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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destination-worthy bookstore

Century-old Japanese bookstore authors a new chapter in Rice Village

Courtesy of NewQuest

The Rice Village location will build on the success of Kinokuniya's Katy outpost.

A Japanese bookstore known for its extensive selection of anime and manga is coming to one of the inner loop’s most popular shopping districts. Kinokuniya will open its second Houston-area location in Rice Village this fall.

The store has claimed the former Village Fitness space at 2369 Rice Blvd. for its Rice Village outpost. At almost 5,600 square feet, the store will offer shoppers plenty of room to browse Kinokuniya’s books, stationary, paper goods, and more.

“We’d been looking in the Rice Village area for a long time,” NewQuest managing director and executive vice president Heather Nguyen said in a statement. “We got this one before it could hit the market.”

Kinokuniya opened its first Houston location in the Katy Grand shopping in 2019. The Japan-based chain, which will turn 100 next year, also operates stores across Asia, in the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the U.S., including Austin and two Dallas-area outposts in Plano and Carrollton.

In addition to books, the store hosts a variety of events, from book signings to horror storytelling sessions to anime meet-ups. The store's "Makerspace" hosts workshops, presentations, and other interactive experiences.

“Kinokuniya will be a tremendous addition to the Village, given its proximity to Rice University and the neighborhood’s reputation as one of Houston’s most walkable and community-oriented destinations,” Nguyen added. “The bookstore aligns perfectly with the area’s culture of learning, discovery, and appreciation for literature.”

Rice Village has been in an almost-decade long process of upgrading its retail offerings with more national and international brands. Last year, Rice University announced the Gateway Project, a $120 million endeavor to create a seamless, pedestrian-friendly corridor linking the campus to the heart of the Village.

shopping openings bookstores kinokuniya rice village