Lubbock wind blows in $34M expansion to United distribution

LUBBOCK – The United Family has had a busy year that has included the opening of new stores in West Texas and the announcement of a $33.7 million expansion to its Lubbock distribution center.

With the grocery store business investing and expanding, that means more jobs and dollars for the Lubbock economy.

Even though stores may not be opening in the local area, new stores in neighboring communities are supported by employees and products from Lubbock-based United distribution centers.

Robert Taylor, United president, said the United Family recently opened three new United Family stores in just three weeks, which he said is a historic feat for the business.

“In three weeks, we opened a brand new United in Brownwood, the next week we had the complete transformation and grand opening of Market Street in Midland and the next week we had a ribbon cutting in Abilene where we transformed the Albertsons store into the Market Street,” Taylor said.

Chris St. Clair, United executive vice president of info and logistics, said the current Lubbock distribution facility is about 500,000 sf, which will have an additional 220,000 sf after the expansion project is complete.

“We’re doubling the size of the freezer, we’re adding 90,000 sf to dry storage and we’re significantly expanding the perishable,” St. Clair said. “We now as a company own that distribution center. We didn’t before so that’s a good thing for Lubbock. We call it a stake in the ground in this community because we’ll have a significant investment in our distribution facility here.”

“United actually employs about 3,700 people in our area, and they are going to be adding about 190 jobs over the next year or two to support the new distribution building that will be built,” said John Osborne, Lubbock Economic Development Association CEO. “Those 190 jobs, a part of them will be within the distribution center and a part of them will be in the operation center of United.”