H-E-B opens first Fresh Bites convenience store in Central Texas

Adjacent to an H-E-B in Leander — though technically on Ronald Reagan Boulevard in Georgetown — the store was once a plain old convenience store with some H-E-B gas pumps out front. According to H-E-B Public Affairs Manager Johnny Mojica, it’s step one in a larger project to rebrand its 12 current gas station stores with food products normally found in your local H-E-B.

“I think what we wanted our customers to feel when they stepped in into these H-E-B Fresh Bites convenience stores was that they felt like they were going into an H-E-B store,” Mojica said at the opening.

Inside, the store is the size of your regular small Buc-ee’s. The main attraction is a True Texas Tacos counter, the second location following the inaugural spot in Bulverde. Visitors can choose from 12 different breakfast tacos, plus fajita tacos for lunch. There’s a little jerky station, a nacho bar, and trays of mini egg rolls to grab and go.

How the store differs from a Buc-ee’s is its distinct H-E-B flair: tacos instead of barbecue, sushi instead of kolaches, a self-checkout line, little bottles of Tajín placed atop the ice troughs filled with tall cans of Modelo and Tecate. (Mojica demurred when offered the comparison, saying the customer will decide regarding competition between the brands.)

In all, the convenience store had hurried customers everywhere, even as those there for the event filtered out after 10 a.m.

“Everyone’s extremely excited,” Mojica said. “It’s like another, mini H-E-B.”

On the way out of the store, the spokesman’s words bore out. A squat man edged quickly toward the convenience store, turning, but not stopping, to ask if it was open yet. Still in motion, and given the OK to proceed, he picked up his pace.

“Right on!” he replied. It’s unclear if he went for the jalapeño shrimp or the avocado cucumber maki roll.