H-E-B has an outsized reputation in Texas.
The grocery company, headquartered in San Antonio and named after one of its earliest owners, Howard Edward Butt, is in the pantheon of beloved homegrown consumer brands alongside names like Whataburger, Blue Bell and Buc-ee’s.
And because everything is bigger in Texas, the enthusiasm surrounding these companies is, too.
The highly anticipated H-E-B opened its doors for the first time in the Hurst-Euless-Bedford area Wednesday, May 20 at 6 a.m.
Some particularly dedicated customers showed up well before the grand opening.
One of them was Macie Thlang, who camped out overnight. She said she did it because it looked like an experience worth having.
“I think Texas businesses are just different. Texans are different," she said. "Everybody that asks me, like, 'Where are you from?' I say Texas. And they're like, 'Oh, that's one of a kind.'”
The chain, still owned by the now multi-billionaire Butt family, opened its Mid-Cities location at a Euless address pushed right up against Bedford.
The City of Bedford put out a press release in mid-May flagging potential traffic delays around the store’s grand opening. In the release, officials said traffic signals had been adjusted, and multiple off-duty police officers would assist with traffic control and parking lot management.
The night before, the enthusiasm was palpable. Dozens of people were lined up at the shining new entrance, waiting to get in.
Most of them brought chairs and blankets, and all sorts of amenities. They watched shows on their phones and tablets, played cards and chatted with each other about what, exactly, they were going to buy when they got inside.
Stacey and Mike Archip were the first ones in line around 6 p.m.
Stacey Archip said it’s not her first time camping out for a new H-E-B, but it wasn't as fun to be at the back of the line.
“I was shocked, number one," she said. "I couldn't believe there was no one else here.”
It took only a few minutes for others to line up behind the couple.
“They probably started coming five minutes after I came and then they asked if there was a number one, and a lot of people drove off," Archip recalled. "They wanted to be number one.”
Because she was first, Archip received fresh tortillas and a tortilla blanket to match. She said more goodies were on the way.
Some of the campers were strangers making new friends, like Nidia Sayas and Jessica Redd, who were halfway down the line around midnight.
“We're learning that we have a lot in common," Redd said. "We have a lot to talk about. I'm just hoping we can keep each other company, stay up till 6 in the morning.”
A nearby construction crew put the final touches on the big, red glowing letters on the store’s facade: H-E-B. Meanwhile employees passed out water and snacks, and security guards kept an eye on the scene.
Looking down the rest of the growing line, it was a little bit like seeing folks camp outside of 30 Rockefeller in hopes of getting a seat for Saturday Night Live.
Some of them had work in the morning and were planning to head out once they got their shopping in.
Others, like Lauren Gamble, made room in their schedules to do this.
“I am from South Texas, originally," Gamble said. "I grew up on H-E-B, I love H-E-B, and you know, no store does more. But this is my first grand opening ever. I took the day off work tomorrow to be here, to camp out.”
Watching new customers join the crowd throughout the night and well into the early morning hours, it might have been easy to forget that this was all in service of nabbing everyday items.
But what makes the brand special? Is it really “just” a grocery store?
H-E-B Executive Vice President for North West Food and Drug Operations Juan-Carlos Rück said the community plays an important role.
“This spirit of taking care of your community, of being more than just a grocery store, I mean, it's just transcended the culture of the company for 120 years,” Rück said.
He said the company is always looking for ways to pass on savings to customers, which is part of why those customers keep coming back.
“We’ve been incredibly humbled with the response that we've gotten as we've started to bring our H-E-B flagship stores to DFW," Rück added.
As for customer Travis McElroy, this was the first time he’d camped out overnight at a store since the Nintendo Wii dropped at Best Buy years ago.
McElroy said of H-E-B, “I like their contributions to Texas and to the local communities. It kind of beats the big brands next door and, I mean, it's really great products.”
This isn’t the only new H-E-B opening in North Texas. More are expected to arrive soon in Metroplex cities including Dallas, Irving, Carrollton and Denton.
The overnighters are sure to follow the trail.
Got a tip? Email Andy Lusk at alusk@kera.org.
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