Celebrate Emancipation Park’s 141st birthday and the presentation of the Lonal Robinson Volunteer of the Year Award by the Friends of Emancipation Park on July 13, 2013 at Emancipation Park, 3018 Dowling St. 77004.
Abigail Fisher is a graduate of Lousiana State Univerity with a degree in finance. While earning that degree at LSU, Fisher took on the University of Texas- Austin in lawsuit based on a “no” for admission to the university.
In 2008, Fisher was denied acceptance to UTA and decided not to take it as a part of the college application experience. She alleged the school’s affirmative action policies are the reasons she was not accepted.
UTA admits the top 10 percent of students from every Texas graduating high school class, Fisher still found fault with the admission policy as she alleged that African- American and Hispanic students were let in due to the effect of racial diversity for the school.
Fisher did not fall into the top 10 percentile of her graduating class in Sugarland.
Her goal is for the Supreme Court to rule that it shall be illegal for the University of Texas-Austin to include race in admissions decisions.
Abigail Fisher won her case and UTA nor any other university will not be able to use race during the admission process.
State Senator Rodney Ellis
On Tuesday, I joined my friend and colleague Senator Wendy Davis as she engaged in a heroic and historic filibuster to protect women’s health in Texas. I could not be more proud of her and my fellow Senators as we helped defeat some of the most onerous women’s health restrictions in the nation. It was an incredible, awe-inspiring moment of passionate citizen action meeting incredible personal will and strength.
Senate Bill 5 was an unprecedented, unreasonable and unconscionable attack on women’s health. It would have eliminated access to reproductive services in all but 4 of Texas’ 254 counties in Texas and all but eradicated Texas women’s ability to receive constitutionally-protected health care services. Opponents of reproductive freedom want to make it virtually impossible for Texas women to seek safe, legal health care without facing the political consequences of trying to ban all abortions. It is a cynical, destructive but, sadly, effective strategy.
Rather than taking up issues that hard-working Texans want us to address, we are instead continuing the war on women by decreasing Texas women’s access to health care. Senate Bill 5 would enact some of the most restrictive limitations on reproductive freedom in the nation. They bring Big Government into what should be a very personal and private matter between a woman, her doctor and her faith, all under the Orwellian talking point of ‘protecting women’s health.’
Texas women deserve better.
During the original Senate debate on this bill, members in favor of harsh restrictions spoke eloquently about caring for the unborn, noting that these measures will increase the quality and standard of care. They, somewhat incredulously, argued that this anti-choice legislation has nothing to do with restricting a Texas woman’s right to control her own body. But let’s suspend disbelief for a moment and give proponents of further erosion of reproductive rights the benefit of the doubt and say they truly are concerned about women’s health. If that is sincerely the case, then the answer is shockingly simple: expand access to health insurance under Obamacare.
Yet they refused to accept all amendments or changes, including an amendment I offered which would truly improve the quality of life and health of Texas women and families.
This amendment would have made these anti-choice bills effective only if Texas expands Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. With approximately one in four Texans lacking insurance and about 16 percent of Texas children uninsured, this amendment could have provided health insurance to approximately 1.5 million additional Texans, including resources to improve access to quality care for women, infants and children.
Lack of adequate health insurance coverage makes it hard for Texas families to get the health care they need, and if and when they do it leaves them with large medical bills. In fact, study after study has shown that one of the best ways to protect and improve the health of women and babies – born and unborn – is by expanding access to quality health insurance. Having health insurance contributes to healthier mothers, healthier children, and significantly reduces infant mortality. In fact, women who lack insurance are more likely to have inadequate care, receive a significantly lower standard of care and are more likely to postpone or skip entirely needed care because they lack the money to pay for it. This has a serious impact on all Texans, especially our children.
The sad truth is that Texas is failing our mothers, failing our children and failing to focus on solutions that help all Texans, rather than narrow partisan interests. Texas women and families deserve better.
Myra Griffin
The Houston Sun
To many African Americans in 2013, June 19, 1865 seems like forever ago. Majority of the African American community can’t trace their lineage back to their ancestor that was told by a master or overseer that they were free. There are many questions that run through my mind when the holiday of Juneteenth comes around year after year about my heritage and history. Thoughts swirl around my mind such as what does my generation think about Juneteenth, do they know about Juneteenth and what are their emotional ties that surround the holiday with the past and future, those thoughts always loom, waiting to be answered. There are many more questions that go along with those but I always seem to question myself on the very last one. What about my future and the past history of my people, my culture, my heritage? What does that mean to me and to us all?
