Review -- #404 HEB (Bee Caves Road and SH 71) Sept 15th, 2016

Image 1. HEB #404 Exterior 1PM

Today was a great day at HEB!  For my first HEB review, I headed over to #404, located in exotic Bee Caves, TX.  Coming up to this HEB I felt a comforting aura as I was welcomed into the wide-eyed open air of the Hill Country.  I have been to 404 a few times before, and I choose it to be my first and furtherest review from my brief familiarity with it.

AESTHETICS

The first thing to notice coming to #404, is its modest stone peeked exterior reminiscent of a late 00's renovation.  This stone motif is actual quite popular for HEBs in West Austin and the Hill Country, but the added color accents fit #404 well.  The parking lot is also well adorned with live oak trees and flower beds adding to the charm.  Three entrances line the front.  Normally I find that number of entrances excessive, but it fits well into the design later on in the review.  When you come to #404, make sure that you enter from the right most.  There you will find the spacious produce section, filled with cafe and other in-store amenities.  Here can also be found the most disappointing feature of #404-namely the poor lighting.  

For a well and recently modeled HEB, this one has some of the poorer lighting.  Little to no natural light filters through doors at the front, while the high ceilinged white metal roof lattice remains unspotted by skylight or life. This combined with the sterile length and tri-segment structure give #404 an empty look, especially should one make it to its interior belly (see Pic 2a).  The only lights are the 6 halogen bulb fixtures, common among most HEBs with metal ceilings.  Here, the halogen fixtures are moderately populated, illuminating well, but coolly.  Perhaps it is a nitpick, but I think that simple features such as skylights are all that is separating this HEB aesthetically with its hypermodern counterparts like #580.  

Glancing from up to down, one finds a floor of solid marblesque concrete, polished to a low gleam. Here the empty nature of the lights give way to the open feel of the country.  #404 certainly has a very grounded feeling to it. When you are amongst the aisle of groceries, smiling around eye level, the store feels free and inviting. Look up and around to find where you are and it seems too free for its own good.  Perhaps a bit of paint design could do this HEB well.  Extending the traditional section markers upward, as well as coloring the central segments could have added a little more life to this HEB’s sky.  Instead we got a lot of grey.

As the number of entrances might suggest, #404 is divided into three distinct sections.  While most HEBs might be beholden to this motif, this one takes it to extreme with its large ground to ceiling walls.  Positively, this gives the right section which contains the cafe and other ammenties a cozy, whole foods feel.  Negatively, it sucks that life away from the rest of the store.  Due to this divide, the store seems longer and more empty in the middle and left sections.

Aesthetics- 1.8/5

DESIGN

Before getting into discussion of design let me first provide the location of important features, and thus give you perspective on how they are spatially related to one another.  Maybe a quick navigation tool if you every find yourself shopping at #404 too! Directions are given as absolute NSEW or relative to looking at the entrances from the outside.  i.e. Front, Back or Right=to the right of the entrance.

Produce Section in the front right

Amenities including Cafe in the middle right and front right

Meat and packaged meats and delis in back middle and back right

Common Groceries in the center back

Dairy and Eggs in the back left

Checkout aisles in the front center near the middle entrance

Bathrooms in the front to the left of the checkout aisles

Bear/Wine in back middle/right

House supplies and Health and Beauty in the left third of the store.

Designwise, #404 has a lot of the standard features included in the past decade of HEB design.  The shopping aisles which run up and down through the store are divided into two giving way to a long central aisle (img 1a).  This shortens the length that one is stuck in an aisle, reduces traffic jams, and gives the average “aisle-hopper" like myself more room to navigate.  The central aisle is uncluttered, allowing one to easy jot from one side to the other, while proudly displaying the HEB aisle markers.  Given this I would say that #404 has some of the easiest navigation, excepting the section dividers between the right and middle of the store.  

       A small peeve that I do have about this aisle layout is the tendency to put non grocery related or infrequent purchase items in the front set of aisles.  Here lower numbered half-aisles contain frequent purchase items such as bread, salad dressing and chips in the back, while the front half-aisle contain assortments such as cooking supplies and gift cards.  Here it is not too obtrusive, but this half-aisle design flaw will be sure to come up frequently when applicable in later reviews.  

I also have a distaste for the exact checkout aisles layout.  Each aisle is stacked two deep giving the total area of a square.  While some people have told me they prefer this layout in the case of HEB Hancock #425, I find that it makes evaluating line waits difficult.

