August Charles (A.C.) Tou-douze, who founded Toudouze Market in San Antonio, Texas, back in 1913, would be proud of his family's success. The market, a cash-and-carry, warehouse-style wholesaler and retailer of more than 6,000 items in 80 food and supply categories, has weathered the Great Depression, competition from giants like Sam's Club and Costco and the recent economic crisis by sharply focusing on customer service.
“Today's customer is product-smart, understands the market and has a low tolerance for marginal customer service, which just means we must excel at customer service to distance ourselves from our competitors,” says Wilson Toudouze, 50, the vice president and general manager, who represents the fifth generation of Toudouze merchants and operates Toudoze Market with his older brother, Chuck.
Toudouze Market's customers, mostly Hispanic, are local restaurants, hotels, caterers, mom-and-pop stores, families and non-profit organizations.
In the store, which is approximately 34,000 square feet, neat stacks of merchandise stretch from floor to ceiling. Pallet jacks and forklifts move about the spacious aisles. Customers line up at the market's six checkout lanes.
“Our customers can always count on us,” says Chuck Toudouze, 55. “Our product mix ensures that we always have certain things.”
He cites snow-cone syrups as an example. “Our competitors have 25 flavors, where we have 40,” Chuck says. “Plus, we supply all the extras: cups, straws, napkins, ice bags. We're sort of known as the raspa kings,” he notes, using the Spanish term for snow cones.
A.C.'s grandfather, Gustave Toudouze, and his wife, Josephine, arrived in San Antonio from Picardy, France, in 1848. Gustave, a taxidermist and musician, opened a museum in Grenet's General Store, located in buildings that had been part of the Alamo. The museum featured preserved animals, birds and reptiles.
In 1913, A.C. Toudouze purchased a general store in Cassin, Texas, 15 miles south of San Antonio. The store later was moved to San Antonio.
In 1926 A.C. built the “Toudouze Community Center,” including parking in front of the store, at the intersection of South Flores Street and Pleasanton Road. It is regarded as San Antonio's first storefront parking, his descendants say.
Toudouze does not charge a membership fee, unlike its competitors.
“We've brought things in because our customers have told us exactly what they need, and they couldn't find it anywhere else. They know we'll listen,” Chuck says. “We were the first to bring in a line of spices from a Cuban family in Florida. We also supply many types of Mexican candy that no one else carries.” One such confection is Dorval Sour Belts. “We sell it by the pallet-load,” Chuck says.
When Wilson and Chuck were growing up, their father worked at the store while their mother ran the household and volunteered in the community. “One of my favorite memories was visiting my father in his office,” Wilson says, recalling “the sweet smell of fresh candies and -groceries.”
Several years ago, one of Toudouze Market's suppliers, which had acquired most of the other cash-and-carry businesses in the area, attempted to buy the market. The Toudouze brothers declined the offer. All of the businesses the supplier had acquired are now defunct, the brothers say.
Chuck Toudouze says many of Toudouze Market's customers are family businesses as well. “We owe our success to their support of our business, and we value the relationships we have nurtured,” he says.
Martha Miller is a freelance writer based in San Antonio, Texas.