Juneteenth 2013 is a celebration of 148 years of freedom for Texans. I understand the Emancipation Proclamation was signed 150 years ago but for all of us Texans like me, those slaves didn’t hear they were emancipated from bondage until two years later on June 19, 1865.
As a native Texan born in La Marque, Texas, just about ten minutes north of Galveston Island, the birthplace of Juneteenth, I feel so close to that history. If I was alive 160 years ago I would be one of those slaves waiting, still picking tobacco, or cotton, maybe inside the big house preparing the food for master and his family. How could I not feel tied to my history?
As a child my parents made it a point to make my sister and I aware of our role as African Americans in America. My father would take us to a place in Texas City on the east end where they still had “Coloreds Only” and “Whites Only” painted on the outside walls of a building in the 90’s. Although the practices weren’t in use at the time it was a living history lesson. By taking us there to see that it was his way of letting us know as young girls that life as an African American was not going to be so simple.
As we grew up the black history lessons became more and more intense and the sense of pride to be African American grew as well but my sense of awareness was keen that things aren’t always what they appear to be. I couldn’t forget that people were enslaved because they had the same color skin as me and I took that very seriously.
Juneteenth is a one day party for some but for me it is life as we know it. For me it symbolizes the beginning of our future as Americans in a way, in the sense that if we weren’t chattel anymore then we were people living in America just like everyone else. Yes, I know that seems like a stretch but for a young girl my mind could only piece it together that far. Remember I was growing up in post civil rights era and its taboo to talk about race relations of the past.
So once we recognize that Juneteenth is a day of jubilation, slavery did happen, emancipation was a long over due but bestowed upon us (and yes us because we reap the benefits of that emancipation as descendants) what do we think of it 148 years later?
I find myself surrounded by peers who never think of their lineage so Juneteenth is far from their minds. When I went to college I met people who had never even heard of the Negro National Anthem nevertheless heard of a Juneteenth. It boggled my mind to even imagine what kind of fantasy world they were living in. Did they realize they were African American or did they think they had a real deep tan? I wanted to stand on the biggest soap box I could find to let them know they were missing out on the substance that made them who they are.
148 years ago there was another Myra somewhere in Galveston County, probably in the same location where I presently live toiling and missing family that may be somewhere else in the South. I hear people now complain about family about their husbands and wives and how much money they don’t make but 148 years ago those complaints would be completely asinine. Marriage would be rare and a gift from the master and money for work was a concept majority of the slaves never could comprehend.
The things we take for granted were built on the day of Juneteenth. I say that because the slaves weren’t free until all the slaves knew they were free. We take for granted that we can get up out of our bed at noon, take a long hot bath, eat a hearty meal of choice, put on whatever we choose from clothes we chose to purchase with money we earned or was given, we can get in a car and drive to do whatever we please amongst whomever we please. This came only after June 19, 1865. This came the day General Gordon Granger fulfilled his orders to tell those slaves in Galveston, Texas they were free.
The jubilation, the happiness, joy and wonder of what is next should be the celebration we have year after year. The stories of overcoming hardships, holding on, pressing on and look at us now should be celebration year after year. The remembrance of our ancestors should be celebration year after year. The progression of the African American race should be a celebration year after year. The future we have as an African Americans should be a celebration year after year. 148 years of freedom to just be is all the reason to celebrate.
We must never forget our heritage, regardless if we can’t research our family back past five generations or if life seems swell now. That is a disrespectful gesture to all who have fought, died and rallied for African Americans to be seen as people and not as property. We must teach our children to be prideful in their heritage and history and teach them who they are and where they come from. But we must not become detached from the simple truth that we have only been free a 150 years in America and 148 in Texas. We must not forget someone else had the power to tell us we were free and kept us as their property for over 200 years.
If we remember our history there is no way we can forget to celebrate our heritage and to recognize Juneteenth for more that just a parade, pageant, watermelon and red soda. It is a day of remembrance and jubilation because of all of those factors. So happy Juneteenth, happy Freedom Day and happy future to all African Americans all over the country because on June 19, 1865 we all became free.
