H-E-B Bolsters Presence in North Texas

Expansion helps serve rapidly growing DFW Metroplex market

6/9/2022

H-E-B started construction on its fourth location in the DFW Metroplex on May 25.

H-E-B continues to look north for its expansion in the Lone Star State. On May 25, the Texas grocer officially started construction on another location for the DFW Metroplex (Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area), breaking ground at the site of a new store in Allen. Set to open in late summer 2023, the store will be located at the northwest corner of Exchange Parkway and State Highway 5 (Greenville Avenue) in Allen, across the street from Allen High School. This will be the company’s fourth location currently under construction in Collin County, which also includes stores in Frisco, Plano and McKinney.

Building on H-E-B’s longstanding presence in North Texas with its Central Market stores that were introduced in 2001, these latest expansion moves reinforce the retailer’s commitment to serve more customers in this rapidly growing part of Texas. Consisting of 9,286 square miles, the 2020 census reported a DFW Metroplex population of more than 7.6 million. In 2021, the census estimated the metro population increased to more than 7.75 million.

The 117,000-square-foot H-E-B Allen store, the company’s flagship format, will help accommodate this growing area. The store will include a True Texas BBQ restaurant and H-E-B Curbside and Home Delivery. It will also provide a full-service H-E-B Pharmacy with two-lane drive-thru and Texas Backyard department, which offers outdoor essentials.

Additionally, the Allen store will be the first location in North Texas to include an H-E-B Wellness Primary Care clinic as a part of the store format. The clinic will offer full-service primary care for all individuals ages 12 and older, operating in coordination with registered dieticians with a food first philosophy rooted in science. Services will include primary care, physical therapy, health/nutrition coaching, clinical pharmacists, specialty referrals and labs to create a coordinated approach to healthcare. The multi-format retailer recently debuted its first Wellness Primary Care Clinic location in Austin on May 12.

“We have been welcomed with open arms into the Collin County community,” said Juan-Carlos Rück, H-E-B EVP, North West Food/Drug Division. “We’re excited to become neighbors in another dynamic and growing North Texas city. We look forward to providing an outstanding shopping experience in Allen with the best H-E-B has to offer.”

The Allen store will offer positions that range from department managers to cashiers. It’s estimated that it will employ approximately 500 people. H-E-B will post all job opportunities to the H-E-B Careers site in the coming months.

“For years, the possibility of H-E-B’s expansion into Allen has been one of the most discussed and anticipated developments in our community,” added Allen Mayor Ken Fulk. “We’re delighted to finally celebrate their arrival — not only as a culinary destination, but as a corporate partner to local communities across Texas.”

To celebrate the groundbreaking of the Allen store, H-E-B gifted $50,000 to five local nonprofits located in the area including the Allen Philharmonic, Allen Arts Alliance, Powered to Move, All Community Outreach and EXPOW (Exponential Power of Women). Each group was presented with a $10,000 check at the groundbreaking ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Plano and Frisco stores are slated to open later this year, while the McKinney store has a scheduled 2023 opening.

The largest privately held employer in Texas, San Antonio-based H-E-B has more than 420 stores and 145,000 employees in Texas and Mexico. The company is No. 16 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.