HEB at 1604 & Potranco being downgraded. (Houston, San Antonio: appointed, neighborhoods, live)

[Visceral]

Has anyone else noticed the significant decline in standards at the HEB on Potranco and 1604? They've removed all the bulk foods, started replacing standard faire with the own brand names, started selling cheap clothing, etc? It opened a few years ago as an HEB Plus but it appears to have undergone a rapid decline in standards over the last 6 months.

We asked an HEB associated about it and he sheepishly admitted they were "re-organizing" the store for the um, how shall I say this, more "frugal" demographic on the south side of Potranco. The problem is, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods on the north side of Potranco (and I'm sure people on the south side as well!) that really dislike the direction the store has taken. With the kiosks and cheap merchandise, it feels less like a nice grocery store and more like some kind of 3d world market. Hugely disappointed, we've pretty much stopped shopping there. We've also noticed a marked decline in the quality of meat products there as well, stuff seems to spoil sooner, etc. Am I the only one?

[Backliteyes]

Originally Posted by Visceral

We asked an HEB associated about it and he sheepishly admitted they were "re-organizing" the store for the um, how shall I say this, more "frugal" demographic on the south side of Potranco. The problem is, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods on the north side of Potranco (and I'm sure people on the south side as well!) that really dislike the direction the store has taken. With the kiosks and cheap merchandise, it feels less like a nice grocery store and more like some kind of 3d world market. Hugely disappointed, we've pretty much stopped shopping there.

I've noticed this trend in general here - not just grocery stores but all different kinds of stores in less affluent areas are very noticeably less clean with worse selection than what are supposed to be identical stores in more affluent areas.

It's pretty disheartening when I feel like I need to drive further to go to the "better" store in a nicer area than the store that's closest because it has been affected by this variety of economic blight.

[GEM-Texas]

It's a seemingly common marketing mistake. You may remember the precursor of Central Market that was on Bandera and 410. Fancy food, it's own smokehouse, etc. It had a fancy cheese section. That's why I went there.

Then one day, it was all gone. I asked an HEB person where is the fancy cheese and she pointed to the Kraft slices!

You think these folks would know their neighborhoods. I think some nut with an MBA thinks that they can raise the food knowledge profile of an area by offering these thinks. All of a sudden working class people will ditch the Velveeta for some $19.99/lb Rogue Valley Blue?

When I lived elsewhere, the same thing happened. The local market redid itself, put in gourmet stuff. They had some yuppie foodie lady from NYC on the tube saying how wonderful it was. You could now get truffled olive oil.

In a year, that section was gone.

You may note that CM on Broadway has dumbed down - at first no regular stuff and now it's appearing.

As far as HEB brands, that is annoying. I wanted some plain old Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and all they had was a giant tub of HEB stuff.

Same goes on with lots of staples.

[Hoot Owl]

It's all about profitability. Store brands generate more ROI. And they know what products move and which ones don't. If you want something that a store doesn't carry, ask the manager.

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by Visceral

Has anyone else noticed the significant decline in standards at the HEB on Potranco and 1604? They've removed all the bulk foods, started replacing standard faire with the own brand names, started selling cheap clothing, etc? It opened a few years ago as an HEB Plus but it appears to have undergone a rapid decline in standards over the last 6 months.

We asked an HEB associated about it and he sheepishly admitted they were "re-organizing" the store for the um, how shall I say this, more "frugal" demographic on the south side of Potranco. The problem is, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods on the north side of Potranco (and I'm sure people on the south side as well!) that really dislike the direction the store has taken.

Not really surprised. In this recession, even corporate companies will see no real money with having general, run-of-the-mill grocery stores catering to the well-off.

Originally Posted by Visceral

With the kiosks and cheap merchandise, it feels less like a nice grocery store and more like some kind of 3d world market.

I didn't know HEB was supposed to be more upscale. It is HEB, ya know.

Originally Posted by Visceral

stuff seems to spoil sooner, etc. Am I the only one?

Mmmmm Kay.

Originally Posted by Backliteyes

I've noticed this trend in general here - not just grocery stores but all different kinds of stores in less affluent areas are very noticeably less clean with worse selection than what are supposed to be identical stores in more affluent areas.

Do you want them to look like a grocery store that Donald Trump would shop at?

