H-E-B confirms location of first store in Tarrant County — and it’s not Alliance
H-E-B is finally making its way into Tarrant County, the grocery chain announced Thursday.
The San Antonio-based retailer known for its Texas brands, butter tortillas and local produce said it will build a new store in Mansfield, about 20 minutes south of Fort Worth. It will be the first confirmed H-E-B grocery store in Tarrant County.
“The store builds on the company’s longstanding presence in the area and reinforces its commitment to serve more customers in this dynamic and growing part of Texas,” the company said in a release.
H-E-B owns about 28 acres at the Mansfield site, on the corner of U.S. 287 and Broad Street. A timeline for construction is unclear.
A groundbreaking will be in January or February, when the company will share updated renderings and store details, said H-E-B’s senior director of public affairs, Mabrie Jackson. The company declined to comment further.
In early June, a site in Alliance in northern Fort Worth was revealed to be the future site of this city’s first H-E-B. The developer Hillwood announced that an H-E-B was planned at Parkside at Alliance Town Center. . Later that day, an H-E-B spokesperson said the grocer has not made an announcement about a store in Fort Worth.
Thursday’s confirmation about a Mansfield store was big news for that community.
“For years our residents have asked for an H-E-B, and on behalf of the City Council, we are proud to welcome this economic driver and much desired business to Mansfield,” Mayor Michael Evans said in a statement.
Mansfield’s council had courted the company.
H-E-B purchased the property in 2016. A year later, the city announced via Facebook that H-E-B was proceeding with construction plans.
“Don’t panic. H-E-B still loves Mansfield,” the city said a the 2017 Facebook post. “Contrary to rumors that were circulating recently, the San Antonio-based grocer, loved by many, is still moving forward with a new store in Mansfield at the southeast corner of East Broad and U.S. 287.”
Zoning changes in 2018 indicated a Mansfield H-E-B would be nearly 107,000 square feet with its own restaurant, including a drive-thru and outdoor patio. But at the time, the company remained coy about plans to open a store or start construction.
When H-E-B broke ground for stores in Plano and Frisco in June 2021, there was no mention of opening a location in Tarrant County.
H-E-B has bought up land throughout North Texas for several years, teasing expansion in the metroplex. Locations in Burleson, Granbury, Cleburne and Hudson Oaks inched closer to Tarrant County, but Mansfield’s new store will be the first to cross county lines.
H-E-B Grocery Company LP has more than 420 stores and 145,000 employees across Texas and Mexico. H-E-B sees $34 billion in annual sales and is the largest food retailer and private employer in Texas.
This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 3:41 PM.