Joy Williams
The Houston Sun
As we embark upon another round of celebratory traditions for June 19, 1865 or as we affectionately call it, Juneteenth, it is important to remember that this holiday does not just commemorate the date that the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced in Texas. It represents the day that the opportunity was presented for the emancipation of the black psyche from the limitations imposed upon us through slavery. A large portion of our black identity has been shaped and reshaped in the 150 years since we have been freed (148 years in Texas). Most often our identity is reflected in our beauty culture. From the braids and locks that were violently removed from the heads of Africans enslaved and carried to the West on slave ships to the naturals, relaxers, and weaves sported by women today, how we feel about ourselves and our culture has historically been displayed through our hair and cosmetic adornments.
It is not surprising then, that upon the heels of freedom many of our first generation entrepreneurs were pioneers in the black hair care industry as well as advocates for financial and community empowerment.
Such entrepreneurs recognized the fractured sense of self in the Black Community as a result of enslavement and helped us regain our footing as we once again embraced that thing that makes us unique- the ability to express ourselves through our beauty culture like only we can!
A few of the many notable figures in the shaping of our beauty identity are:
Annie Malone(1869-1957) developed her own shampoos and scalp treatments to grow and straighten hair and used street demos as her main marketing tool. Her company, Poro Products became an international company with customers in the United States, Africa, South America and the Caribbean. In 1918 Malone built a four-story million dollar factory and beauty school complex in the historic St. Louis neighborhood known as The Ville. She employed over 175 people (including at one point Sarah Breedlove, who would later become known as Madam C.J. Walker.)
Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919) suffered from hair loss in her thirties and began experimenting with different hair treatments and products to regrow her own hair. At 39, she moved to Denver, Colorado where she married Charles Walker and began selling her “Wonderful Hair Grower” through door-to-door sales. In 1908 she opened Leila College (her daughter’s namesake) to train “hair culturists.” In 1910 she opened the Madam CJ Walker Manufacturing Company in Indiana and began training of the “Walker Agents”. The company empowered black women to gain economic mobility through commissions from direct sales rather than being pigeonholed as maids and nurses. In addition C.J. Walker Preparations, included facial treatment powders and other cosmetic treatments created for and marketed to Black women. Walker is featured in the Guinness Book of Records as the first Self-Made Millionaire.
Madame Nobia A. Franklin (1880-1934) expanded her beauty salon into a chain in 1915 and eventually created one of the first major lines of cosmetics to include face powders that were meant to flatter, rather than lighten darker skin tones. By 1917 she opened the Franklin School of Beauty Culture and relocated the manufacturing, salon and educational operations to right here to Houston, Tx. In 1922 she moved to Chicago to further her business and soon began to teach others “the Franklin way” of styling hair using her products. Like Malone and Walker, she trained women to style and grow hair using her products and encouraged them to set up shops to style, straighten hair and sell the company’s skin and hair products. Products included hair tonics, hair growers, soaps, pressing oil and face powder customized for an African American clientele.
Laughter and learning filled the gymnasium of Emancipation Park as Browning Lucas stood before a crowd of children teaching them the history of Juneteenth and Emancipation Park.
Lucas gave a lively recount of the reasons why there is a Juneteenth celebration while informing the children about the very place they sat at. The children engaged Lucas in dialogue as well as answered questions about slavery and emancipation.
“I learned that Juneteenth was a day for everybody and for Black people to celebrate freedom to celebrate our ancestors that they have made it all the way and so far,” said 13 year-old, Sambriya Craig.
Sister Momma Sonya joined in as another host for the Children’s Fun Day that is a part of the Juneteenth activities sponsored by the Friends of Emancipation Park. She taught the pre- teens and teenager how to make peace cranes while giving them history on their heritage.
“I learned how to make peace cranes and how many years we have been free. I also learned about Emancipation Park,” said 12 year- old, Samiya Kerr.
The children colored, learned, laughed but most importantly bonded over a shared cultural tie that inside of an historical place purchased just for that exact reason.
Myra Griffin
The Houston Sun
The city of Houston continues their demolition initiative as the city held their 4th Annual Demolition Day where they took down 39 blighted structures around the city in over 14 different zip codes.
Mayor Annise Parker joined Council member Jerry Davis (District B) in Kashmere Gardens to bulldoze a dilapidated house that has stood as an eye sore on Lavender Street for the past seven years.
