Rice Epicurean Markets

Rice Epicurean Markets was an American niche grocery store chain based in Southwest Houston, Houston, Texas. There is now just one supermarket left of the chain. Prior to 2012 the company operated five Rice Epicurean Markets, which ranged in size from 25,000 to 42,000 square feet (3,900 m²). At its height, it operated 35 stores. The last Rice Epicurean Market is wholly owned by founding family members.

Founded on May 5, 1937, by William H. Levy, grandfather of the current owners, the first Rice Food Market store, a 2,400-square-foot (220 m²) building located on Rice Boulevard in Houston, was named Rice Boulevard Food Market. The store was located in Rice Village.

In 1937, The Village shopping center west of Rice Institute (now Rice University) was an undeveloped, wooded area. Rice Boulevard was an unpaved dirt road and West University Place was in its developmental stages. In those early days, there were only two buildings in the shopping center, an ice house at the corner of Rice Boulevard and Kirby, and William H. Levy's Rice Boulevard Food Market.

The first store was only 40 feet (12 m) by 60 feet (18 m), and included William Levy's wife Edna among the personnel, which numbered only five. That successful first store was eventually enlarged on five occasions until there was no longer space on the site for expansion.

In 1955, William Levy's son-in-law, Alfred L. Friedlander, now Co-Chairman Emeritus, joined the business. Two years later, his son, Joel M. Levy, now also Co-Chairman Emeritus, came into the family business.

Gary Friedlander, Alfred's son, is now the President and COO of the company.

In April 1957 the family opened its second location in Tanglewood. The store served area farmers who had previously traveled to the Rice Village location. The Tanglewood store necessitated a change in the firm's name from Rice Boulevard Food Market to Rice Food Markets.

When the Tanglewood store opened, it was surrounded by farmland. The store virtually stood alone and was the only major structure in what was to become the Uptown District of Houston.

In 1960, Rice Epicurean moved its headquarters to a plot of land in Southwest Houston. During the same year, the three existing Rice Food Markets merged with another family grocery, Jack's, also with three locations. The grocer also moved its first store on Rice Boulevard to a new location across the street. The 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m²) store was eventually closed in 2003.

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