Family Center grocery store to get new owner

The owners of the Family Center IGA in Port Aransas have decided to sell the grocery store to the Lowe’s Market supermarket chain.

Co-owners Mike Hall and Jim Magee of Port Aransas confirmed the plans, as did representatives of Lowe’s.

“It is true that we are negotiating with and have signed a contract with Lowe’s Supermarkets to purchase our store,” Hall said.

The 418 S. Alister St. store’s last day as the Family Center IGA will be on Wednesday, May 7, Hall said. The next day, it will become Lowe’s Port A Family Center.

“The intent of the new owners is to keep the current employees and operate in a manner similar to which we have previously,” Hall said.

“We’re hiring the existing employees,” said Alan Buxkemper, chief operating officer at the Lowe’s corporate headquarters.

The store’s approximately 60 employees reportedly were notified of the impending ownership change on Wednesday, March 26.

Asked if shoppers might notice any changes with the new ownership, Buxkemper said that, while the current ownership buys its groceries from a firm called Grocery Supply, out of Houston, Lowe’s purchases its groceries from Affiliated Foods of Amarillo.

“There will be some (brand) name changes, but you will be able to find all the national brands you’ve become accustomed to, and many private label items at high quality and lower prices,” he said.

The store that would become known as the Family Center IGA was established as the Food Center in 1967 by the late I.B. Magee Jr. – Jim Magee’s father. Later, Bill Gaskins partnered with I.B. Magee, and they operated the business together for a number of years. Gaskins left the business in 1987. He died in 2007.

The store survived Hurricane Celia’s devastating strike on Port Aransas in 1970, building back bigger and better. The building was enlarged and improved several times over the years, ending up five to six times bigger than it was when the business first got started.

While remaining independently owned, the Family Center joined the IGA (Independent Grocers Alliance) as a charter member in 1985.

Jim Magee has been a co-owner since 1970. Mike Hall has been with the store since he was hired as a stockboy in 1975.

Asked what it’s going to be like for him to move on from the grocery store’s ownership, Magee said: “It’s been over 50 years, so it’s going to be a big adjustment, but we are satisfied the Lowe’s people are going to do a good job and, first of all, take care of our employees.”

Hall said he believes that Lowe’s will be “a good fit for the community.”

Over the years, the Family Center IGA has supported lots of community causes. That has included raising many thousands of dollars for Port Aransas non-profits. The store also has awarded scholarships to Port Aransas High School seniors.

Buxkemper said he expects Lowe’s to do similar things.

“Our normal business process is, we support the schools, we support the chamber – all those civic organizations that are important to small towns,” he said. “…We’re from a small town, and we operate in small towns in America, so we understand the civic organizations are very important to the well-being of a town, and we want to support those.”

The Lowe’s Market chain isn’t the same Lowe’s firm that operates more than 1,700 big-box home improvement stores in the U.S.

Lowe’s Market is headquartered in the town of Littlefield, about 30 miles northwest of Lubbock. Founded in 1963, Lowe’s now has 152 stores across the southwestern U.S.

“Lowe’s has a rich family heritage of traditional Christian values and looks forward to serving the community of Port Aransas,” said a statement issued by the company’s headquarters.

Despite selling their store, Hall and Magee said they plan to continue living in Port Aransas.

Hall said he has “other properties in town and other interests that will keep me more than occupied.”

Magee said he will be “looking for opportunities” and hopes to spend more time at his Yorktown-area ranch.

Family Center grocery store to get new ownerFree Access