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Food, People, Heart & Soul - It all started with H. D. Snell

United's roots go back to 1916, when H.D. Snell opened his first United Cash Store in Sayre, Oklahoma. Today, his legacy has grown to include 47 stores in 26 Texas cities and over 9,000 team members putting their hearts and souls into serving their guests and their communities.

H.D.'s core philosophy was a commitment to value, high quality products, outstanding guest service - treating each guest as he would want to be treated - and community involvement. When he opened a new store in Cordell, Okla., in 1924, he said to the people of Cordell in a newspaper announcement, "We do not come here to tear down; we come here to build up."

In 1949, the Texas stores became a separate company when H.D. "Jack" Snell, Jr., purchased the Vernon and Wellington grocery stores from his father and, one year later, built a third store in Childress. Jack was an innovative visionary who recognized the opportunities in the rapidly growing West and North Central areas of Texas. He introduced United to Lubbock in the 1950s, Wichita Falls in the 1960s and Amarillo in the 1970s. At the time of his passing in 1976, United was serving guests through 31 stores in large and small communities throughout West and North Central Texas.

Under Jack's leadership the company continued its emphasis on service and quality, which helped build United's reputation for fresh meat markets and produce departments. It also set the stage in the '80s and '90s for the company's introduction of fresh delis, hot food bars, restaurants, bakeries, pharmacies, in-store banks and guest convenience centers.

In addition to its innovations in the grocery store industry, United Supermarkets has long been known for its commitment to guest service and community involvement. United Supermarkets' main priority has always been to give each guest personal service while providing high quality products at a fair price. Its successful "Personal Touch" philosophy stresses superior service, community involvement and treating team members as family. In 2001, United Supermarkets was recognized for its commitment to quality, value and service, as well as its unmatched guest service and community involvement, when it won the 2001 Better Business Bureau National Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, becoming the first supermarket chain to receive the prestigious award.

Today, United Supermarkets continues to be led by the Snell family, now in its fourth generation of management. In addition to the original grocery chain, it has added two other concepts in recent years: Market Street, which features take-home cuisine, restaurants, gourmet and everyday grocery items in one store; and Amigos United, an international-format store offering the perfect blend of American fare and international cuisine.

Despite tremendous growth, the original vision of H.D. and Jack Snell is very much alive in today's United Supermarkets. The founders' spirit of service and basic philosophy still serve as cornerstones of everyday operations.

That philosophy is simple: Passionate team members dedicated to giving guests the finest in quality, value and service. In short, it's what makes United different - Food, People, Heart & Soul.