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September 2013 ANN IVER SARY
A Timeline of Brookshire Grocery Co. • 1960s—Brookshire’s • 1990s—The company’s • 1940s—Five takes a bold step second distribution center, more stores are across the state line in Monroe, La., opens in built in East into Shreveport, La., 1992. Two years later, Texas. In 1949, in 1961. By the Brookshire’s acquires a the company decade’s end, the 491,000-s.f. complex, also builds its company has 31 SouthWest Foods, north of first shopping stores, including those Tyler. Major expansion occenter store in in Bossier City and curs in 1995 and 1997 with Bergfeld Center purchases of 21 supermarin Tyler, Texas. It Natchitoches, La., as well as Wills Point, kets in central-west Texas, still has a locaTerrell, Palestine and southern Arkansas and tion there. Mineola, Texas. In north-central Louisiana. • 1930s—Brookshire’s operates four stores 1968, the company The corporate office in in Tyler and Longview, Texas, by the end builds a 175,000-s.f. Tyler receives a 40,000-s.f. of the decade, including the first air-condistribution center in two-story expansion and ditioned grocery store in East Texas. Tyler. remodel.
• Sept. 1, 1928— Company Founder Wood T. Brookshire opens a 25 x 100-ft. grocery store in Tyler, Texas, with his five brothers. . • 1931—Wood moves his store to another location, where one of the appealing new features is the inclusion of fresh meats.
• 1939—Wood becomes the sole owner of three Tyler stores, dissolving the partnership with five brothers (Brookshire Brothers) and operating under the “Brookshire’s Food Stores” brand.
Brookshire’s Bergfeld Center store in Tyler in the 1940s.
• 1950s—Expansion continues with stores added in Corsicana, Marshall, Sulphur Springs, Paris, Greenville and Mt. Pleasant. The first grocery warehouse is built in Tyler in 1953.
• 1980s—Strong growth continues despite tough economic times. The first Super 1 Foods store opens in Alexandria, La., in 1984, marking another dimension to the company’s diversified operations. The Tyler distribution center receives a 250,000-s.f. expansion.
• 1970s—Brookshire’s experiences an explosion of growth, doubling in size to 62 stores. It also opens its first bakery plant and moves into Arkansas, opening three stores there. In 1976, Brookshire Grocery Co. (BGC) opens its first “megastore” in Tyler. In addition, the company’s 205-acre recreation area for employees opens on Lake Palestine.
• 2003—Brookshire’s implements SAP, an enterprise resource planning system that replaced outdated technology and integrated company data systems.
• 2006—The company adopts the category management business model. Brookshire’s brand introduces “Celebrate Cooking,” a popular monthly publication with special offers, recipes and consumer tips.
• 2000—By the year 2000, • 2006—BGC joins with Texas Motor the company includes Speedway (TMS) 134 stores, five manufacto become the ofturing plants, distribution ficial grocery store operations in Tyler and of TMS. BGC also Monroe and more than becomes an offi10,000 employees. From cial grocery spon2000 to 2010, the comsor of NASCAR. pany continues to move into new territories, including Quinlan, Midlothian, Whitney and Hawkins, Texas. Other decade highlights include the company’s dairy plant being certified as organic.
• 2007—Longtime company leader Rick Rayford becomes president and CEO. • 2009—The company introduces the “Let’s Go Green Together” initiative to increase environmental awareness.
WOULD LIKE TO CONGRATULATE
HAPPY A ANNIVERSARY NNIVER SARY F FROM ROM T THE HE A ALMCOE LMCOE FAMILY!