Originally Posted by Backliteyes

It's pretty disheartening when I feel like I need to drive further to go to the "better" store in a nicer area than the store that's closest because it has been affected by this variety of economic blight.

I have ZERO sympathy for you. If you want to pay money to go to a nicer store that caters to "your standard," then that's what you have to do.

HEB is not going to erect fancy, upscale grocery stores to cater to the well-off. HEB is just a general grocery store and always has been.

The Gucci-B (Central Market HEB) in Alamo Heights is for more well-off people as it is a very nice store and much more expensive with a selection of things you will not find anywhere else.

People with money to spend certainly shouldn't mind traveling across town to pay more for what they "really" want.

Just sayin'.

[elnina]

"I have ZERO sympathy for you. If you want to pay money to go to a nicer store that caters to "your standard," then that's what you have to do."

... HEB eliminated most of competitors. There are Target and Walmart Super-centers. There is one (1) Whole Food store that is overpriced, and really does not offer anything spectacular. So, which "nicer store" you have in mind?? You said Gucci-B? Central Market is not the same as used to be.
Interesting that Super HEB stores in Houston are much nicer than our Central Market, and their Central Market is way beyond that.
If here, in SA would be one nice, upscale HEB - I would gladly travel there, but HEB downgraded their stores, and their customers as well.

[whippedPuppy]

Well, I just hope the 1604 & Potranco doesn't become like the HEB on Valley Hi. If it does, I'm sure you'll see live chickens being sold outside.

[Visceral]

Originally Posted by whippedPuppy

Well, I just hope the 1604 & Potranco doesn't become like the HEB on Valley Hi. If it does, I'm sure you'll see live chickens being sold outside.

At this rate, it's only a matter of time I assume.

One GOOD thing about HEB in general, I love their frozen HEB meals in a pinch, at least that's not so bad. Eye of the beholder I guess, A guy I know who moved here from up north just visited the same store and couldn't stop raving about it. As a general rule of thumb though, I prefer my grocery stores not sell cheap snow-cones outside, jewelry, cell phones and photography services inside. It's just ghetto. I'm not a San Antonio native though, so maybe it's a weird local thing. The HEB's in Austin are much cleaner and less cluttered with garbage.

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

[Backliteyes]

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

Do you want them to look like a grocery store that Donald Trump would shop at?

Donald Trump is an extreme and ridiculous example to whip out, not like he has to worry about finding his own groceries anyway. I wasn't even talking about a grocery store in any case.

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

I have ZERO sympathy for you. If you want to pay money to go to a nicer store that caters to "your standard," then that's what you have to do.

That's fine, I wasn't asking for your sympathy. And if I want something nicer or just want the experience of better kept stores I will travel further to get it, it's not a problem. Elnina's points are true, though.

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

HEB is not going to erect fancy, upscale grocery stores to cater to the well-off. HEB is just a general grocery store and always has been.

I wasn't just talking about grocery stores, and I don't shop that much at HEB so I don't care all that much about them "downgrading" or whatever.

Originally Posted by xsa210tx

The Gucci-B (Central Market HEB) in Alamo Heights is for more well-off people as it is a very nice store and much more expensive with a selection of things you will not find anywhere else.

Again I didn't have HEB in mind when I said what I did, I was generalizing to a lot of other stores I can think of, not even just grocery stores. I don't bother going to the Central Market HEB because it is further than I'm willing to go because I'm not a foodie. There's some other types of things I'm definitely willing to go further and pay more money to attain better quality and atmosphere though and that's fine.

[smuboy86]

Originally Posted by elnina

"I have ZERO sympathy for you. If you want to pay money to go to a nicer store that caters to "your standard," then that's what you have to do."

... HEB eliminated most of competitors. There are Target and Walmart Super-centers. There is one (1) Whole Food store that is overpriced, and really does not offer anything spectacular. So, which "nicer store" you have in mind?? You said Gucci-B? Central Market is not the same as used to be.
Interesting that Super HEB stores in Houston are much nicer than our Central Market, and their Central Market is way beyond that.
If here, in SA would be one nice, upscale HEB - I would gladly travel there, but HEB downgraded their stores, and their customers as well.

Lincoln Heights Market HEB and Oak Park HEB are both very nice stores they carry prime cuts of meat, both have extensive wine shops, especially Oak Park for it's size. Lincoln Heights has artisan breads that are exclusive to that one location.