AUSTIN (KXAN) — There’s a new barbecue spot on the block in south Austin, and it comes with a grocery store.
You might know its name: H-E-B.
The San Antonio-based grocer is opening the doors of its newest 130,000-square-foot location on June 10. It’s located at 8801 S. Congress Ave., near the corner of Slaughter Lane and I-35.
The new $200 million project will feature the city’s first “True Texas BBQ,” which was named the best barbecue chain in Texas in 2019.
True Texas BBQ will offer:
- Indoor and outdoor seating
- Children’s indoor playground area
- Drive-thru
Of note, the children’s playground will be temporarily closed due to coronavirus safety precautions.
The main store will offer:
- Expanded organic foods and Healthy Living department
- Blooms floral area
- Expanded beer and wine department
- Bakery with Tortilleria
- Full-service meat market and seafood counter
- Expanded grab-and-go section
- Texas Backyard, which offers products for grilling, gardening and outdoor entertaining
The Texas chain will celebrate the grand opening by donating $70,000 to local nonprofit organizations and surrounding schools.
A door opens, a door closes
H-E-B will officially close its South First Street and William Cannon Drive location on June 5. For customers who live nearby, the company will provide free CapMetro bus passes. They will also donate $20,000 to the Central Texas Food Bank to support the creation of food boxes, and an additional $3,000 to Hungry Souls.

H-E-B also indefinitely postponed the construction date for its South Congress/Oltorf location back in May, due to adjustments “to the new realities of these changing times.”
“This is a special store, and we will move forward with construction when we are certain our plan offers the dynamic and innovative shopping experience our loyal and deserving South Congress customers will be proud of for decades to come,” H-E-B Director of Public Affairs Leslie Sweet said in a store press release. “This is a postponement only. We remain deeply committed to bringing South Congress customers an iconic store that will offer a unique, world-class shopping experience.”
H-E-B originally scheduled to close that location on March 22 to make way for another 130,000-square-foot complex. The existing H-E-B will remain open to serve customers until construction starts.