Fiesta Mart, L.L.C., formerly Fiesta Mart Inc., is a Latino-American supermarket chain based in Houston, Texas. Established in 1972, the company specializes in serving Hispanic and other minority neighborhoods. As of 2004, the chain operated 34 supermarkets in Greater Houston and 16 supermarkets elsewhere in Texas, along with 17 Beverage Mart liquor stores. During that period, Fiesta Mart held a 7.5% share of the grocery market in Greater Houston. The chain's mascot is a cartoon parrot.

Fiest Mart is recognized for its selection of Hispanic groceries and prepared hot meals. Allison Wollam of the Houston Business Journal noted that, "The company has been successful at targeting the Hispanic market and specifically catering to their needs and shopping styles."Wollam, Allison. "Grocers Supply may bag Fiesta Mart in acquisition deal." Houston Business Journal. Friday, August 24, 2004. Retrieved on July 7, 2010. "The grocer now caters to more second- and third-generation Hispanic Americans." In 2006, a company spokesperson reported that Hispanic customers accounted for up to 70% of stores in certain locations."H-E-B Opens Mi Tienda Format in Pasadena ." The Gourmet Retailer. October 5, 2006. Retrieved on July 17, 2011.

The chain provides international foods and ingredients which are typically not available at American grocery stores. Furthermore, Fiesta Mart locations often include independent store-within-stores, such as discount jewelry and banking services. The company also operates Fiesta Liquor Stores, which specializes in the sale of alcohol.

History In 1972, Donald Bonham and O.C. Mendenhall started Fiesta; neither were ethnically Hispanic. Bonham farmed in Belize and Guatemala and supervised the creation of a Chilean supermarket chain. Upon return to Texas, Bonham believed Houston-area businesses did not adequately cater to Mexican Americans, a large proportion of the city's population. He opened the first Fiesta, catering exclusively to Hispanic Americans,Hisey, Peter. "Ethnic food flavors Fiesta Mart; Houston chain poised to open hypermarket-size unit – supermarket chain." Discount Store News. September 4, 1989. . Retrieved on July 7, 2010. in the Near Northside.

By the late 1970s, Fiesta broadened its product range in response to changes in the demographics of Houston, introducing African, Indian, Korean, Filipino, and Vietnamese items. By the mid-1980s, Fiesta had 15 stores.Sit-DuVall, Mary. "`Right' store was ripe for picking / Randalls joins trend with deal." Houston Chronicle. Saturday, July 24, 1999. Business 1. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. By 1989, Fiesta had $420 million in annual sales, including $25 million in clothing sales. As the chain developed, its clientele expanded, including second and third-generation Hispanics.

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Fiesta operated a very large supermarket—an early version of modern supercenters, such as Walmart Supercenter and SuperTarget. This store targeted the surrounding, more affluent, Houston suburbs. It featured a large, sloped hydroponic garden along the north wall. The floor space was sold off in portions in the 1990s. As of 2011, the location is called the NASA Value Center Shopping Center and has no Fiesta presence.

In 1994, Fiesta acquired four locations sold by Appletree Markets.Hassel, Greg. "AppleTree to hand over most stores this week." Houston Chronicle. Tuesday January 4, 1994. Business 1. Retrieved on December 1, 2011. In 1998, Fiesta made a marketing agreement with Conoco Inc. allowing their gas stations at Fiesta supermarkets.Elder, Laura. "Fiesta atmosphere: Conoco partners with grocery chain to build stations." Houston Business Journal. Friday May 22, 1998. Retrieved on July 7, 2010. In 1999, Fiesta had a 10.9% share of Houston's grocery market.

In 2003, the Houston Press ranked Fiesta as the "Best Grocery Store" in Houston.

