AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s hard to imagine a time in Austin without H-E-B, but 80 years ago marked the first stores opening here, and the company wants to celebrate this week with a party filled with free food and activities.

The first H-E-B store opened in Kerrville in 1905. It took 33 years, but H-E-B expanded to Austin and opened its first store here on Sept. 5, 1938. Since then, the company added 24 more stores in Austin, and hundreds across the state and in Mexico.

People can come to the Long Center at 701 W. Riverside Drive Wednesday for free food trucks, activities, entertainment, historical photos, a donut wall and birthday cake. The festivities begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. 

The company says local stores will also have their own way of celebrating, which will take place through Sept. 11.