Houston’s First Two-Story H-E-B Grocery Opens in Bellaire
A two-story H-E-B grocery store is opening in the Bellaire community.
BELLAIRE, Texas – (By Michelle Leigh Smith for Realty News Report) – H-E-B has opened its first two-story grocery store in the Houston area, located in Bellaire, an affluent independent city surrounded by Houston.
Starting at 6 a.m. on June 27, Bellaire residents were invited to experience H-E-B’s double-decker concept, a format the retailer first introduced in six stores near Monterrey, Mexico. The San Antonio-based grocer announced plans for three additional multi-level locations across Houston.
Another two-story H-E-B was planned for the Heights at 2030 Shepherd, with an anticipated debut in January 2019. A separate two-level store at Washington Avenue and Waugh was scheduled for mid-summer 2019, featuring grocery on the ground floor with parking above. A two-story location in Meyerland Plaza was planned for September 2019 and is expected to share parking with JC Penney, according to Scott McClelland of H-E-B. “The smaller H-E-B Pantry store did not serve Bellaire as well as it needed to,” he said. “So we designed a two-story store offering foods from around the world. This was a way to bring 78,000 square feet of grocery retail to Bellaire, and I think it was worth the wait.”
McClelland noted the Bellaire store includes a large generator that will activate during hurricanes; H-E-B already has generators in 125 of its stores to prevent prolonged power outages.
H-E-B Bellaire store.
Shoppers drive into parking on the first level and take an escalator up to a bright, 78,000-square-foot retail space stocked with cold-pressed juices, more than 1,600 wine labels and an extensive meat selection that includes specialty items such as Cajun Kiss and Armadillo eggs made from bacon-wrapped chicken tenders with jalapeño and pepper jack cheese. Carts can be locked into an adjacent cart-o-lator that conveys them upstairs, and the store includes three large elevators rated for 11,200 pounds each.
The modern store sits on a 3.2-acre site at 5106–5120 Bissonnet at Cedar, replacing the former H-E-B Pantry that once anchored the strip center owned by Brixmor Properties. Brixmor has listed the property for sale through HFF.
This H-E-B is the first full-service grocery to open in Bellaire in 25 years.
Bellaire’s grocery history includes several previous operators: an old A&P that closed after failing to adapt its business model, a Weingarten’s at Bissonnet and Cedar that later became Safeway and then Randall’s, Gerlands at Hillcroft and Beechnut, and another A&P at Cedar that eventually transitioned to the former H-E-B Pantry. H-E-B also occupies space that had once been a TG&Y five-and-dime store.
Brixmor, which owns the center housing the new H-E-B, marketed the property to investors through HFF. HFF’s materials describe the site as surrounded by a densely populated, affluent customer base and protected by Bellaire’s strict zoning and high barriers to entry—rules that differ from Houston’s regulations. The marketing notes a tight retail market inside Loop 610, with a 96 percent retail occupancy rate and 22.6 percent retail rent growth over the prior five years.
HFF also highlighted that the area boasts an average household income of $235,000, one of the highest in the Houston region.
At a VIP luncheon and preview for community leaders, H-E-B Corp., founded 113 years ago, donated $5,000 to the Nature Discovery Center and $5,000 to Undies for Everyone. Guests received bouquets, specialty cheeses, freshly baked bread, cookies, and coupons for complimentary bottles of Just Made Juice.
Shoppers encounter a commissioned interactive light installation titled Blue By You by Texas artist Ansen Seale. H-E-B plans to commission site-specific art for each of its multi-level Houston stores to create a unique neighborhood presence. McClelland previously described plans for the Heights location to feature a whimsical installation—chickens wearing crocheted sweaters—while the Bellaire piece combines acrylic, LED lights and aluminum. The installation responds to movement, changing color and leaving a trail that follows visitors as they pass.
New H-E-B fronts Bissonnet St., just west of South Rice Avenue. The site is west of Loop 610 and south of the Galleria.
“We have been part of the Bellaire community for more than 24 years and remain committed to our loyal customers,” said Armando Perez, Senior Vice President, H-E-B Houston. “The Bellaire store offers an enhanced shopping experience with high standards of service and selection, and we continually look for ways to innovate and connect with customers.”
The Roaster, operated by Four J Foods, is scheduled to open on the second floor with its own entrance, indoor and outdoor seating, and a convenient spot for quick meetings over coffee.
Store Center Leader and Bellaire resident Allison Junco, who oversees cosmetics, beer and wine, and grocery, led tours for guests after lunch alongside General Manager Hugh Sintic and Operations Leader Ernie Gonzalez.
H-E-B Curbside pickup operates from the well-lit garage level to save customers time while offering the same selection available in-store. “Create your grocery list, submit your order and pay at heb.com,” Sintic explained. “H-E-B’s personal shoppers handpick groceries and deliver them curbside at your scheduled pickup time—they’ll even load your car.” A new system of red and green lights was planned to help direct customers to available curbside parking spots.
“The new H-E-B is about three miles from the heart of Westbury, and I don’t mind driving that bit,” said Becky Edmondson, president of the Westbury Civic Club. “After spending two hours in the store today, I returned to my car in the garage and my water bottle was still cold. I love that our cars are out of the hot sun while we shop.”
In 2015, before H-E-B finalized plans, the Bellaire City Council transferred five parcels of land, including abandoned right-of-way and easements, to H-E-B at no cost to encourage economic development. A month earlier, the council had voted to sell the land for $187,000.
Bellaire city leaders, including Mayor Andrew Friedberg, have supported new development.
“Beyond added shopping convenience and H-E-B’s history of community partnership, the new store represents a significant investment in Bellaire’s future,” Friedberg said after the VIP luncheon. “Commercial redevelopment has been a priority for years, and this H-E-B not only contributes directly but also serves as a catalyst for other projects in the area.”
