worth celebrating,” Drews said. “We want to get the customers involved because they’re as big a part of our story as our team is.”
Looking ahead, Mike Lewis said the plan is to continue providing quality products, low prices and special consideration to those Food Town serves, while also seeking out ways to better serve the community.
New locations might also join the mix, but Food Town will remain a family endeavor — and will remain firmly planted in its hometown.
“We’re proud of our Houston roots, and we have no plans of expanding outside of the place we know and love,” he explained. “For three decades now, we’ve been the local grocer our friends and neighbors trust. That’s who we want to continue to be for many years to come.”
Normal Operating Hours:
Monday – Sunday | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.
2024 marks Food Town’s 30th anniversary as Houston’s independent grocer.
It was late 1993 when a handful of grocers joined together on a mission to provide affordable access to national-brand products, quality meats and fresh produce throughout Greater Houston. And it was a continued dedication to service tailored to the Bayou City that created a business with true staying power.
Houston’s Food Town grocery chain is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Lifelong groceryman Ross Lewis and six associates opened the first Food Town on April 28, 1994, at 2040 South Richey St. in Pasadena. Two other locations opened the following month, and as time progressed new stores followed suit.
Today there are 29 Food Town stores in and around Houston.
The quick growth track was the result of careful planning by a company dedicated to offering something better, said Mike Lewis, Ross Lewis’ son and the company’s president.
Food Town Co-Founder Ross Lewis (right) and current President Mike Lewis.
“These guys didn’t just have the grocery business in their blood, but they had Houston’s best interests at heart,” he said. “They put thought into everything from the prices they offered to where they did business.”
The founders housed their stores in pre-existing retail spaces, something which wasn’t only fiscally conservative, but was proven to have lasting benefits for a community. In addition, they catered individual store inventories to suit their surrounding neighborhoods’ needs and preferences.
That willingness to go above and beyond was a large part of the chain’s success, Joe Valdez, Food Town’s grocery vice president, said.
“Stocking niche products unique to certain locations isn’t necessarily the easiest or most efficient way to operate, but it sends a clear message to customers that we’re listening, and we’re here to serve,” Valdez explained. “Those small touches build relationships.”
Finding ways to cater to all customers — of all ages — proved equally important, Meat Division Vice President Billy Drews said. That’s meant keeping up with the industry’s shift toward high-tech tools.
The company launched its Food Town+ mobile app in early 2020, while same-day delivery via Instacart was introduced in 2023. Curbside pickup, currently available at two locations, is rolling out one store at a time.
“We’re finding the right balance between uncomplicated, traditional shopping experiences and tools that draw younger generations,” he explained. “You can access coupons online or in the app, or grab them off shelves in-store. Our grocers still write out signage by hand. It’s a mix of old and new, because every person’s experience matters.”
2024 marks Food Town’s 30th anniversary serving communities in and around Houston.
As Food Town continues through its 30th year, the company looks forward to celebrating alongside customers with special markdowns, in-store events and the like.
“Thirty years is something worth celebrating,” Drews said. “We want to get the customers involved because they’re as big a part of our story as our team is.”
Looking ahead, Mike Lewis said the plan is to continue providing quality products, low prices and special consideration to those Food Town serves, while also seeking out ways to better serve the community.
New locations might also join the mix, but Food Town will remain a family endeavor — and will remain firmly planted in its hometown.
“We’re proud of our Houston roots, and we have no plans of expanding outside of the place we know and love,” he explained. “For three decades now, we’ve been the local grocer our friends and neighbors trust. That’s who we want to continue to be for many years to come.”
29 Houston-Area Locations
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