Goodbye and hello

End of an era? Most Rice Epicurean grocery stores to be replaced with FreshMarket

Four of five Rice Epicureans will be replaced with Fresh Markets.
Rice Epicurean Markets/Facebook
The four new branches mark Fresh Markets' first expansion into Texas.
The Fresh Market/Facebook
Rice Epicurean founder William Levy, left, stands before the Houston chain'sfirst location in Rice Village.
In addition to a vast selection of gourmet items, Fresh Markets offers anextensive line of prepared foods.
The Fresh Market/Facebook

Rice Epicurean — Houston's oldest family-owned grocery store chain — announced Wednesday that it will be paring down its presence in the Bayou City, as specialty food retailer Fresh Market takes over four of its five area locations. Rice Epicurean’s branch at 2020 Fountain View is not part of the agreement and will maintain its classic name.

The affected stores will remain open through the holiday season, before Fresh Market begins an extensive renovation project that will create its first forays into the Lone Star grocery market by fall 2013.

"We are excited to expand into Texas, and into Houston in particular," said Fresh Market president Craig Carlock in a statement. “We look forward to introducing The Fresh Market’s concept of quality perishable food, excellent customer service and unique shopping atmosphere to a new set of customers, and we look forward to offering our new neighbors a distinctive food shopping experience, one that we think cannot be beaten.”

Fresh Market promotes it stores as conveying "the atmosphere of an old world European market," offering what it calls "old-style" butcher shops, fish markets, delicatessens, bakeries and produce stands. The national chain also enjoys a solid reputation for extensive prepared food options.

“We are excited to welcome The Fresh Market to the Houston metropolitan area and to introduce their concept to our customers and neighbors," said Rice Epicurean spokesperson Bruce Levy. "We believe their stores will be an excellent fit in this market.”

Rice Epicurean began in 1937 as a small shop known as the the Rice Boulevard Food Market. After briefly going public in the late 1960s and expanding to four other locations, the grocery store gained national attention in 1988 after the launch of its "epicurean" concept — balancing a stock of special food with grocery staples.

In other grocery store news, Katy will be getting a new Whole Foods in late January as the organic grocer continues its Houston-area expansion along with Trader Joe's and Kroger. Since the summer, two other Whole Foods have been announced for northwest Houston and the Galleria area.

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spring homebuying season

The best time to sell a house in Houston is coming in April, experts say

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The best window for Houstonians to sell their home is coming up on April 12.

Houstonans that are considering selling their home have the perfect opportunity coming up in April, according to a new housing report from Realtor.com.

The real estate experts said the week of April 12-18 will offer sellers the best combination of strong and stable housing prices, buyer interest, and a competitive market.

Based on historical market data, homes listings in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro are expected to receive 17.5 percent more views during the week of April 12 compared to the average week, and homes may spend seven fewer days on the market compared to the average. This surge in demand will also affect housing prices in the area. Homes put on the market during this window are expected to list for $19,000 higher than what they were listed at the start of the year, or 5.4 percent more.

"After years of being squeezed by limited inventory and high rates, the 2026 housing market is starting to feel more approachable for those who have been sidelined," said Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale.

In general, experts predict homebuyers will start "re-engaging" with the housing market now that mortgage rates stabilized in late 2025. National commercial banker U.S. Bank said the current 30-year fixed mortgage rate is roughly 6.38 percent.

"For sellers, the mid-April window represents an opportunity to enter a market that feels more within reach for buyers while benefiting from a seasonal advantage in terms of pricing and competition," Hale said.

Residential homes in the Houston area had a median price of $322,078 in February, the Houston Association of Realtors said in its latest report, and prices are down 0.9 percent year-over-year.

Two more Texas metros – Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth – are expected to follow Houston with the same April 12 window as the best time for residents to sell their homes. In San Antonio, the best time for owners to sell their homes will begin on April 19.

Senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones warned some home sellers in Southern metros might "face softer conditions" due to an abundance of inventory.

"In those metros, optimizing timing to this early spring window is even more critical to differentiate a property from the growing competition," she said.

real estate housing report housing market realtor.com