Image 2.  Center aisle, ceiling and floor

One cool thing about this HEB is how the three entrances function to improve customer traffic flow.  The checkout aisles sit compact in the center front of the store, channeling departing customers through the center.  As with a mindful mediation, the left and right–use the right–nostrils draw customers into #404’s bosom before expelling outwards a joyous shopper breath from its central mouth.  The old in and out is furthered in the car.  In cases where an HEB falls on a major intersection such as 71 and Bee Caves, it can often be hard to arrive by automobile.  Here the bountiful driveways and safe turn lanes provide easy access to a sometimes crowded parking lot.  If you are coming on SH71 eastbound, I would recommend taking a left onto Bee Caves Rd as entering directly from 71 eastbound can require a u-turn.  Likewise, from RM620 take the Bee Caves Pkwy cutover to Bee Caves Rd and scootch in from the double width turn lane.

Design - 2.7/5

AMENITIES

HEB #404 is outfitted with all the amenities that make HEB shopping such a pleasure.  I often waltz through my favorite HEBs just to surround myself in the market like atmosphere with all the brightly covered stations and wide-eyed shoppers.  404’s right wing contains the fish market, butchery, sushi cuisine, cheese shop, deli, and cooking connection.  While the fish market and bakery or just par, the butchery is well stocked with an emphasis on steaks.  Outside, the shopping center sports the usual HEB accompanying businesses: Starbucks, Thundercloud Subs, Twin Liquors, Great Clips and Advanced Auto Parts.  In the past have likely been to #404 most for a quick gas fill up.  It is conveniently located right off of SH-71 westbound, which was a cornerstone of my commute a few years back.  Last time I was here, there was a bit of crowding of cars around the fuel pump, but I find that in general, the wait time is highly variable depending on the time of day.

Perhaps one of the more unique features of #404 is in the design of the cafe.  The in-store dining area, dubbed “Food on the Run,” falls in between the front right and middle entrances.  The cafe itself serves many cold or simply prepared foods, similar to #024 or #659.  Moderately priced sandwiches and bulk side dishes can be ordered here for home on in-store dining.  A self serve soup and salad bar as well as drink machines, serve those looking for a quick meal.  I personally, ordered a club sandwich with a side of soup for $5 from the service counter.  If you have every had one of HEB’s cafe sandwiches it was on par with those, though no where near amazing.  There is also a self checkout counter just for the purchasing of simple grab and go food such as chips or soda, and a microwave for reheating pizza.  I tried my hand buying a drink on the machine and found it convenient and quite fitting the “Food on the Run” philosophy of buying.  I do normally prefer purchasing my food at a manned register, but I think the idea of a cafe only register makes since here. 

Image 3. Dinning area

The actual dining area in #404 is especially unique.  For an HEB that generally lacks style, this dining area is superb.  Natural light filters in from tall windows, and the wooden chairs accent the cloth covered, flower adorned tables.  Since I have seen many of these “Food on the Run” dining areas pop up in the past 5 years, I do not know if HEB is shifting toward more quick cafes style featured here in #404 or the higher end dining experiences of #639.  Either way, I love having a place to sit and eat in my HEB.  Buy a soda, grabs some chips and watch the HEB go by.  

Amenities 3.2/5

SELECTION

A quick aside on this review, this was the first HEB for which I actually did my full review regiment.  As such I am missing the exact layout of some things and the depth of focus that I developed in my later research.  In this example, I missed a checkout interview and did not comment very much on the overall selection when doing my initial research.
From the notes that I did gather, #404 has a good range of options for traditional grocery items.  Overall the produce section is par with many other HEBs in the area, but it does offer a broad selection of greens and organic fruits.  As I mentioned in the amenity section, the meat market is well stocked with a broad selection of chicken and beef cuts.  This does come at the cost of the fish market, which had no tuna or shellfish upon my last visit.   Of course the onsite dining area is great, but it would be better if they offered some higher end prepared food to complete the full dining experience.  The beer and wine section includes a broad selection of craft brews and local Texas beers.  But be warned, since #404 is outside of the Austin City limits, several of the Austin craft brew standards are absent.

