HUNTSVILLE, Texas (Oct. 10, 2023) – Kudos, an innovative new-to-industry convenience store brand demonstrated its unwavering commitment to the communities it serves during its recent grand opening celebrations in Huntsville, Texas.
The Kudos convenience retail brand was developed over the past three years by the Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc. (GHRA). In recent weeks, GHRA leaders, Kudos owners and team members welcomed hundreds of guests including Huntsville community heroes, esteemed dignitaries, neighbors, and media to the grand opening of the first ever Kudos at 601 State Highway 75 North, Huntsville, Texas 77320.
Community engagement commitments made by GHRA and the Kudos in Huntsville during the grand opening events included:
- A joint contribution of $40,000 to the Houston Food Bank by the GHRA and Coca Cola Southwest Beverages in recognition of the launch of the Kudos brand in the greater Houston market.
- A $1000 sponsorship of the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Team by Kudos in Huntsville
- Ongoing support and engagement with the H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum including catering for a future Saturday Veterans’ Breakfast
In addition, GHRA delivered a pallet of bottled water to the Walker County Office of Emergency Response for first responders and those impacted by the Game Preserve Fire that happened in early September. On the day of the Kudos Ribbon Cutting, Moez Maredia, owner and operator of Kudos in Huntsville, and Jeffrey Reeder, vice president of retail at GHRA met with Walker County Emergency Management Coordinators Butch Davis and Sherri Pagoda to discuss ongoing needs of first responders.
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful community of Huntsville for the warm welcome and overwhelming support during our grand opening. At Kudos, we are deeply committed to engaging with and serving the people of Huntsville, especially first responders. It is our mission to provide exceptional service and to be a resource for this community.” commented Moez Maredia, owner and operator of Kudos in Huntsville.
Maredia is an entrepreneur, GHRA member, and resident of Houston. The Maredia family runs hospitality, real estate and retail businesses in Mumbai, Dubai, and Houston. Maredia studied computer sciences and information sciences at the University of Houston. Maredia currently serves as a director on the board of GHRA and is past chair of the GHRA Food Services and Warehouse committees. In addition, he is chair of the Southwest Region for the Aga Khan Foundation, USA.
About the Kudos #1 Grand Opening Celebrations
The grand opening festivities included a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Open House held on Thursday, Sept. 28, and a Grand Opening Community Appreciation Event held on Saturday, Sept. 30. These events provided attendees with the opportunity to meet the friendly faces behind Huntsville’s newest convenience marketplace and food stop.
The Ribbon Cutting and Open House featured a Presentation of Colors by American Legion Sam Houston Post 95, remarks by business and community leaders, and music from DJ Scoop. Several dignitaries showed their support at the Ribbon Cutting and Open House including teams of U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and Texas State Representative Kyle Kacal, Huntsville Mayor Andy Brauninger, Huntsville Mayor Pro Tem Russell Humphrey, Walker County Sheriff Clint McRae, Huntsville Walker County Chamber President Ray Hernandez, and several other Walker County community leaders.
The Grand Opening Community Appreciation Event honored and celebrated Huntsville area community heroes, first responders, and veterans. Guests had the opportunity to meet and interact with representatives from the Huntsville Fire Department; Huntsville Police Department; Walker County Emergency Medical Services (EMS); Walker County Sheriff’s Office; Texas Department of Criminal Justice community outreach team; Huntsville Walker County Chamber of Commerce; American Legion Sam Houston Post 95; H.E.A.R.T.S. Veterans Museum of Texas; Veterans of Foreign War (VFW); Walker County Veterans Services; and the Sam Houston State University ROTC. These organizations shared information on public safety and community resources. Guests also had the opportunity to win several prizes including suite tickets to the Houston Rockets, suite tickets to the Houston Texans, a mountain bike, visa gift cards, and more.
Kudos #1 in Huntsville is part of GHRA’s ongoing growth and expansion plan to launch 250 new and remodeled Kudos convenience marketplace locations in three to five years. The newly remodeled Kudos in Huntsville was previously the Bar-T Travel Center and Truck Stop. The store has been rebranded and refreshed to provide customers with more high-quality options and experiences they need and want.
“Kudos is not just another convenience store; it’s a testament to innovation in the retail industry and our attention to the evolving needs and expectations of our customers,” commented Brian Trout, GHRA chief executive officer. “We are proud to bring this fresh concept to Huntsville and expand GHRA’s presence in the convenience store industry. Kudos honors the everyday heroes within the communities we serve and celebrates those who tirelessly take care of others.”
The Kudos team strives to consistently provide a welcoming, refreshing, and rewarding customer experience. Their goal is to ensure every Kudos guest is treated like a hero as they travel from point A to point B, rewarded for a hard day’s effort and a job well done.
Kudos offers a delicious breakfast program featuring fresh biscuits and breakfast sandwiches. Kudos also offers a lunch, snack, and early dinner menu that includes bone-in chicken, hand-breaded and grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, and tenders. Kudos personalized service for busy customers on the go or taking a refreshing break include made-to-order menu options, mobile order payments, drive-through and DoorDash delivery and, of course, sparkling clean restrooms.
A Big Madre Tacos y Tortas is open in the store and serves a wide assortment of authentic Mexican-style tacos, burritos, bowls, tortas, and quesadillas. Big Madre Tacos y Tortas is a rapidly growing homestyle Mexican food service concept developed by GHRA in 2017. This Big Madre is the 38th location in the GHRA portfolio.
For more information and to schedule media interviews and tours, please contact:
MaKlay Simon, Public Relations Consultant for GHRA
maklay@penninoandpartners.com
325-262-1862 mobile, 281-286-9398 office
About Kudos
Kudos is an innovative convenience store brand developed by the Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc. (GHRA). The Kudos brand focuses on delivering exceptional customer experiences, a great selection of products, and an unwavering commitment to improving communities. Aiming to celebrate everyday heroes, Kudos strives to welcome customers with simple smiles, genuine connections, and smart solutions. Its product selection includes a menu of high-quality, flavorful restaurant-destination offerings, from fresh breakfast biscuit sandwiches to savory fried chicken lunch and dinner options. Building on GHRA’s mission to enhance wellbeing of communities, Kudos honors and supports first responders and other local heroes. With ambitious growth plans, Kudos is set to redefine the landscape of convenience retail across Greater Houston and Southeast Texas. Learn more at https://www.kudosmarketplace.com/.
About Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc. (GHRA)
Greater Houston Retailers Cooperative Association, Inc. is a membership organization that provides resources to independently owned and operated convenience retail stores in greater Houston and Southeast Texas. GHRA’s more than 1,500 individual members are entrepreneurs who own and operate more than 2,000 convenience retail stores in neighborhoods across 37 counties of Southeast Texas. Together, GHRA members represent more than a third of the retail stores in the region. GHRA’s family of brands include Kudos, Big Madre Tacos y Tortas, and GHRA Fuels. GHRA members also developed the Greater Houston Retailers Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has contributed to several community efforts with a particular focus on an annual golf tournament that raises funds to provide support to families of peace officers and firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty. https://www.ghraonline.com