Brownwood City Council and the Brownwood Economic Development Corporation will consider offering financial incentives to United Supermarkets, L.L. C. Tuesday morning.
At 8:00 a.m., the BEDC will hold a specially called meeting in closed executive session to consider the financial incentives package for the grocery chain to build infrastructure for a new store to be established in Brownwood. If approved, the BEDC board will reconvene at the city council meeting to consider the incentives.
According to the Brownwood City Council agenda, in executive session during Tuesday’s meeting, the council will consider authorizing the Mayor’s signature on an Economic Development Incentive Agreement approving the BEDC’s financial incentive to United Supermarkets, L.L.C. and authorizing the City’s Chapter 380 financial incentives to United Supermarkets, L.L.C.
United Supermarkets has been in negotiations to purchase the property previously occupied by Bruner Chevrolet and located at 300 W. Commerce which is owned by the Holley family.
According to BEDC Executive Director Emily Crawford, the contract has not closed but should close in the near future if the incentives package is agreed upon.
“The Holley contract has not closed yet, but in order for United to feel comfortable about closing the contract, the incentives package needed to be approved first,” explained Crawford.
Crawford stated that the BEDC, City of Brownwood and the Brownwood Chamber of Commerce have been working with United to bring the grocery store to this area.
“We’ve been working with this company for 18 months,” said Crawford. “We’re excited to see it come together soon.”
The first official announcement of United’s probable entry to the Brownwood market came during Brownwood Mayor Stephen Haynes’ state of the city address at the Brownwood Chamber of Commerce luncheon last Friday.
Haynes said that United Supermarkets showed interest in Brownwood directly through the efforts of the consulting firm the Retail Coach that was hired by the City, Chamber, and BEDC in 2010.
Haynes said that Aaron Farmer with the Retail Coach initiated the idea with United.
“We are very happy to have them consider it and certainly are optimistic,” Haynes said.
United Supermarkets is headquartered in Lubbock, Texas and has 51 stores in 30 Texas cities and over 10,000 workers. On September 9, 2013, United Supermarkets LLC was sold to Albertsons LLC but will still be operated under the United name.