Selection 2.5/5

SPIRIT

When defining the spirit of an HEB, I tend to look at the people involved.  From the friendly faces stocking cans of Ponk’N’Beanes to the stoic segway riding figure monitoring the exterior, an HEB is a group effort.  And not only does the HEB staff define our experience, but we a courteous shoppers define them.  Being in Bee Caves, I found that the atmosphere of #404 to simultaneously easy going and businesslike.  Most customers seem to mind there own business, and never need to impose their will on your own.  Polite and to the point.  Likewise can be said of the staff.  It is a simple form of curtesy, from one person to the next that you find here.  No need for the aggressive “How Ya Doing” or the canned lines demanded by overly controlling managers.  A negative point of spirit must be addressed in the single self checkout machine for the in-store dining area.  As I mentioned early in the design section, the self checkout machine makes wonderful design sense, but it also takes away from the personal touch that each HEB transaction provides.  

On a side note, when re-researching the area around #404 I discovered that there is a Whole Foods located across the street.  Never in my 2+ years coming to this HEB have I ever noticed it.  It seems the people here at #404 haven’t either.  Why settle for anything but the best.

Spirit 2.3/5

Thats all from HEB #404.  Overall it is a perfectly wonderful HEB, that characterizes many of the far west Austin stores.   When you are next in the area, be sure to check it out.  Grab a cup of hot clam chowder, smile at a stranger, and as always, have an H-E-Best day!

HEB #404 Bee Caves (Bee Caves RD and SH 71)


Overall  7.3/5


First Visited — Fall 2014

Number of Visits — 5 to 10

Date of Primary Research — Sept 15th, 2016

Last Visit — Sept 15th, 2016

Best H-E-Bs in Austin - Introduction and Rules

    Today was a great day at HEB!  It took quite a bit longer to visit the over 20 different HEB locations on my list, but, today, I am happy to introduce my Best HEBs in Austin series.  Before I get into the best of the best, I wanted to give you a quick overview of my rating criteria.
    I will be judging each HEB based off of 5 categories: Aesthetics, Design, Amenities, Selection, and Spirit. Each category will receive an individual score and an overall score will be given to the HEB itself. Importantly, each category informs the overall score, but the overall score is not the sum of the parts as certain aspects can interact with or overshadow each other.

• Aesthetics - How good does this HEB look?  This category includes things like exterior design, lighting, floor and ceiling tiles, store cleanliness and just general feel.  Not only are these the things you notice first, but they effect every aspect of your store experience. Yes fruit looks better under natural light!
• Design - How is this HEB optimized and what affect does it have on the shopping experience?  These are things like parking, accessibility, visibility, navigation, placement of products and checkout aisles, and size of store.  Like aesthetics, design impacts every moment you spend in the store.  Should you have to walk a mile from bread to milk?
• Amenities - What makes this HEB special? These are the extras that go above and beyond the basic needs of a grocery store.  This covers things both inside the store such as bakeries, delis, bathrooms, dining areas, samples and pharmacies and outside the store including the neighboring stores in the shopping center.  Is the sushi here sales tax free?
• Selection - What kind of grocery product can I expect at this store?  One of the things I love about HEB is that each one has a unique product line up.  The selection category includes things like bulk products, ethnic specialties, beer and wine selection, and organic produce. Mmmmmm this HEB has Korean red bean rolls!
• Spirit - How does this HEB feel. By far the most subjective of the categories.  Yes, it does include things like staff friendliness, middle management styles, and the other customers' vibes. Really, I can't describe exactly how I rate this category, so just consider it the HEB With Ed touch.  You there, looking good!

    Lastly, I will generally be publishing lower rated HEBs before higher rated, but the order is not a strict rank.  Each visit to HEB is highly subjective and depends on time of day, the present staff, and my particular mood.  While I am confident that the rating I give each HEB provides a ball park indicator of its quality, I cannot definitively say one HEB is better than another similarly rated HEB based off of the small sample size–one to two visits for almost half of the HEBs on the list.  Just because X HEB is reviewed after Y HEB, does not indicate that X is better than Y.  A better indicator of quality is the overall score I give the HEB.  I will be publishing either a top 5 or top 10 HEB list after I finish my preliminary reviews, so look for a more detailed comparison then!  Also I am still accepting submissions for greater Austin area HEBs, so please let me know if you want me to review a further out HEB that might have missed my list.
   I will be publishing a new review two to three times a week.  So tune in this Thursday for my official review of HEB #404. And as always shoppers, have an H-E-Best day!

