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After 74 years shaping Raleigh’s F&B scene, URE is getting a new home.
Before a single plate leaves the pass or a diner digs into their favorite meal, there has to be a kitchen. For generations of Raleigh restaurants, that kitchen started with United Restaurant Equipment.
Over nearly 75 years, locally based URE has had a hand in quietly shaping the city’s F&B scene—helping countless hospitality concepts open their doors and power new culinary ventures. Now, the family-owned business is entering a new chapter in Northeast Raleigh.
With a larger warehouse and distribution center, URE’s new HQ will better serve customers while supporting future growth. But the move is about more than square footage—it’s about helping shape Raleigh’s restaurant scene for decades to come.
Founded by Jesse Margulies in 1952, the family business was then passed onto his son, Howard, before landing in the capable hands of his grandson, current URE President Eric. And continuing that family tradition, Eric’s own sons can often be found helping in the warehouse during the summer.
“I hope at this moment, our customers and employees will see this growth and expansion as a positive that brings our customers a more robust experience,” says Eric. “We are going to continue to focus on our customers’ goals while creating a better employee experience… that will lead to more opportunities for all.”
The timing of the move is significant. According to the Family Business Institute, only ~12% of family businesses successfully reach a third generation of ownership, and even more dismal, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that fewer than 3% of locally owned businesses survive more than 50 years.
Which makes URE part of a rare group in the city. The company joins a short list of multigenerational companies who’ve made it more than five decades, including Reliable Jewelry & Loan (1949) and Angus Barn (1960).
Part of that longevity? Remaining rooted in the same values that built its reputation in the first place. “We have so many long-standing customers who share the same passion for making the Triangle the best place to live by offering the best hospitality we can,” says Eric.
One partnership tells the story. Since first teaming up with the DeMartino family on Piccolo Mondo in 1976, three generations of both families have worked side by side—from the restaurant’s transformation into Cafe Tiramisu to its most recent renovation.
Commercial kitchens may have changed dramatically over URE’s span, but its mission hasn’t: “We want to be partners with each of our customers for the duration of their business life,” says Eric. And as Raleigh’s restaurant scene continues to mature, URE hopes the kitchens it builds over the next 74 years become just as memorable as those that came before.
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