H-E-B’s long-awaited arrival inside Dallas city limits isn’t getting the warm welcome the Texas grocer is accustomed to.
The San Antonio-based grocery chain is facing opposition over plans for a 127,000-square-foot store on nearly 10 acres along Interstate 635 at Hillcrest Road, the Dallas Business Journal reported. The company bought the land earlier this year, sparking celebration among shoppers who trek miles to reach the nearest H-E-B. But the site requires a zoning change from low-rise commercial to regional retail, which would allow a building up to 70 feet tall with heavy lot coverage — a scale that some neighbors say doesn’t fit.
Supporters argue the store would fill a gap in North Dallas retail options. Some residents praised H-E-B’s reputation as a civic-minded operator and said traffic concerns were being exaggerated.
But homeowner groups are rallying against the project, citing congestion, truck loading zones and design issues. The Hillcrest Forest Neighborhood Association, which has circulated petitions, called the store “out of character” with the area and warned it could dump 6,000 additional cars onto an already busy intersection.
The pushback is consistent with a “not in my backyard” streak that has shaped development battles in affluent North Dallas. Similar concerns have derailed or delayed projects like the Pepper Square redevelopment 3 miles north. This latest fight is less about H-E-B itself than the scale of the plan — most H-E-B stores sit on 20 acres, double the proposed footprint. Some have suggested the grocer relocate to the former Valley View mall site 2 miles away, a sprawling 110-acre property already zoned for retail.
Mabrie Jackson, H-E-B’s public affairs director, said the company has met with neighbors since January and is committed to being “a good neighbor.” The rezoning request heads to the Dallas City Plan Commission this week before reaching Dallas City Council. If approved, construction could still be years out — with 2028 pegged as the earliest opening date.
H-E-B’s growing presence since the grocer entered Dallas-Fort Worth in 2022 has driven competitors such as Walmart, Kroger and Tom Thumb to increase their investments in the region. Kroger also signaled its own North Texas expansion plans with four new stores announced last month.
— Eric Weilbacher
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