Brookshire Brothers, the employee‑owned grocer that began in Lufkin in 1921, celebrated the soft opening of its new flagship store on Wednesday morning. The 70,000‑square‑foot location at 2110 S. First St. opened its doors at 6 a.m. and will remain open daily from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., providing Lufkin residents with extended shopping hours.
Job growth and community investment
According to Melissa Crager, the company’s public relations and corporate responsibility manager, the new store will bring 150 jobs to the area. “We’re proud to create new employment opportunities for families in Lufkin and to continue our tradition of investing in the community that raised us,” Crager said.
Features designed for families
The flagship store includes a drive‑through coffee shop and a drive‑through pharmacy, making everyday errands faster for busy parents. A dedicated playground offers a safe space for children while shoppers browse the aisles.
Pineywoods Pavilion becomes a free‑entertainment venue
At the heart of the store is the Pineywoods Pavilion, a 1,000‑person capacity space equipped with a 20‑foot television screen, a dance floor and a professional sound system. Brookshire Brothers plans to use the pavilion for outdoor movie nights, live music and other community‑focused events. Crager announced that live music performances are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week and will continue into the following week.
“We’re going to have live music there and movies and all sorts of free things for our community to enjoy,” Crager added, emphasizing the store’s role as more than a retail outlet.
Local residents welcome the new hub
Lufkin residents Jenna Butler and Hannah Cook visited the store during its opening day. Both expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming events and said they plan to return for future gatherings.
Continuing a local legacy
Brookshire Brothers remains one of the few employee‑owned grocery chains in the nation, and its headquarters continue to be based in Lufkin. The new flagship store reinforces the company’s commitment to its hometown roots while expanding its footprint to meet modern consumer expectations.
With its blend of retail convenience, job creation and free community programming, the new Brookshire Brothers store is poised to become a central gathering place for Lufkin families and a catalyst for local economic growth.
Original reporting: KLTV 7 Tyler (news) — read the source article.
