HOMETOWN HEROES

Junior’s growing along with Hidalgo in South Texas

Personal service inspires loyalty among customers

From staff reports

Hidalgo County in South Texas, with a population approaching 900,000, is one of the fastest growing counties in the U.S. A major logistics hub, it is the No. 1. land port for fresh produce imports from Mexico, with about 2 million tons of fresh produce entering the country annually.

A segment of the region’s economy that has thrived has been the grocery business. A prime example is Junior’s Supermarkets, which operates eight stores in Hidalgo County.

“People have been buying more because of there being no school in session and some people being out of work,” said Juan Garcia, a supervisor who oversees all eight locations. “They are buying everything, especially breakfast foods, as they are now eating breakfast at home. We are selling more eggs, pancake mixes, syrups.”

Three of Junior’s stores are in Pharr, and there is one each in Alton, Edinburg, the town of Hidalgo, Penitas and San Juan. The stores, which employ a total of about 450 people, have all been busy since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can see the effects of customers who are now eating three meals a day at home,” Garcia said. “When the restaurants closed, people had to figure out how to eat at home.”

Customers enjoy Junior’s extensive meat departments. The chain advertises that it is the “Real Meat People.” Garcia said some first-time customers think Junior’s is just a meat market and are surprised to find a full-service grocery store with a deli, bakery and café. The chain also is known for its fresh-baked bread.

“It has been hectic,” Garcia said. “Customers are getting used to coming in with masks. Our regular suppliers have been out of a lot of stuff, like the Clorox wipes and bleach. We have been using other suppliers, some from Mexico, for paper towels and tissue paper, bleach, things like that.”

When the pandemic hit, Junior’s installed Plexiglass shields and implemented mandatory mask-wearing for employees. Each store has a person outside sanitizing the shopping carts, and hand sanitizer is available for customers. Also, employees have their temperature checked before they begin work each day.

The customers are loyal. Garcia said they appreciate Junior’s service and person-toperson contact. Stores range from 30,000 to 40,000 square feet.

The chain is experimenting with self-checkout stations, adding four in one of the stores. Garcia said that is working well, so they may be added to the other sites.

Hidalgo County was a hot spot earlier in the pandemic, but cases have declined, Garcia said.

“Our employees at the beginning, they were getting sick. But now, at eight stores with 400 employees, we hardly have anybody. So that means it’s working, whatever we’re doing, with masks and sanitizing,” he said.

However, that’s not going to be enough for them to loosen up their operations at Junior’s.

“All of our employees and managers got used to it…they have regular meetings to keep in touch with what’s happening with our county judges and mayors and understanding the business,” he said.

“We’re still going to be on top it, with sanitizing and masks and everything. We’re not going to take it easy. We’re still going to have those strict rules from now to, I don’t know, next year? You never know.”

One thing that is continuing to rise, though, is sales.

“Business has been up since last year. We just go day by day,” Garcia said.

And after 34 years of service with Junior’s, Garcia still enjoys working long hours. He comes Please see page 28