HEB #580 and HEB with Ed Blog Update

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  I went to HEB #580.  It was great.  But I can't tell you about it... yet.  When I first started the HEB With Ed blog, I wanted to share my day-to-day experiences at HEB, but as my audience has grown I want to do something more.

    This fall, I want to visit not just any HEB but all of the HEBs!†  I want to roll out a full list of the best HEBs around, complete with protips on the best parking and hottips on where the bathrooms are. I also want to add a little bit of suspense, so I will hold off on blogging about any HEB‡ until I've got the juicy dets on prices and produce, and the inside scoops on management and shopping carts.  Right now I have visited about 20 different HEBs.†  If you have a particular HEB you want me to review, leave a comment below.  Also if want me to check out a particular HEB feature or give me an in person tour of your favorite HEB, shoot me a PM.  Keep an eye out for my list of the Best HEBs in Austin coming this October.  Until then I hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

† In the greater Austin area

‡ Except Number 639

HEB Whitestone #580

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  I headed over to the other HEB on Whitestone, HEB #580. This is one of the newest HEBs popping up in the fast growing Cedar Park area. Though not a HEB Plus, #580 is on the bigger size.  This fact is emphasized by the natural skylights and clear aisle layout. Seriously, the aisle layout is top tier. One can very clearly see from one side of the store to the other. A downside to #580 is the intersection of Palmer and Whitestone, on which it is located. The construction, traffic, and entrances make getting into the HEB park lot a chore.  For example, there is no entrance via Palmer northbound, meaning that you have to take two long left light onto Whitestone and Market St.  It is possible to take Colonial Pkwy behind the HEB, so keep a eye peeled if you are headed northbound on Palmer.  Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Meuller #639 and HEB Brodie #428

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  I stopped into HEB #639 around noon.  The HEB was surprisingly empty for a Sunday, and I had almost no wait during checkout. I chatted with the cashier only to discover that one of my favorite HEB cashiers, S, has moved away to San Antonio! Apparently he is pursuing a career in pediatrics.  Best of luck S!
   

    Some friends and I went swimming at the greenbelt this afternoon, so we decided to also check out HEB #428, Brodie Ln.  This is the first time for any of us to come to #428. You can imagine how excited we were!  First impressions: the storefront of #428 fits the early '00s.  But the small arches and simple white stonework hide a capacious, well lit interior. The spacious produce section sit underneath 20+ft windows facing east.  Overall I would say that #428 has some of the best looking produce around. Great selection and of course prices on everything here. Some downsides to this HEB is its poor positioning relative to Brodie and W. Cannon Dr.  Also its Bakery/Deli Section are in the middle of the store blocking travel from east to west. Outside the produce section, the selection is not all that great. For example, I could not find any buckwheat noodles. They also have self-checkouts, something I am hesitant of using. I don't know if this was just when I was there, but I had a man screaming "BREAD!" near me when I was checking out.  Overall HEB #428 was a good experience, and I am sure to be back!  I give it 7½ stars.  Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Meuller #639

Photo taken by a nice shopper at #639

    Today was an awesome day at H-E-B! Since it is the weekend, I headed over to my home HEB, #639. On the way in, I saw an HEB pen laying on the ground.  I am an HEB paraphernalia collector, so I was very excited to add another item to my stash.  Unfortunately, the pen exploded in my hand!  I had ink all over me, and I couldn't use the pen!  I picked up some other litter in the parking lot, threw it away and headed inside.
   It is hard for me to describe exactly why I love HEB #639 so much. I assume that it is the feeling that everyone must have toward their home HEB. For me, this HEB feels like home, and the people here are my family. Seriously, the people here are some of the nicest around. You have a diverse mix of younger families from the Meuller development to the southwest, older residents from the 1970s developments to the northeast, and young singles looking to take advantage of the cheap rent all around. On this single trip, I got a random high five, a compliment on my shirt, and a separate compliment on my pants.  I also got great advice on purchasing fresh lettuce from a fellow shopper who seemed to be in the same high spirits as me. What a great day at HEB for me! I hope that you all have an H-E-Best day yourselves!