“I’m happy to be joining Council member Jerry Davis on this Demolition Day. We started Demolition Day last year as well and I appreciate his effort to improve District B,” said Mayor Parker. “We have done this now for four years and Demolition Day gets better and better and the first thing I want to say is these efforts against blighted properties like this just don’t happen in one day. I created demolition day so we can draw attention to the problem come together as a community to focus on it one day a year and with volunteers to accomplish a lot of things in one day.”
The Department of Neighborhoods and seven divisions of Inspections and Public Service take the lead role in Demolition Day each year. They work closely with the Mayor’s office, Solid Waste Management, Public Works and Special Events. Through their efforts along with the city’s legal department and outside contractors the city is able to focus on houses and apartment complexes that are decaying across Houston.
“The property behind me took six years to get to today,” said Mayor Parker. “Its not because the city doesn’t want to tear down properties, it’s not because we don’t recognize how detrimental it is to a neighborhood these kind of properties are.”
State law in Texas is very specific and very precise and it is on the side of property owners. Even if the property is driving down the property value of the houses around them the city has to follow proper guidelines and procedures before tearing down the house.
“When we focused on Demolition Day we had 250 properties. We started on this last year and we said ok on Demolition Day this year our goal was to take down 100 properties,” said Mayor Parker. “This is good news because finally we have demonstrated over these last four years that we are serious about taking down these properties and owners have received the message so in some cases after years of pleading, begging and asking nicely and finally having the law knock on their door and taking them through the legal process they finally say ok I’m going to give up and do the right thing.”
The city has 136 properties to take down this year. The Houston Contractors Association has donated their equipment and labor for the past four years. Mayor Parker noted that their contributions over the years have probably totaled at around half a million dollars. Companies such as Pelitier Brothers Construction, AAA Asphalt Construction, Conrad Construction, BRH Construction, Garver Construction, Angel Bros. Construction, Reytec Construction, and Cherry Construction donated their labor and service to Kashmere Gardens and communities all around Houston.
“We’re overjoyed to be able to help the city and to be able to help the beautification of the city,” said Jeffrey Nielsen, Executive Director of the Houston Contractors Association. “It helps with crime when we are moving a blight that’s in the neighborhood and it’s not just a blight it’s a safety hazard as well. We earn our living by building the roads, the bridges, water line, sewer lines for the city of Houston and this is one of the few ways we have to give back and kind of paying forward an we are very happy to do it.”
The community of Kashmere Gardens is neighborhood friendly. The elderly sit on their front porches and the children walk to the school that is down the street from the house that was torn down. The house at 4522 Lavender Street was a pressing issue that needed to be addressed. Neighbors like Kenneth Ellis and his mother, Mrs. Ellis sat on their porch across the street, watching as city officials and the construction crews blocked off the area to bulldoze a house that they have reported numerous of times over the past seven years. They were leery about the after effects of the tearing down of a house that was vacant for so long and how the city would handle the debris that surrounded the home.
“We already have a problem with possums,” said Mrs. Ellis. “They’re just going to knock down the house but what about the over grown trees. It’s still an eye sore and we’ve been calling on this property for years and years.”
Mayor Parker is aware of how long the house has been sitting as she told those who gathered to see the demolition that after six years of legal process, the house being trashed out by vagrants, even a fire started in it at one point, the demolition is set and ready to go.
The process to demolition a house is not as simple as a call. Mayor Parker spoke about how the city has to jump through legal hoops, make sure all the utilities are cut off and no underground gas leaks, asbestos or any thing hazardous is still active within the house.
“It is a very rigorous process. One of the things we do is sweep the neighborhood and have inspectors look around and see what’s going on,” said Landon Taylor of the Department of Neighborhoods. “We talk to the neighbors that report them and also look at the tax status that is on the property. Then it goes through the process of being dually noticed, an administrative hearing and then sometimes the owner wants to appeal but then it’s our job to show all the facts and go ahead and take them down.”
Mayor Parker compared these blighted homes to cancer stating that you have to cut out cancer so that is what the city was doing, cutting out the cancer in that neighborhood. Council member Jerry Davis has made it a commitment to get rid of the blighted structures in District B as he has already taken down 200 properties in the two years he has been in office.
