H-E-B Enhances Austin, Texas, Footprint

Opening on Oct. 27, H-E-B’s newly constructed store in southwest Austin, Texas, will replace an existing location less than 2 miles away in the Oak Hill community. Built on more than 30 acres H-E-B owns at the southeast corner of U.S. Highway 290 and FM 1826, the new 90,000-square-foot store will feature an expansive product assortment and several convenient services.

“We are excited to answer the call for a new store for the growing community in southwest Austin,” said Leslie Sweet, H-E-B director of public affairs. “With an enhanced in-store experience and the highest standard of service and selection, we tailored the store to serve the needs of our longtime Oak Hill customers that deserve the best we have to offer.”

The store’s design will incorporate the look and feel of the surrounding neighborhoods and involve several environmental sustainability elements such as rainwater harvesting and water retention ponds, as well as adherence to impervious cover regulations and compliance with all aquifer regulations. Provisions will also be put in place for a future solar panel installation, as H-E-B maintains solar installations across 23 of its Austin-area stores.

Allowing customers to choose how they shop, pay for and receive their products, the new store will offer services like H-E-B Curbside so customers can place orders online for pickup at the store. The H-E-B Curbside service also allows customers to create a shopping list online. For added customer convenience, 24 checkstands that feature self-checkout registers will be incorporated into the new store.

Other design features include a unique outdoor space with a shaded playscape and picnic tables, along with a two-lane drive-thru pharmacy service.

Meanwhile, an increased product assortment inside the store will include:

• A large selection of craft and import beers and wines from around the world.
• A meat market offering more than 300 feet of natural, quality meats and poultry.
• A fish market with a wide variety of fresh and sustainably caught seafood, including wild-caught and farm-raised options.
• Dinner Tonight food offerings including sushi, Cooking Connection and Meal Simple for quick and simple meal planning.
• A produce section with expanded organic and Texas-grown selections, and a large assortment of fresh-cut, ready-to-serve fruits and vegetables.
• A deli offering a variety of meats and cheeses, rotisserie chicken, in-house roasted meats, charcuterie, and a Mediterranean olive bar.
• A bakery department featuring handmade artisan breads, cakes and a Tortillería for fresh tortillas made in-house.
• A Blooms floral department with certified floral designers.
• A Texas Backyard section showcasing outdoor-living furniture, grills, plants and more.

The existing Oak Hill H-E-B store will close upon the opening of the newly constructed store.

In the Austin area, other upcoming H-E-B additions will include a second store in the city of Leander, opening this fall and a Lake Austin location on 15 S. Exposition Blvd., which is expected to open in 2022.

Two hours outside of Austin, H-E-B will be part of a mixed-use development project in Magnolia.

With approximately 400 stores in Texas and Mexico, San Antonio-based H-E-B is No. 13 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of top food and consumables retailers in North America.