Hometown Glory

The top stores in America have a Texas bent: Lone Star State's prominent on 100 best list

The National Retail Federation's publication Stores Magazine has revealed the Top 100 Retailers of 2013 and Texas makes a strong showing. Eleven Lone Star State companies make the list, which was determined by 2012 sales, with one local business holding down a spot in the Top 25.

H-E-B, headquarters in San Antonio (No. 23) - The grocery store reported $18.2 billion sales last year, up 8.2 percent from 2011. H-E-B has more than 350 stores in Texas and Mexico and more than 80,000 employees. With 17,000 employees in the Houston-area alone, it's one of the largest private employers in the region. Who knows what kind of numbers 2013 will bring after the introduction of Whataburger's bottled "fancy" condiments and fry-flavored potato chips?

J.C. Penney, Plano HQ (No. 29) - The department store must have felt confident enough with its sales to drop Paula Deen's line of merchandise.

Whole Foods, Austin HQ (No. 35) - With any luck, the rising popularity of quinoa and gluten-free gummy bears will keep this grocery chain in the black.

7-Eleven, Dallas HQ (No. 37) - Thanks, Big Gulp.

Army Air Force Exchange, Dallas HQ (No. 43) – This government agency, which provides reduced-price merchandise on military bases, has been stirring up controversy lately.

AT&T Wireless, Dallas HQ (No. 54) – AT&T certainly raised the bar, with sales growing nearly 17 percent from the previous year — the fourth largest growth of any Top 100 company.

GameStop, Grapevine HQ (No. 68) – Optimists believe active, educational and humanitarian video games have the potential to be this year's big sellers.

Dell, Round Rock (No. 83) - Dell is one of only two online-only companies to make the list; the other is Amazon.com at No. 11. "In this digital age, it seems remarkable that bricks-and-mortar retailers have displayed such staying power," writes Stores reporter David Schulz. "Truth is, more than 15 years into the dot-com revolution, online transactions account for less than 15 percent of total retail sales."

Neiman Marcus, Dallas HQ (No. 84) - How will becoming a publicly traded company affect the luxury retailer?

Michaels Stores, Irving HQ (No. 88) - Nearly $4 billion is a lot of Mod Podge!

RadioShack, Fort Worth HQ (No. 98) - Really?

The Top 5 companies overall? Walmart, Kroger, Target, Costco and Home Depot.

H-E-B was ranked #23 on the list of Top Retailers, 2013.

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a new record

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commits over $30 million to education

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cattle exhibition

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The money supports studies in fields such as animal husbandry.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues its annual tradition of breaking its own record when it comes to educational endowments. On Giving Tuesday, the organization pledged to disburse $30,353,380 in 2026 in the form of scholarships, grants, and other funding.

“This milestone moment of reaching $30 million in a single year highlights the Rodeo’s unwavering dedication to Texas youth and education,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “Thanks to our loyal donors, sponsors, more than 36,000 volunteers and dedicated attendees, 2026 will reach historic heights in supporting the next generation of leaders, agricultural professionals and organizations that share the Rodeo’s mission.”

This brings the total of education funding provided by the Rodeo since 1932 up to $660 million. Last year's $28 million commitment also set a new record.

One innovation this year is the establishment of the Area Go Texan Vocational Scholarship, a program that expands on the relationship with 68 Texas counties through the Area Go Texan affiliate program. One student from each county will receive $6,000 toward a degree or certificate in a vocational field at a Texas nonprofit college or university. Another $500,000 in vocational scholarships will awarded to 10 schools in 2026. Guidelines for applying can be found at this link.

In total, the Rodeo will hand out $15,126,000 in scholarships, $11,273,500 to junior exhibitors, $3,430,880 in grants, and $523,000 in graduate assistantships. Grants will be awarded to 82 Texas institutions and organizations, such as Arts for Rural Texas, BridgeYear, The Bryan Museum, Diversity in the Arts and Entertainment, Greater Houston Partnership Foundation, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Space Center Houston, Texas State University Development Foundation, and University of St. Thomas at Houston.

Money for the annual endowment is raised through the annual auctions, sales of livestock and art, and through charitable donations. The goal of the endowment program is to promote study and research in agriculture, animal husbandry, and other fields that directly benefit the Rodeo.

The Rodeo is scheduled to run from March 2 – 22, 2026. More information on performers, attractions, and vendors can be found at RodeoHouston.com. Scholarship applications are open through February 2, with funds being awarded in summer 2026.

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