BOSTON— One of the country’s most venerated and largest 100% Black-owned construction and real estate development and management enterprises, Cruz Companies, has announced that John B. Cruz Construction has been selected to transform a former chain pharmacy into a neighborhood supermarket.
The project brings together two Cape Verdean-owned companies and leading minority business enterprises to add the much-needed grocery store in the growing area of Roxbury, Massachusetts, where Cruz Companies is based.
In what Segun Idowu, Boston’s chief of economic opportunity and inclusion called “a win-win for the community,” the Brockton, Mass.-based grocery chain Vicente’s Supermarket, is earning praise from neighborhood dwellers for building this major new expansion grocery store in Roxbury. Justin Cruz, the chief operating officer of Cruz Companies, expressed pride in the third-generation construction company joining with Vicente’s Supermarket to show what minority business enterprises, or MBEs, can do together.
“We are delighted to work with Vicente’s Supermarket to create a beautiful and welcoming new store in Roxbury,” says Justin Cruz, COO of Cruz Companies. “This project, our first with Vicente’s Supermarket, reflects the growth and positive direction that our companies and other Cape Verdean businesses are taking in the Greater Boston region.”
The company adds that Vicente’s Supermarket was founded in 1994 by Manuel Vicente, and serves a unique niche with imported products from Brazil, Cape Verde and elsewhere. Operated by Vicente’s children Brian and Jason Barbosa, the company operates four other locations in areas with large Cape Verdean communities, including the New England cities of Brockton, New Bedford, Mass., and Pawtucket, R.I.
According to The Boston Globe, the new Vicente’s Supermarket location will be convenient for Roxbury area residents who walk to buy groceries and fill prescriptions, including “residents at the nearby Martin Luther King Towers, a public development comprised of mostly elderly and disabled tenants.”
This opportunity resonated deeply with Cruz Companies, known for its dedication to its local community and history of supporting underserved neighborhoods. “Our company was established in 1948 with a mission of helping foster minority businesses and strengthen inner city communities,” says John B. Cruz III, CEO and president of Cruz Companies. “We are committed to this leadership and a relentless focus on community, quality and integrity that nurtures minority businesses, reinvests in underserved neighborhoods, celebrates heritage, and redefines affordable neighborhoods.”
In addition to John B. Cruz Construction, Cruz Companies also operates Cruz Development Corporation, with a commitment to creating high-quality housing in even the most challenging contexts, as well as Cruz Management Corp., a property manager for over 1,300 apartments with expertise in relocation services, too. “We’ve also established Cruz C.A.R.E.S., giving back to our communities through scholarships, enrichment programs, and fun outdoor adventures,” says Justin Cruz.
Cruz Companies recently opened its new headquarters in Roxbury, within a new mixed-use multifamily building. The firm is also building a large-scale new mixed-use housing complex in the heart of Roxbury, an area being called Nubian Square. Outside of Roxbury, Cruz Companies is active with a large building program in the Cape Verdean community of New Bedford, Mass.
