H.E.B Stores Have Near Monopoly on Grocery Industry in Brownsville

H.E.B. Store, Elizabeth Street

Currently, H.E.B. Supermarkets, founded by devout Baptist Howard Edward Butts, dominate the grocery industry in Brownsville.  H.E.B. reflected Baptist values until 1976 by remaining closed on Sundays and not selling alcohol.

The H.E.B. stores on Central Blvd., Ruben Torres, Boca Chica and the original downtown location on Elizabeth Street are "blowin' and goin'" during operating hours.  The winter Texans and some locals may prefer to shop at Walmart, but H.E.B. gets the lion's share of sales and profits.

When I first came to Brownsville in 1966, there were quite a number of "supermarkets," as well as dozens of mom and pop corner stores scattered around town.  El Centro, Villa Verde, Minimax, Lopez, A&V Lopez, King Mart and my personal favorite, FedMart.  The big box store sold groceries plus general merchandise, even a tune-up kit, including rotor, condenser and points for just over a dollar and motor oil at 30 cents per quart for my '59 VW bug.

Each store had its strengths and weaknesses.  Nena and I loved a thin-sliced wheat breat sold at Minimax in the Palm Village Shopping Center. H.E.B. ran Texsun Orange Juice, originally produced in Weslaco, on special for 39 cents for the 46 oz can.

Glen's Supermarket, at the corner of Boca Chica and Palm Blvd., where I worked when we first got married, was a similar store to Pace Grocery on Central Blvd, where Autrey Pharmacy is now. Jimmy Pace and Glen Herman were friends, both active in local politics. If we ran out of Biltmore Luncheon Loaf at Glen's, Mr. Herman would send one us to Pace Grocery to borrow a case.

After we moved away in 1970, Kroger and Albertson's entered the Brownsville market, paying union wages. The higher overhead and lack of a local warehouse made it difficult for either to compete with H.E.B.

So, now its back to essentially H.E.B. and Walmart with an El Globo and A&V Lopez hanging in there.  Have I left out your favorite store from the past or present?

In the spring, a rumor surfaced that Fiesta Stores of Houston would be leasing the old K-Mart building at Sunrise Mall, but that has not materialized.