After several years of inactivity, a grocery store site at the corner of Jones and West roads will see new life when a 62,000-square-foot H-E-B opens at 6 a.m. Oct. 17.
The new H-E-B store features a meat market, full-service seafood department, bakery, produce department, full-service deli, pharmacy and floral section.
Each H-E-B store is tailored to meet the needs of the community it serves, so if customers see a product in another store that is not carried at the Jones and West location, employees can custom order items.
"We may not be as big as [the] Barker Cypress [store], but we'll play big," said Sam Arciniega, unit director for the new store.
The store's seafood department has a live lobster tank and other options such as mahi mahi, clams, flounder, crusted filet, salmon burgers and crab cakes. Although the meat market will not be full service, the department will still carry what the larger stores have, just on a smaller scale. Shoppers will be able to find organic, natural and prime meats, along with H-E-B fully cooked meat options. The store will also offer holiday meats such as ham and turkey toward the end of the year.
The produce department has more than 600 types of fruits and vegetables, along with freshly cut and packaged fruit, vegetables, guacamole and salsa options.
Seasonal items ranging from baked goods to floral arrangements are also available throughout the store, and a pumpkin patch covers the entire front porch.
In addition, sushi will be made on-site daily, live demonstrations and sampling will take place and the store's business center will provide services such as check cashing, bill pay and money orders. The store's pharmacy, which also has a drive-thru window, offers immunizations and second Saturday of the month screenings, during which customers can get their glucose and cholesterol levels checked.
Although the new H-E-B is in the same building as an old Randall's grocery store, the space was almost entirely gutted out. Work began on the store in June, Arciniega said, and 240 people from the local community were hired as new employees.
"I hope the community embraces [this store], but we know they will based on the communication we have had," he said.
The H-E-B Jones and West location will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m.–11 p.m.
Another Cy-Fair H-E-B is also under construction and set to open later this year. The larger H-E-B Fairfield Market will open Nov. 14 near Hwy. 290 and Mason Road.