Our Story
2005
Humble Beginnings
El Rio Grande Latin Market was founded in 2005 in Dallas with a single store on Maple Avenue, born from a simple but powerful vision: bring fresh, affordable, culturally authentic Latin foods to underserved neighborhoods across DFW.
Shalabi, raised in East Dallas and influenced by his family’s small-store retail background, recognized early on that many Hispanic communities lacked access to full-service grocery stores offering culturally relevant products at fair prices.
2005–2008
Establishing a Cultural Grocery Model
During its first decade, El Rio Grande refined a hybrid grocery concept that blended:
- Full-service supermarket operations
- Traditional Latin departments (carnicería, panadería, cocina)
- Bilingual signage and culturally immersive store design
- This model distinguished El Rio Grande from smaller ethnic grocers while remaining accessible and community-focused.
El Rio Grande expanded into key Hispanic population centers across the metroplex, opening stores in: Grand Prairie, West Jefferson Blvd. (Oak Cliff), Miller Ave. (Garland) and Fort Worth.
2015–2017
Strategic DFW Expansion
El Rio Grande continue the expansion into key Hispanic population centers across the metroplex, opening stores in: Lake June, Webb Chapel and Mesquite. This expansion positioned the brand as a regional staple rather than a niche ethnic retailer, while maintaining its cultural authenticity.
2021–2022
Community-Centered Growth
The brand doubled down on community engagement, hosting:
- Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway, Holiday Food Distributions, Local Hiring Initiatives Cultural Celebrations tied to Latin Holidays
- El Rio Grande increasingly became more than a grocery store—it functioned as a neighborhood anchor and gathering place.
August 2023
East Dallas Breakthrough (Buckner Blvd)
The brand doubled down on community engagement, hosting:
- Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway, Holiday Food Distributions, Local Hiring Initiatives Cultural Celebrations tied to Latin Holidays
- El Rio Grande increasingly became more than a grocery store—it functioned as a neighborhood anchor and gathering place.
2024
Largest Local Hispanic Grocer in DFW
In April 2024, El Rio Grande was officially recognized as the largest locally owned Hispanic grocer in DFW, following the opening of its ninth store and the sale of its largest competitor to an out-of-state company 11 12.
This milestone reinforced El Rio Grande’s positioning as: locally operated, culturally embedded and community-first, not private-equity driven.
May 2024
Guinness World Record Moment
El Rio Grande gained national attention by breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest fruit display, turning the Buckner store into an “avocado wonderland” while hosting a weekend-long community celebration with music, food, and scholarship support 13.
This moment elevated the brand from a strong regional player to a nationally visible cultural brand.