Jeremy Ratcliff, president of the Super Neighborhoods- Kashmere Gardens showed his excitement for the development of his community and the efforts made by the city to help restore African American communities.
“There’s a misconception when you come through Kashmere Gardens that none of these people care and we are trying to change that,” said Ratcliff. “There are people here that care and we appreciate the help and hopefully this is a start of a relationship between the neighborhoods and the city to get more of these structures down.”
Demolition Day has helped paved the way for new opportunity and growth. Mayor Parker has issued a message to property owners that if they don’t want to keep up their property and the city has to step in and do it they will because this is a city about neighborhoods and they care.
Myra Griffin
The Houston Sun
The confusion that is known better as parking in downtown Houston may be solved once the signs are changed to a different design, reduced and organized in a uniform manner to relieve the stress, towing and ticketing that is associated with parking in downtown.
Mayor Parker has a vision to grow the downtown sector and wants more and more people to come and visit. She mentioned Discovery Green, Market Square Park, the free public activities and festivals downtown as why people should come downtown and if the parking is less complicated it may increase the flow of people.
“We want people to come downtown and have a great time and go back and find there car is still in the same place where they left it,” said Mayor Parker. “My goal is to write fewer parking tickets in downtown Houston and encourage everyone to come out and have a good time. It’s going to take us a while to get through the thicket of signs but when we do its going to be a much more pleasant experience.”
Parker believes there ought to be consistency across downtown with fewer signs. As of now there are 120 different sign in downtown directing you where you can and can’t park and at what time you can, if it’s metered parking or for commercial parking and on and on. With the abundance of signs Parker said it is easy to miss the one that applies to the stretch of pavement you want to park in. Once the project is over it should go from a 120 different signs to 25 by next year.
“It’s important to me that any place that your not suppose to park that we get those curbs painted and we keep them painted,” said Mayor Parker. “I don’t want any “gotchas” out there.”
It will take about a year to get all 5,800 signs that populate downtown removed and replaced with what the city calls a double blank. It will have instructions on one side of the panel and on the other side of the panel and at the maximum one sign underneath. This will replace the totem pole sign that has multiple signs on one pole that offer various instructions that can become very confusing to interpret.
“There will be a uniform design and time requirements that applies to the block face, different types of meter bags, there will be more parking inventory created because the public work transportation crew went out and looked at all the mobility lanes and went out and assessed if all of the lanes that are designated as mobility lanes are really relevant and needed right now due to traffic patterns,” said Christopher Newport, Parking Management. “They were able to free up some additional inventory there. So it makes parking easier downtown and I think we will get an attractive product out of it at the end.”
The problem with surface lots and fake car parkers on the weekends was also addressed by Mayor Parker. The surface lots that aren’t available on the weekends are suppose to be chained off to show unavailability, yet there have been accounts of men ripping off Houstonians and those who come and visit downtown in the private surface lots. Mayor Parker has promised to continue to monitor that and make sure people don’t get deceived when coming downtown and thinking they are safe because they are in a private surface lot and then come back and find their car towed.
“We’re hoping to give out fewer parking tickets in downtown and I absolutely believe we will give out fewer parking tickets when we get through with all this sign replacement,” said Mayor Parker. “Now we will write tickets whenever you are illegally parked and we can do traffic enforcement 24/7. That’s why we don’t want to sneak up on anybody and we don’t want to make it confusing. We want you to know if you’re illegally parked were going to get you but we want to make it easier not to illegally park.”
With a cleaner looking block face it should be easier for people who don’t come to downtown on a regular basis to feel comfortable when they do and park on the streets. It should also make it easier for them to find an off street parking options.
The signs that will come down will become art and will be handled by The Downtown Management District. The project will be released upon their discretion.
Its summer time in Houston and the pools are open for some fun in the sun. There are 37 outdoor swimming pools and 20 water spray grounds throughout the city that will open in two phases.
In Phase 1, 20 select pools will open Saturdays and Sundays from May 25 – June 9, and on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27. In Phase 2, all 37 Houston Parks and Recreations Department pools will open Tuesday – Sunday from June 11 – August 18. For the Fall swim schedule, 20 select pools will open Saturdays and Sundays & on Labor Day from August 24 – September 2. The daily hours of operation will be 1:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.,July 4th hours of operation are 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Labor Day hours of operation are 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The 20 water spray grounds are open year-round at park locations across the city.
