Weingarten's Square Porcelain Fridge Magnet
Keep a piece of regional grocery history close at home with this Weingarten's square porcelain fridge magnet. The Houston story began in 1901, when Hersch Harris Weingarten and his son Joseph opened a downtown store. As Joseph championed self-service shopping and “Better Food for Less,” the chain grew across Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana. Its changing ownership and the Post Oak Center store's final chapter make the name especially meaningful to collectors and former shoppers who remember how local supermarkets shaped Southern communities.
Weingarten's began in 1901, when Hersch Harris Weingarten, an immigrant from Łańcut, then in Austria-Hungary, and his son Joseph opened a grocery store in downtown Houston, Texas. A second store followed in 1920. Joseph, known as Joe, promoted the slogan “Better Food for Less” and pioneered self-service and cash-and-carry shopping. The Texas-based chain expanded into Arkansas and Louisiana, growing from six stores by 1926 to 12 in 1938, 25 in 1951, and 70 in 1967. Weingarten Incorporated later chose to focus on retail shopping-center real estate and sold its 104 stores in five states to Cavenham Foods. In 1980, Cavenham transferred management to Grand Union. Grand Union then resold most locations, with Safeway acquiring 43 stores, and Randalls and Gerland's Food Fair also receiving stores in 1983. The Houston-area chain had held an 18 percent grocery market share in 1980. Lease disagreements meant the Post Oak Center store continued operating under Weingarten's until the end of March 1986. Weingarten Realty Investors was acquired by Kimco Realty in 2021.
| 2" x 2" | |
| Width, in | 2.00 |
| Height, in | 2.00 |
| Depth, in | 0.25 |
Product features
- 2" square porcelain tile with glossy finish
- Superior coating for bright, true-to-design color reproduction
- Vibrant, crisp printing using modern techniques
- Strong magnet mounted on the backside for secure hold
- Durable glossy surface that highlights fine details and contrasts
Care instructions
- Gently wipe the dirt or dust off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Gently wipe the dirt or dust off with a clean, dry microfiber cloth