Across North Texas, new H-E-B stores seem to be opening left and right, and most are met with huge enthusiasm. However, in North Dallas, one group of homeowners is pushing back against a proposed location near LBJ and Hillcrest.
Lu Abbondanzio lives just a block away from the 10-acre site H-E-B has purchased for what would be the chain’s first Dallas store.
“Where they have bought the property is much too small for a huge store like that,” she said.
At a town hall meeting Monday, she got a look at renderings for a 120,000 square foot grocery store with a two-story parking garage at LBJ and Hillcrest.
H-E-B says the project requires City Council approval to rezone the land from “neighborhood office” to “regional retail.”
The company estimates the store would draw about 45,000 customers a week.
“That’s a lot of cars during the day to come through,” Abbondanzio said. “It’s difficult getting down Hillcrest at 4 in the afternoon, never mind seven days a week, so I have a big problem with that.”
The Hillcrest Preservation Coalition has started a petition opposing the plan.
“For people who live in the neighborhood, we don’t want our property values to decrease; we also do not want crime,” Leslie Decillis said. “The space is inappropriate; it is very, very small.”
But not everyone is against it. Some residents say they’re excited to welcome H-E-B.
“I just want to say that we bring H-E-B in here, all the other grocery stores have to get their act together,” one attendee said.
“I think it’s great because we have to go all the way to Plano to go to H-E-B,” Tommy Klie said. “The fruits and vegetables, a big section, they’re always fresh.”
H-E-B says their proposal goes before Planning and Zoning on September 18th.. but company leaders insist they’re always open to community input.
“We pride ourselves on being a good neighbor; we will go the extra mile, if something is wrong, we’re not afraid to change it,” Ben Scott said. “We will listen. We will be that partner you want to be there.”
Best case scenario, the company says the store could open as soon as late 2028.
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