HEB Lakeline #659 & HEB Hancock #425

    Today was a great day at H-E-B! This evening I decided to visit the HEB at Lakeline, one of the best HEBs in North Austin. #659, is an newer HEB Plus, built a few years ago to replace the old HEB at 183 and Lake Creek.  Like HEB #639 and other modern HEBs, #659 has high ceilings, a chef, a deli, a high-end cheese section, and a small café.  I used to love coming this café during the day and ordering a small coffee for $1with unlimited refills.  The food is decent, but is limited to sandwiches and cold sides.  The reason I came to this HEB is that I was excited to try out the new automated scanning machine.  

   The automated scanning machine (see picture) is a 15 ft long conveyor belt that divides into two checkout counters. The items are placed at the head of the belt.  They then pass under the scanner, a ring which uses 3-D scanning technology to ring up the item.  Once through, the items are directed toward a bagging area where they can be bagged.  When the customer has finished loading their items, they place a special tag on the belt, which signals the end of the order and switches the belt to the other side.
    Since I was just testing the new feature, I placed a single item on the belt and walked over to the right bagging counter to interview the cashier. "The scanner is cool, when it works," explained the cashier . There are a few downsides to this machine.  First of it can only scan fruits or vegetables that are pre-weighed, and labeled.  It also cannot scan large items that you would normally leave in the cart, like bulk bottled water or televisions.  Also I was surprised when the cashier told me that he preferred smaller orders over bigger ones.  "If we're not paying attention, the items get backed up [beyond the switch]," he explained.
    All in all, I would still prefer to take my groceries to a regular old checkout counter.  The system did not seem much faster that the traditional manual scanner, but I am sure it save on labor costs or something.  If you are in a special mood and want to take a ride on the automated system, remember no produce and no long orders.  Heck, it is a little fun after all.

The new automated scanning system at HEB #659

   After heading home from HEB Lakeline, I remembered that I had forgotten something!  Of course that just means another trip to HEB for me, so I pulled off of I-35 and went to HEB Hancock #425. There I ran into my friends, O, V and T.  Since T is a regular here, I asked him about a few of the unique features #425 has to offer. Again T recommended to extensive vegan and alternative food section.  Sitting just north of the beer and south of the bulk sections, the alternative food section is an menagerie of vegan favorites, gluten-free substitutes, and holistic food options.  Fair warning, the bulk food section is closed off from the hours of 9PM-6AM. So you must take the south path into this area if you are shopping at night.
    T and I also discussed the overall layout of #425. We both agreed that the number of entrances, 3, was a bit excessive.  Also if you prefer to shop with one of the mini carts, they are only available at the middle entrance so plan accordingly.  I also found that the oddly designed center section-bulk/vegan, beer/wine and flower/ballon made traveling north-south in that area a bit difficult.  On the way out, my friends and I each took a turn spinning the HE-Buddy wheel.  Well, that's the news from HEB Hancock.  Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Hancock #425

Today was a great day at H-E-B!  I stopped into the HEB Hancock #425 again today to use the restroom and pick up a pint of New Belgium Fat Tire.  Having just been in Hancock on Sunday, I do not have a lot to add about #425. A small downside to the Hancock HEB that I did not address last time, are of course the bathrooms.  The restrooms here are scrunched up in the middle-front of the store, behind the registers.  As such they can be a little complicated to get to, and you can easily miss where they are if you are not familiar with the store.  They are also a tab bit small. So far my waits have never been too long, but the cramped environment does bring down the HEB mood. Of course, once you leave the restrooms you are in the luxuriously spaced HEB Hancock, so any negative vibes will quickly fade. The beer selection is of course great, though a little difficult to navigate. This actually sums up #425 pretty well!  Great, but a little difficult to navigate.  I hope in a future post, to post up the floor plan and talk in detail about the layout of HEB #425, but until then I hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Hancock #425

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  On the way to go tubing in New Braunfels, some friends and I stopped into the HEB Hancock, located near the intersection of I-35 and 41st Street.  Many people will tell you that HEB #425 is one of the best.  While do I think that it is very good, I would hesitate at calling it the best.  The major advantage to HEB #425 is in its selection. This HEB is huge, it is almost the size of an HEB plus, and it is filled with food.  Being located near both the campus and the medical area in Austin, means that healthy foods are in surplus. The produce section is always well stocked, and I hear that the delis are excellent.  Once you round the prepared food section, step over to the bulk and health area. The bulk section is one of the best HEB has to offer.  They even have Kombucha on tap so make sure to bring your growler.  The alternative food section is also very good. My vegan friend, T, comes to this HEB almost exclusively to stock up on yummy vegan products.  You can also head over to the freezer section for some unique asian selections. I always try to grab some hard-to-find Japanese red bean paste rolls. As far as I know, this is the only HEB that carries it. The downside to HEB #425, is that it is always very crowded and the checkout lines are not well laid out. But it is open 24/7, so you can stop by at anytime to avoid the wait.  Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Whitestone #265 and HEB #639

