Fresh produce, free guidance: new grocery aims to nourish Kashmere Gardens
Chicago native Cecile Wright opens Neal & Nettie’s Grocery in Kashmere Gardens, bringing fresh produce, a mobile food truck, and free nutrition education to serve the local community.
Never give up on your dreams or underestimate your DNA. That’s the message from Cecile Wright, a Chicago native turned Texas entrepreneur, who is taking her goals to a new level while serving the people of Kashmere Gardens.
KPRC 2’s Lisa Hernandez caught up with Wright, owner of Neal & Nettie’s Grocery, about her plans to nourish both the body and the mind.
“When I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to own my own grocery store,” Wright said. “I didn’t see anyone who looked like me doing it, so I didn’t think it was possible.”
Today, Wright is realizing that dream on an 8,000-square-foot lot in Kashmere Gardens. A chef-turned-grocer, she moved to Texas years ago with a mission to serve underserved communities by bringing fresh, nutritious food to a neighborhood with limited options.
“There once was a Burt’s Meat Market, a neighborhood favorite. There also was a Louis White Grocery store off Lyons,” Wright explained. “The community is really lacking access to healthy fruit and meat. They’re also lacking access to nutrition education—what should go on your plate.”
Part of her lot is being used to grow kale, collard greens, mustard greens, and more, all of which will be given away for free alongside nutrition guidance. This initiative is deeply personal for Wright:
“I have personally experienced a lot of loss with health issues. If people had been educated or changed their diets, we might not have had that outcome.”
When asked about offering this guidance and produce for free, Wright laughed: “I did have a moment where I was like, ‘Am I crazy?’ No, I’m gonna go with it.”
In addition to the free produce, Wright is introducing a refrigerated food truck, packed with fresh fare for sale, made possible by a grant from Progressive Insurance.
“Thanks to Progressive, our mobile meat shop will allow people to purchase meat and produce throughout the week, including items from local growers,” Wright said. The truck, set to launch early next year, will carry the name Neal & Nettie’s Grocery, honoring Wright’s great-grandparents.
Wright discovered just a few years ago that Neal and Nettie were sharecroppers from Nacogdoches who eventually opened their own grocery store after moving to Oklahoma over a century ago.
“When I realized it’s in my blood and it’s been in me this whole time, it gave me that extra boost of confidence. Yeah, this is what I’m supposed to do,” she said.
Her path to Kashmere Gardens wasn’t without a little serendipity. A friend who already had a garden offered Wright a piece of property in the neighborhood, giving her the space she needed to bring her vision to life.
“It all fell into place. I had everything I needed in my circle,” Wright said.
Wright is grateful for the support and feedback that has helped her grow the business while serving more people.
“Do they need something else? Let us know. We’re a grocery resource, but we’re also a community hub,” she said.
Neal & Nettie’s is located at 4318 Hirsch Road in Houston. This year they are partnering with AFROTECH Conference 2025 at the GRB, and are holding events at their Hirsch location today through Friday. For more information, and to learn about their garden and food truck, find them online here.
