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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warehouses to wow

New development with 1-acre green space coming to Memorial City area

Courtesy of Michael Hsu Office of Architecture

Greenside will feature a one-acre greenspace.

The rapidly-growing area around Memorial City Mall will soon add another new development. Called Greenside, it will transform a group of industrial buildings into a mix of restaurant, retail, and other family-friendly businesses.

Located just north of Memorial City Mall at 1085 Gessner Rd., Greenside unites Memorial City owner Metronational with Radom Capital, the Houston-based developer behind M-K-T Heights, the Montrose Collective, and the ongoing redevelopment of the historic Tower Theater. They’ve retained the Texas-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture to transform a group of industrial warehouses into 35,000-square-feet of new businesses.

Plans call for a one-acre green space that includes a mix of seating options and strings of lights. Walkways will connect Greenside with nearby restaurants and bars such as Torchy’s Taco, Mia’s Table, and Kirby Ice House.

“The community continues to ask for more unique retail and restaurant offerings, and with the help of Radom Capital and Michael Hsu, we will deliver a one-of-a-kind offering to the Memorial City area with a great outdoor experience,” MetroNational president and CEO Jason Johnson said in a statement. “This project represents MetroNational’s commitment to creating spaces that foster community and deliver long-term value for Memorial City and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

Construction is expected to begin in the spring. If everything goes according to schedule, the first tenants could open in summer 2026.

The past year has seen a number of new additions to the Memorial City area. They include Texas comfort food restaurant Haywire, Detroit-style pizzeria Via 313, live fire restaurant Credence, and a second location of Montrose barbecue favorite The Pit Room. Next year, new locations of The Burger Joint and the Taco Stand will open nearby at 1016 Gessner Rd.

memorial city greenside openings