For citizens with disabilities there is a heated indoor natatorium at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center, 1475 West Gray. The 5-lane, 25-yard heated pool is fully accessible by wheelchair and is equipped with a zero depth entry ramp, hand rails, and three chair lifts. Changing and shower facilities are available adjacent to the pool area. Participants are required to have independent functioning mobility skills or bring an adult attendant to assist, according to the city’s website for aquatics.
H.P.A.R.D. will off Water fitness classes at various pools throughout Houston at no charge. Fulltime lifeguards and trainers lead water fitness classes and FREE exercise periods for people with disabilities. Water fitness classes are offered at the Metropolitan Multi-Service Center Monday – Friday.
Year-round swim lessons are available for adults and children. Pre-registration is required and must be complete prior to getting in the pool. H.P.A.R.D. staff will conduct initial safety screening in the water.
Online Registration
The Houston Parks and Recreation will be conducting FREE Learn to Swim classes at select municipal pools throughout the city during the summer. There will be 4 (two week) sessions available for children ages 8 to 17. Starting May 20 registration will be available online at https://activenet011.active.com/houstonparks, and onsite registration the first date of each class session if space is available.
Sessions
Session One
Session Two
Session Three
Session Four
Dates
June 18 – June 28
July 2 to July 12 (No class on July 4)
July 16 to July 26
July 30 to August 9
Class Days
Tuesday – Friday
Tuesday – Friday
Times
5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.
Locations Address
Emancipation – 3018 Dowling, 77004
Greenwood 602 – Beresford, 77015
Hobart Taylor – 8100 Kenton, 77028
MacGregor 5225 – Calhoun, 77021
Oak Forest – 1400 Dubarry, 77018
Sharpstown – 6600 Harbor Town, 77036
TC Jester – 4205 T.C. Jester, 77018
Townwood – 3402 Simsbrook, 77045
All public pools will be closed Mondays throughout the summer.
All public pools will be closed Monday – Friday during the fall phase.
All public pools will be closed following Labor Day.
Agnes Moffitt (10645 Hammerly)
Denver Harbor (1020 Gazin)
De Zavala (907 75th Street)
Glenbrook (8201 N. Bayou)
Greenwood (602 Beresford)
Lincoln City (1048 Grenshaw)
MacGregor (5225 Calhoun)
Memorial (6402 Arnot)
Moody (3201 Fulton)
Northline (6911 Nordling)
Reveille (7700 Oak Vista)
Sagemont (11507 Hughes)
Sharpstown (6600 Harbor Town)
Stude (1031 Stude)
Sunnyside (3502 Bellfort)
T.C. Jester (4205 West T.C. Jester)
Tidwell (9720 Spaulding)
Townwood (3402 Simsbrook)
Westbury (10605 Mullins)
Wilson Memorial (100 Gilpin)
Myra Griffin
The Houston Sun
ALDI opens up nine discount grocery stores on April 11, 2013 in the greater Houston Area. On April 9th the ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Sugarland store located at 10402 Hwy 6 South, Sugarland, TX 77498, where a large crowd gathered waiting to see the inside of the new addition to their community.
ALDI is a discount grocery that has been in business since 1976 with locations primarily in the Midwest and East. Branching out into Texas three years ago starting in Dallas, ALDI opened 40 stores in North Texas. Now the Houston market is next to join the ALDI shopping experience and is slated to open nine stores on Thursday, April 11, 15 total by the end of the year and 30 in two years time. The areas that will welcome the new stores will be Pearland, Katy, Sugarland, Humble, Pasadena and Spring. Based out of Batavia, Illinois; ALDI has about 1200 stores.
“We serve all demographics and income levels,” said Karla Waddleton, Director of Operations, ALDI Sugarland. “Our customer is a smart shopper who wants to save money and they’re able to save money with us. If that means they can buy more groceries or save for an extra vacation that year that’s what we find successful.”
What makes ALDI unique from other grocers is primarily price. Their claim is to have the highest quality at the lowest possible price. Upon taking a tour of the store with an ALDI representative, The Sun found the produce is extremely competitive in price and that helps keep ALDI in the competition.
