The east side of Grapevine could have some more produce and grocery options in the near future. On Aug. 21 the Grapevine City Council together with the Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional-use permit for a planned commercial center that would include a gas station, a car wash, dining with outdoor seating called Texas Best Smokehouse, and a section for produce and groceries. The project will be developed by Victron Energy. Its vice president, Mohammad Sharaf, said in a letter to the council that no two Victron stores are alike, and the family business model allows each facility to be customized to the market. "In Grapevine, due to the lack of any grocery or produce options in the area, it is our plan to add far more produce and grocery merchandising than the average convenience store," Sharaf said in his statement. "We have built and own multiple convenience stores whose grocery options are much broader than the average convenience store. The store area of Texas Best is more than three times the size of the average 7-11, meaning that we have far more room for grocery-focused merchandising." In his presentation to the council, Sharaf said several components of the development would be similar to a Buc-ee's. Council Member Duff O'Dell said while she was initially not looking forward to hearing this presentation, she was left impressed with the quality of the concept plan. Still, the council expressed concern that 900 square feet of produce was not enough to meet the needs of the residents in the area. The applicant, however, expressed that while he would also like to see a grocer in this area, the lake prevents the number of homes major grocers require to come to an area. This was something Mayor William D. Tate and Council Member Sharron Rogers expressed as well. "We’ve worked for years to a get a Kroger or a Tom Thumb there, and this is the closest we’re going to get," Tate said. With the approval, Victron will work begin work this September, and the project could begin operations next year.