Howdy folks, and welcome back to HHR. Today, we’re going to take a look at the Brookshire Brothers in New Caney. For those of you already asking, “Didn’t that store close?” Yes, it did, but there is a successor! While it has a Tobacco Barn sign-up, this location is quite more than just that; it also has a fascinating history. Brookshire Brothers started in New Caney in 1982, with the construction of a new store in what, at the time, was a tiny and mostly isolated community. The only other real option for groceries in the immediate area was Overall Grocery, a country market operating a gas station, staple grocery store, and meat processing. While many in New Caney were loyal to Overalls, the tiny country town continued to grow, and the Brookshire Bros became more and more of a necessity. BB had made a good choice to build here, as it provided relatively little competition, and for years, the store remained relatively stable and untouched. As far as I can tell, this location may have remained untouched by the “Budget Chopper” renaming other area locations mostly received. Even with the opening of an Albertsons that would flip to a Gerland’s Food Fair after only a few years, the B&B remained unmatched.
However, as New Caney began to grow even more, demand for new options increased. The Garlands would become a Food Town when the two companies merged, but this was small potatoes compared to what was to come next. In 2014, Walmart announced they wanted to expand to New Caney. They would build a giant new Super Center across the highway from the tiny Brookshire Brothers. The store would open in the summer of 2017, and the clock would begin ticking for not just one but two New Caney retail institutions. While all of the development had caught up to Brookshire Brothers, it had really impacted Overall Grocery. The store had changed little from it country days, and by 2018, the wife of the departed original owner was ready to retire. Whether it was good dealing or just good timing when Brookshire Bros was ready to ditch its store, Overalls was vacating what had likely been the location’s most profitable department, the gas station/tobacco sales. In taking over the former Overall Grocery, some updates would be made. For example, the deli would be expanded to that of a typical Brookshire Bros selection, a drive-thru would be added on, and the product mix would be reoriented. While the “center store” selection has been reduced, the location did feature a decent amount of fresh foods. This location has been operating since 2018, with a little nod to its heritage, except for switching to Brookshire Brothers branding for their fuel operations a few years ago. It seems to have a decent amount of traffic, including a few regulars who may likely be Overalls holdovers. While not an award-winning store, it is still an interesting piece of retail history.
