H-E-B’s Central Market to Undergo Major Renovation in San Antonio

Central Market has big plans for a major renovation that will provide a bold restatement at its Broadway store in San Antonio. With the investment comes significant updates that will modernize and refresh the location, a destination that has a deep history for H-E-B in the Alamo City.

The building that Broadway Central Market calls home at 4821 Broadway first opened as an H-E-B store in 1951. Operations moved there from a nearby location that had opened nearly a decade earlier. Over the years, the location yielded many company firsts, including the introduction of a prepared chef case, which paved the way for many of the modern fresh ready-to-eat offerings customers see in-store today.

For nearly 50 years, the store operated as an H-E-B, until the company rebranded it as a Central Market in 1999. Today, the store measures 90,000 square feet and boasts an array of unique products from around Texas and the world. An H-E-B brand, Central Market currently operates 10 stores across Texas.

Central Market shared the first phase of its San Antonio renovation project late last year. The first phase includes updates to the parking lot and construction of a dedicated produce loading dock on the upper level. 

With its initial plans for phase two now submitted to the city of Alamo Heights, the company plans to refresh the store’s façade and execute a full remodel of the location’s interior. While specific details are in development and plans still require city approval, the second phase will include repositioning select departments, adding more energy-efficient fixtures and equipment, expanding the seating area in the café, implementing improvements to the breakroom and administrative spaces, and streamlining work areas for employees. The storefront updates will introduce design elements that complement the neighborhood, such as adding windows to allow for more natural lighting and incorporating materials and textures like wood, D’Hanis brick and metals.

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“With a commitment to strengthen that bond well into the future, we are announcing plans for a significant re-investment in Broadway Central Market,” said Stephen Butt, president of shareholder relations and Central Market Division. “This major project will take time to complete. When our work is finished, the newly renovated Broadway Central Market and our friendly partners [employees] will be well equipped to continue serving our customers with the freshest and best specialty products the world has to offer, for many years to come.”

The first phase will start in the spring and is expected to be complete by late 2024. The second phase will begin shortly after phase one is finished and is expected to be done by mid-2026.  

Along with phase one improvements to the parking lot and loading dock, additional improvements will include adding new sidewalks, pedestrian paths and parking lot signage. The renovations planned for the two phases also will provide much-needed structural improvements, which will secure areas such as the parking garage, an area prone to flooding.

A division of H-E-B, Central Market opened its doors in Austin, Texas, in 1994. With sales of $43 billion, San Antonio-based H-E-B has more than 430 stores and154,000-plus employees in Texas and Mexico. The largest privately held employer in the Lone Star State is No. 15 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.