“Many national grocers are leaving communities. I’m so excited that there is a national grocer that is coming into this market that looks for communities, sees the value and opportunity and makes a big capital investment in those communities,” Grady Prestage, Commissioner of Precinct 2 Fort Bend. “I hope the community will reciprocate and support the store and as the store grows so will the community.”
ALDI is thriving in Dallas and has high hopes for the 2ND largest market in Texas which is Houston. “We really think we are going to do great here for the same reason since there are so many smart shoppers in Houston that want that same high quality product and value,” said ALDI representative.
ALDI offers a different shopping experience that allots a quick and cheaper run to the store. The shopping experience of ALDI is quite simple, its stream line shopping, five aisles, a quick shop and once customers get to know the ALDI exclusive brands you’re in and out in pretty much a flash. Customers can grab a cart through the quarter cart system, which representatives say, saves on paying someone to gather baskets.
“Carts aren’t in the parking lot dinging cars and it’s a simple quarter deposit put quarter in do your shopping bring cart back put the chain back in and it pushes the quarter back out,” according to ALDI. “ALDI operates on a smart business model that allows them to have lower prices. It starts with the way the products are displayed, we have an open palette display, efficient workers, easy restocking methods,” said an ALDI representative. “We don’t take credit cards so that saves on cost. We only accept cash, debit, EBT, but no checks. We encourage shoppers to bring their own bags. It’s an eco friendly approach and it saves on baggage clerks and if bags are forgotten they can buy an eco friendly bag for $1.99 or a very durable plastic bag for ¢.10.”
Customers also have to bag their on groceries which provide savings that allows the store to have such cheaper prices. Special buys change weekly that are range from 20 to 40 non- food products. The products are advertised either on Sunday or Wednesday depending on the location in the circular. The products change weekly and are seasonal such as rugs, pillows, Swiffer wet jets, steam mops by Easy Home, vacuums, air conditioning filters, shelving, and gardening appliances.
ALDI’s food source is sourced locally whenever possible while partnering with the nations leading food suppliers to get the freshest and most high quality products. They have their chocolates and wines imported from various places such as New Zealand, California, Argentina, Germany and most bottles are priced $6.99 or less.
The have fresh meat, although there isn’t a butcher on site but it is pre-packaged at the ultimate fresh standards with a 25-50 percent price difference. ALDI’s cheeses range from standard to gourmet especially with the new selected line that debuted in the beginning of April. Happy Farms, an ALDI brand, is everyday cheeses and cold cut cheeses. ALDI also has a fit and active line which is low calorie, lower sodium, lower fat and that weaves throughout the store in selections such as lunch meats, salad dressings, and frozen foods. Prices are cheaper as you will see prices like a $1.89 for a gallon of milk, and .79 for a dozen eggs. These are every day and continuous for these prices.
ALDI stores carry mostly their own exclusive brands and that’s another part of this whole efficiency model and how the savings come back to the customers in the end. ALDI produces their own product along with their partnership with food suppliers. ALDI has award winning products such as 14 of their wines, Lullabies Moist Wipes, Nature’s Nectar Juice, Moser- Roth Dark Chocolate Collection, Savoritz Sea Salt Pita Bite Crackers, Belmont Turtle Pie and many more products.
“We have a test kitchen at Batavia, the headquarters which is 40 miles west of Chicago. We have test kitchen chefs that rigorously test the products every day to ensure they’re meeting or exceeding the quality of the name brands,” said an ALDI representative. “When they do they are approved to be put on the shelves for our customers.” For the food that doesn’t meet or exceed the national leading brands such as M&M’s or Pringles they have them in store.
ALDI is confident in their products and offers a double guarantee of its food products. If you try a food product and think its not up to your standards you can bring it back without a receipt and be refunded in cash and given another product of equal or lesser value. The ALDI theory is maybe that particular one is a miss but you’re going to love something else.
All nine ALDI discount grocery stores are open throughout Houston. The locations are 10402 Hwy. 6 South, Sugarland, TX 77498, 2009 S. Mason Rd., Katy, TX 77450, 11510 Broadway, Pearland, TX 77584, 6900 FM 1960 East, Humble, TX 77346 , 13340 Tomball Pkwy, Houston, TX 77086, 2302 FM 2920 Rd., Spring, TX 77388, 5930 Fry Rd., Katy, TX 77449 and 4140 Fairmont Pkwy, Pasadena, TX 77504.
