H-E-B opens reimagined store at historic South Congress location in Austin

The day has finally come. After more than two years of construction, H-E-B’s reimagined South Congress store in Austin has opened its doors to customers.

Crowds lined up in the rain before daybreak Wednesday to be among the first shoppers to get a glimpse of the 145,000-square-foot multi-level store when it opened at 6 a.m. CT. The completely new store, located at 2400 S. Congress Ave., more than doubles the size of the store it replaced, which was the grocery chain’s longest-standing Austin location.

“After more than six decades of serving the South Congress and Oltorf communities, we are proud to offer our loyal customers a brand-new store filled with H-E-B favorites along with new amenities and features tailored to the area,” said Cathy Harm, H-E-B senior vice president of the Central Texas region. “This is an iconic location, and this project reflects our commitment to preserving the heart of our long-time store while creating a meaningful space that will better serve the community for years to come.”

The new store, which is open daily from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. CT, includes a ground level with indoor and outdoor dining areas, a second level for shopping, three levels of above-ground parking with more than 500 spaces, and a True Texas BBQ restaurant.

Additional amenities include Curbside and Home Delivery services, a full-service pharmacy with drive-thru, a bakery with store-made tortillas, an expanded beer and wine selection, a Flower Bar with seasonal bouquets and arrangements, a Sushiya department with store-made sushi and poke bowls, and a Meal Simple section with fresh chef-inspired meals prepared in store.

The store also combines smart lighting with abundant natural lighting. H-E-B commissioned several art installations throughout the store, ranging from murals to sculptures.

The South Congress H-E-B first opened in 1957 with 25,000 square feet and later expanded to 69,000 square feet. It was demolished in 2022 to make way for the new store. During construction, customers in the area were served by a temporary location at the nearby Twin Oaks Shopping Center.

To commemorate the opening of the new store, H-E-B donated $10,000 each to the Barton Springs Conservancy, Health Alliance for Austin Musicians, St. Edward’s University Food Pantry, Texas School for the Deaf, and St. Ignatius Martyr Church Food Pantry.

The new South Congress store employs about 600 partners — the term the company uses for its employees.

With more than 160,000 partners across the company, H-E-B is the largest privately held employer in the Lone Star State. The San Antonio-based chain operates more than 435 stores across Texas and Mexico.