While an H-E-B run feels ubiquitous for Texans living in Central and South Texas, some big cities still lack the store that does more. For some, that’s a particular pain point, sparking Facebook pages and petitions. Here are some of the biggest Texas cities where H-E-B has yet to stake its claim.
There’s no H-E-B in Dallas city limits — yet
El Paso, Texas’ 6th largest city, has no H-E-B
Out there in West Texas, it’s an H-E-B desert. El Paso is the sixth-largest city in Texas, yet it has no H-E-B despite a popular Facebook page founded in 2013 begging for one. The chain previously told MySA, “At this time our challenge for opening in El Paso is supply chain, logistics, and distribution.” Seeing as H-E-B’s headquarters in San Antonio (and its largest warehouse) are more than 500 miles away, freshness could be an issue. However, H-E-B does operate in the region in cities like Midland and Odessa, as well as in other far-flung Texas cities like Lubbock. It has even crossed the border with stores in Mexico.
Arlington, Grand Prairie, Denton and Garland wait for H-E-B
Arlington, despite being the seventh-largest city in Texas, doesn’t have an H-E-B within its confines. The closest location is the recently opened Mansfield store, about 17 miles or 25 minutes from the center of Arlington. Another (relatively) nearby location is in Fort Worth on Heritage Trace Parkway, about half an hour away. As for why the grocer hasn’t landed in such a populated Dallas-Fort Worth suburb yet, it’s hard to say. However, as it expands in the region, it wouldn’t be a far-fetched possibility to see plans for Arlington soon.
Grand Prairie, the No. 17 city in Texas by population and the hometown of Selena Gomez, is in the same spot with Mansfield as the closest location about 25 minutes away.
Meanwhile, Denton and Garland are two North Texas cities that have plans for H-E-B stores in the works. Two stores are on the books for 2027 openings in Denton, a college town home to the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University. The first is set for Robson Ranch Road and the second will come to West University Drive. In Garland, H-E-B has announced plans for a traditional store and a Joe V’s Smart Shop.
Tyler residents want to know why there’s no H-E-B
Tyler ranks among the Top 40 largest cities in Texas, but it lacks an H-E-B store, and the larger East Texas region is pretty scarce when it comes to the chain. The few H-E-B locations in East Texas are in Carthage (about an hour and 15 minutes from Tyler); Crockett (almost two hours from Tyler); and Lufkin, equally far away. That lack of H-E-B in Tyler prompted the creation of the Bring H-E-B to Tyler, TX Facebook page in 2016. It has since amassed nearly 700 followers and periodically posts content related to the chain. A commenter in a Reddit thread lamenting the store’s absence said: “Tyler people who don’t know what HEB is are missing out.”
Amarillo and the Panhandle are H-E-B deserts
All the way in the Texas Panhandle, there are no H-E-B stores to be found. Amarillo, the No. 16 city in Texas by population, is the biggest city in the area to feel that absence, and locals frequently talk about it on Reddit. Users say logistics are probably the main hurdle, similar to El Paso. However, the chain has inched closer and closer with a location in Lubbock, though that’s still almost two hours from Amarillo and south of what’s considered the Panhandle…