A decade has passed since H-E-B purchased land behind Torchy’s Tacos on Bonnie Brae Street near University Drive. It’s a spot where a woman named Mary used to pitch her old yellow tent with dates written in black ink on the outside to help her keep track of important events. She’d been living on the land for about a year before it sold, finding companionship with her dog Sprocket and her cat Itsy, who’d seen one too many cat fights.
Mary is gone now after receiving the help she needed from those in the Denton community who cared about her well-being, and the land has remained an empty lot since 2015, despite the hope of an H-E-B appearing one day.
As years passed, “When will it appear?” turned into “Why hasn’t it appeared?”
A few years ago, H-E-B spokesperson Mabrie Jackson told the Denton Record-Chronicle: “We often buy real estate in various parts of the state for future needs. H-E-B is a planful company. Bringing new formats and stores to new markets requires time and attention in order to ensure we serve our new customers well.”
In late March, City Council member Brandon Chase McGee, who is seeking reelection, allegedly offered a different reason at a candidate forum in a discussion about food deserts and grocery stores: “council infighting.”
“Council Member [Chris] Watts stated that Council Member McGee had spoken with a representative of H.E.B. regarding a Denton location and their concerns with the Denton City Council’s dynamics and requested the City Manager determine specifics,” staffers wrote in an April 5 staff report. “When asked, Council Member McGee had no comment.”
It became a topic of discussion at the April 16 council meeting.
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth, who’s seeking reelection, reiterated what Watts had claimed on the dais in early April to council members and the public.
“I was there, and [McGee’s claim] happened and a room full of people who can tell you that happened. That’s not in dispute,” Hudspeth said. “I think there is a duty to be transparent to our citizens.”
At the April 16 meeting, Watts pitched an idea that didn’t move forward to discuss “guidelines for self-governing of council members who have one-on-one conversations with developers and economic development prospects.”
He claimed it wasn’t a political ploy and compared it to when council members aren’t allowed to speak with developers during motions to reconsider after an ordinance passes.
“I didn’t make the comment,” Watts told council members. “I didn’t make it public. But for that, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. … Any conversations, especially with the most desired economic development prospect we’ve known for probably decades, is something that needs to be shared. Words matter.”
In an email to the DRC, McGee offered more context behind the comment and claimed Watts’ pitch was politically motivated in support of McGee’s opponent for Place 5, Erica Garland.
“During a political forum, I said that the infighting from the dais contributes to why companies like H-E-B are looking elsewhere to do business,” McGee wrote. “One of the things that businesses need to thrive in a community is a stable political environment. While staff noted that I had no comment, I told them that all Council Members are allowed to speak to whomever we want, and we should continue to do so because that’s why we were elected.”
City Manager Sara Hensley said she spoke with H-E-B to find out if a representative had spoken with McGee.
“No, he did not meet with them,” Hensley said. “... Our council would not do anything to dissuade them.”
McGee’s concern about the council’s infighting from the dais isn’t a new one, nor is it something that he has been helping. The council has been divided over hot button issues long before H-E-B purchased the land near Bonnie Brae and University in 2015.
A year before H-E-B’s purchase, Denton’s proposed fracking ban ordinance had divided the council and the city.
In fact, infighting from the dais was such a concern that shortly before the city’s abortion rights resolution passed in late June 2022, Hensley hired a consultant who held a learning-how-to-work-together session at a council retreat to address it.
Although no council members have party affiliations while serving, partisan issues make their way to the dais. It has led to infighting from the dais, especially over issues such as marijuana decriminalization, abortion rights, fair-chance hiring and free period products at public facilities.
It’s unclear why H-E-B representatives would be concerned about infighting from the dais. They only need the council to approve things like a specific use permit or a tax abatement if needed, both issues that the council seems to agree on more than they disagree.
It would make more sense that H-E-B would be waiting on Denton’s growth to support an outlet or possibly for a better location to become available in Denton.
After all, if they were to build a location off Bonnie Brae near University, it would face stiff competition from Walmart, Sam’s Club, WinCo, Albertson’s and Aldi, all within a short drive of each other.
When contacted last week, H-E-B spokesperson Mabrie Jackson was surprised by McGee’s claim. While she couldn’t find anyone who spoke with McGee officially, Jackson did send a statement via email to reassure H-E-B fans in Denton.
“H-E-B is very methodical in how and when we enter cities across North Texas,” Jackson said. “We often buy properties far in advance of future needs. Though we have no date at this time, we look forward to serving the people of Denton in the future.”