With new environmentally friendly features, a casual in-store restaurant and community meeting room, the H-E-B at Mueller that opened July 26 is a first-of-its-kind concept from the grocery retailer.

The 83,000-square foot facility is a test store for the grocery chain to see if the new features will work, said H-E-B spokeswoman Leslie Sweet. The H-E-B serves the 16 neighborhoods surrounding Mueller. Sweet said many of the new H-E-B features were in response to what community members said was needed.

"H-E-B listened to the community throughout the design process so we could bring our customers the value and innovation they want in their shopping experience," Sweet said in a news release.

The H-E-B at Mueller is registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification and Austin Energy Green Building certification. The store has energy-efficient features such as new freezers and cold cases.

Cafe Mueller, the in-store restaurant, offers dine-in and to-go service. The menu includes pizza, Asian bowls, barbecue and sandwiches. The cafe also serves beer and wine.

"The H-E-B at Mueller is our most innovative store in terms of sustainable design, so it seems only fitting that it should also be the location for this new restaurant, Sweet said in a news release. "We are always thinking about ways we can make the shopping experience, and life in general, better for our customers. We think Cafe Mueller can do that."