Frisco, Texas shoppers went mad for the opening of H-E-B’s first store in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on Wednesday, September 21st. The earliest customers began camping out 12 hours in advance of the 6:00 A.M. ribbon cutting. By the morning, a line of 1,500 people stretched the entire length of the 118,000-square-foot store on Main Street. Frisco police posted a suggested traffic route for opening and cautioned the public to be patient. A marching band played as the doors opened, while confetti exploded in the air and the Friso H-E-B team welcomed customers with a round of applause. Cheers from the customers were deafening according to one local reporter. He said it was so loud, he literally could not hear himself or the news anchors in his earpiece. One H-E-B manager said he helped to open over 200 H-E-B stores throughout his career, but he had never seen a grand opening with so much fanfare. Free samples, gift baskets and deep discounts drew large crowds throughout the week.
Loaded with state-of-the-art amenities and innovations, the Frisco location will include a True Texas BBQ restaurant, pharmacy with drive-thru, ‘Home by H-E-B’ home goods, and Curbside and Home Delivery services. “Opening our flagship H-E-B format in the DFW area has been an aspirational goal of ours for many years, and the company has a long-term commitment to serve a broad range of customers and communities across North Texas,” said Stephen Butt, President – Central Market Division, and H-E-B Board Member. “The DFW Metroplex is among the most competitive markets in the nation, and our H-E-B Partners are committed to work hard every day to earn the trust of our customers.” The new store features a bakery offering handmade artisan breads, cakes, and H-E-B’s famous in-store made, warm tortillas; deli department with an expansive cheese selection and charcuterie station; handmade sushi bar and Asian grill; H-E-B Meal Simple chef-inspired meals prepared in store; produce section with large organic and Texas-grown selections; meat market with Prime, natural, and organic meats, Wagyu, dry-age beef; extensive craft beer and wine section with sampling station; Healthy Living department with bulk food items, sports nutrition products, and supplements; Texas Backyard department, featuring plants, pottery, grills, and outdoor essentials; and an H-E-B Wellness Nutrition Services with nutrition expertise from licensed dieticians. The company also launched custom DFW-inspired sushi and coffee items.
For its first 100+ years in business, the company kept its flagship banner to Central and South Texas, where it developed a cult following. Customers petitioned the store to move into the North Texas market, particularly the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Over the past few decades, H-E-B acquired plots of land in North Texas, keeping plans for the expansion close to the vest. H-E-B’s biggest conventional competitors in the area are Kroger, Tom Thumb, Albertsons, and Walmart. Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, and Whole Foods Market also have a strong presence in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. “It’s our first store coming to North Texas, so we are super excited to join the community,” said H-E-B’s Juan-Carlos Ruck. “We look forward to being able to serve all the customers in the metroplex.” New stores are planned for Mansfield, Allen, McKinney, Plano, Prosper, Rockwall, Forney, and Melissa in the near future. In celebration of the Frisco grand opening, H-E-B made a $10,000 contribution to the Agriculture and Culinary Arts Program at Frisco ISD’s Career & Technical Education Center.