In 2004, Fiesta was acquired by Grocers Supply, a family-owned Houston-based wholesale groceries distributor.Wollam, Allison. "Grocers Supply digs deeper into Dallas market with Minyard buy." Houston Business Journal. Friday August 1, 2008. Retrieved on July 7, 2010. "Houston-based Fiesta Mart Inc., which was bought by Grocers Supply in 2004," On July 23, 2008, Fiesta Mart acquired eleven Carnival Brand stores from Minyard Food Stores.Howe, Aleisha. ""Fiesta parent purchasing Carnival stores from Minyard." Fort Worth Business Press. July 23, 2008. Retrieved on November 7, 2008. In 2015, the Levit family, owners of Grocers Supply, sold Fiesta to Acon Investments, a company based in Washington, DC. Bodega Latina, and its Mexican parent company Chedraui, acquired Fiesta Mart from Acon in April 2018.

Headquarters and locations The current headquarters is on Wirt Road, on the property of Store #8 in Spring Branch, Houston. - Compare to the addresses. Previously, the headquarters was in the Cottage Grove area of Houston for many years."Privacy Policy . Fiesta Mart. Retrieved on July 7, 2010. "Direct Mail Address: Fiesta Mart Inc. Attention: Privacy Office 5235 Katy Freeway Houston, TX 77007""Fiesta Main Office" (PDF, JPG). Harris County Tax Office, Block Book Maps. Volume 117, Page 454. Retrieved on July 25, 2017. See the text "Cottage Grove" – See also the following pages showing the section of the "Cottage Grove" neighborhood where the Fiesta headquarters is located: 184 (JPG, PDF), 185 JPG, PDF), 186 (JPG, PDF) and 187 (JPG, PDF)

The property was sold, and the office was later in the Capital One building on Westheimer Road near the Galleria; it moved there in 2018.

Locations Greater Austin Austin (2 locations) Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Arlington Carrollton Dallas (11 Fiesta locations, 1 Carnival location) Fort Worth (7 Fiesta locations, 1 Carnival location) Garland (2 locations) Irving (2 locations) Plano Greater Houston Conroe Unincorporated Harris County (3 locations) Houston (27 locations) Missouri City Rosenberg South Houston

Former stores A Fiesta Mart store was in Beaumont, Texas from 1994 to 1995. The location has been replaced with the Conn's, Inc. headquarters, a chain of electronics and appliances stores. From 1999 to 2008, there was a location in Grand Prairie, Texas. A Sugar Creek Fiesta Market Place store opened in Sugar Land, Texas, taking the place of a former Gerland's location in July 2013. The store had the first Caribou Coffee outlet in Texas, a Market Place Eatery restaurant and a Red Mango yogurt shop. Fiesta announced the store would close on April 20, 2014.Kaplan, David. "Sugar Land area Fiesta is closing ." Houston Chronicle. March 24, 2014. Retrieved on March 25, 2014.

There were multiple Houston locations which have shut down. A Fiesta Mart in Spring Branch, Houston has been replaced by a 99 Ranch MarketDawson, Jennifer. "99 Ranch Market hitches Asian post to Houston with first store in Texas". Houston Business Journal. October 13, 2008. Retrieved on July 15, 2011. "The store, 99 Ranch Market, will set up shop in a vacant space formerly occupied by a different kind of international grocery store — Fiesta Mart, which closed at the end of last year. 99 Ranch Market will occupy the former Fiesta space on the northwest corner of I-10 and Blalock in the Blalock Market Shopping Center.""Boundary Map." Spring Branch Management District. Retrieved on December 8, 2009. Due to damages from Hurricane Harvey in 2017, a store in North Shore, Houston closed. In 2021, the store was said to reopen at an undetermined point in the future, but a timeline was not provided. Declining performance and expiration of a lease led to a store in Midtown Houston closing in 2020. A store in Montrose, Houston, established in 1994, shut down in 2012 and the site is intended to become an apartment complex.

References

Further reading Smith, Camilo. "Six Cool Things With Cross-Cultural Appeal That You Can Find at Fiesta Mart ." Houston Press. Wednesday April 2, 2014.

External links

Fiesta Mart website