    Today was a great day at H-E-B.  I was in Cedar Park on business, so I decided to stop by the HEB on the corner of Whitestone TX-1431 and US-183. I used to consider this HEB on the bottom tier of HEBs before it was renovated two years ago.  The new features are nice, but they come with some cost. First off, they completely remade the front of the building, adding two beautiful glass entryways and small shopping areas.  While they certainly added to the overall aesthetic appeal, the new entrances also pushed the parking lot back a good 30 feet, meaning that there is less parking and more congested traffic flow.  In addition, the items that they placed in the new shopping space are an odd collection of plants, tupperware, charcoal, and school supplies.  I guess the management plans to rotate the inventory here seasonally, but to me it just looks strange.  A huge up side with the new entrance, is that they remodeled the old single person bathrooms into standard multi-stall units.  Also there is significantly more room between the checkout counters and the front wall, giving you that satisfing, complete feeling once you checkout. One final note is that the manager at #256 always seems to run a really tight shift. The cashiers always complete the transaction by the book.  I am sure you will hear the trademarked, "Do you need and bags, stamps or buddy bucks?" and "Your total is X and you saved Y today," when you get your receipt.  I personally prefer when things are done less standard, but if you are one of those people who always strive for perfect service, give HEB #256 a try!
    Later in the afternoon, my friend and I decided to walk over to HEB Mueller #639 after swimming in Bartholomew pool.  On the way in, we noticed two other patrons dressed in togas and sandals. It seems as if HEB #639 is turning into quite the Forum! We ended up getting a lot of groceries for tonight's dinner of rouladen and apple pie. One thing I will say about my friend is he takes advantage of all of the free samples.  The way he does it, a short tour around the HEB can constitute a small meal and a trip to the bar. Personally I am not a sampler. This always seems to surprise the food vendors. In fact, I got into quite a discussion with one such vendor, who was very insistent about me sampling one of her health bars. I of course do not sample, but she made a very good logical case.  I hope I get to see her again next time at #639.  Who knows, maybe I'll even buy her product. At the checkout counter, I made my second HEB concession of the week–I bought a bag.  If you imagine yourself shopping at HEB, I am one of those people who normally awkwardly carry everything around, no cart, no basket, and then perilously carry my items out of the store in a carefully crafted balancing act.  To me it is a ceremonious dance, one of my favorite parts of shopping at HEB. A bag is a big deal for me, as I have never actually bought one before in the 3+ years of the Austin bag ban. But let's just say that the rouladen was worth it.
    Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Meuller #639 x2

Today was a great day at H-E-B!  Yesterday morning I went to #639 to pick up some gas.  As always HEB has great prices on petrol.  This time I paid the extra 5 dollars for the Additech™fuel additive they advertise at the pump.  Normally, I am not one for getting these types of extra gimmicks that have murky science and marketing behind it, but hey it's HEB.  I have actually tried the fuel additive last year, and was surprised when my car got 38 mpg (I normally average about 28-33 mpg). One should never trust purely anecdotal evidence, but I will let you all know what my fuel efficiency is this time. After that, I headed inside to pick up some yogurt, blueberries, and oats for morning granola.  They were playing some really chill 90's pop/rock ballads over the speaker system, which put me in a rather happy mood.
    Today, I woke up rather tired after a evening nap.  I was not feeling very well, so I headed over to HEB Mueller to cheer me up.  I grabbed my usual spot–the first one next to the exit northeast.  I love parking here, it is very convenient for quick exits and is always available.  Also, you get to walk through a well landscaped garden area on your way inside.
    If you are one of those people who like hunting for spots, I imagine #639's lot can be very annoying. The pedestrian flow brings the parking lot traffic to a crawl.  Also the relatively small lot and slanted parking (I hate these) can make it very difficult to find a good spot on your first pass. Fortunately, I am not one of those types of people.  For the spot hunters out there, I would recommend parking to the east of the store, next to the pharmacy drive-thru. There are usual plenty of spots and you have direct access to the NE 51st Street exit.  Also it is only 10-20 feet before you are underneath the front overhang, which will protect you from both the rain and brutal summer sun. In most cases try to avoid crossing the lot in the lane directly in front of the HEB.  The pedestrian crosswalks cover the entire lane and can make getting across take 2+ minutes.  If you do have to cross the lot east-to-west try going behind the building.  The back is completely open, and you can help contribute to a safe, pedestrian friendly HEB environment!
    Hope you all have an H-E-Best day!

HEB Manor/Springdale #161

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  I went to the HEB Manor #161, which is two miles away from my house in the opposite direction of #639. There has been a lot of street and highway construction in this area, so I haven't been to the Manor HEB in a while.  For those of you who haven't been to #161, the architectural style roughly fits the mid 90s to early '00s HEB designs.  While not nearly as glamorous as one of the state of the art HEBs, #161 has a distinct charm with its dropped ceiling and simple floor tiling. The best thing about this HEB is its deals. Today I got a coupon for a dollar off a loaf of HEB's bakeshop honey wheat split top–my favorite type–bringing the price down to a whopping 83¢!  I also picked up some well priced chips and apple juice for a small party I had this afternoon.  A minor complaint I have towards this HEB is the location of the freezer section.  It lies in the middle of the store, and it feels like it cuts the store in half.  Even though this is a mid to small size HEB, the freezer section makes going from one side of the store to the other seem like a more daunting task.  Other than that, #161 is a pretty good HEB and I would recommend it to anyone looking for great deals or wanting to take advantage of their above average butchery.
    Hope you all have and H-E-Best day!

HEB Mueller #639

Myself in front of HEB #639

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  My friend and I went around 1pm to my home HEB in Mueller. This time we picked up some fruit, eggs, and yogurt for today's lunch. One of my favorite things about HEB #639 is it only has one main entrance, which faces you toward the high cellinged produce section. It is as if the HEB itself wants you to buy fruits and vegetables.  I took my usual journey through HEB #639, which begins in the produce section and spirals around the store counterclockwise ending in the central bread section. I then march down the health aisle to the multiple 15 Items or Less checkout line. My friend and I checked out, grabbed a few more Buddy Bucks, and headed over to spin the wheel. I had about 20 Buddy Bucks saved up, so I was eager to press my luck. After a batch of close calls and small payouts–1 to 5 points–I finally landed a big Instant Winner! Unfortunately the only Instant prize #639 have this quarter is the disappointing sidewalk chalk, of which I already own two. But the man at the claim counter was very nice and gave me two lollipops instead.  I'll be back to collect once they rotate the prizes.

HEB Mueller #639 x 2

    Today was a great day at H-E-B!  For my first trip today, I needed a small amount of cash this afternoon, so I headed over to my home HEB in the Mueller development about 2 miles from my house.  Instead of using the ATM, I decided to buy an item and use the cash back feature to withdraw the amount.  When shopping around I noticed a shopping cart filled with individually packaged beers, on clearance for 59¢ per bottle.  Having tried a few of these yesterday when they were selling for 99¢, I quickly grabbed a hand full, then a basket full, then caved in a got a cart.  All in all I bought 40 beers for $26 after tax.  Talking with the HEB sales representative, the beers had been overstocked and they were trying to get rid of them.  I offered to buy more if she lowered the price, but she said she would hold off on that.  Who knows, if they drop the price to 39¢ tomorrow, I might have to buy the whole inventory!
   My second trip to HEB, was with my friend, O, from out of town.  We stopped in to pick up some veggies and meat for tonight's supper.  The overall vibe of the place was really on target today.  After striking up a few conversations with other shoppers and picking up our groceries, we headed to the aggravated line for the six, 15 Items or Less checkout counters.  The line was a little bit of a disaster as it snaked into the aisles, but I was able to correct it, by shifting it west toward the flower section. O grabbed the first aisle to the right and had an rather exceptional cashier.  Not only did he speedily checkout my friend, he also had really good awareness of his surroundings, helping a nearby lost shopper locate his wife–both on cell phones, 15 ft apart.  My friend finished checking out, and to my surprise, the same cashier called me up!  Meaning that he checked out both O and myself faster than the other cashiers checked out a single person.  That's what I called service!  Since we were in a rush, I was unable to cash in the Buddy Bucks that I have been saving up, but I hope to take care of that tomorrow.
   Hope you all have a H-E-Best day.