San Antonio locals question lack of more Central Market stores

There’s no question that Texas loves H-E-B. It’s often ranked as the Lone Star State’s favorite grocer. But one question has lingered over the beloved brand for years: Why does the Texas staple’s hometown have only one Central Market?

San Antonio may be home to H-E-B’s headquarters and is just about 40 miles from where the brand was founded in Kerrville. Yet the company’s growing portfolio of Central Market locations has snubbed the Alamo City year after year. While nearly every other major Texas metro has several stores, San Antonio’s lone location has been under construction for over a year.

H-E-B officials have not confirmed any plans to change this, either. But there’s clearly demand for the brand’s more boutique offering.

“I’ve been asking them this question for years,” Gracie Gomez told MySA on a post asking why there’s no second location in San Antonio and where a Central Market should open. “They just say, ‘Thank you, we’ll let our marketing team know.’ I haven’t gone due to all the construction.”

Locals were quick to speculate on why there’s a lone Central Market in the Alamo City, citing demographics, lower income or a lack of interest in H-E-B’s more boutique brand. Some pointed to population, noting that San Antonio isn’t comparable in size to Houston or Dallas, where there are two Central Markets within less than 5 miles of each other.

However, those assumptions fall short in several ways. Austin has two locations despite having a smaller population than San Antonio. Plus, there’s clear demand for the brand here in South-Central Texas, as H-E-B continues to expand its store presence across San Antonio’s burgeoning neighborhoods and pours millions into a lengthy renovation of its lone Central Market on Broadway.

As for where another Central Market should open, folks tend to favor the Northside or Northwest Side, where income brackets are higher, but grocery competition is fiercer.

“Central Market was my favorite store when I lived in Dallas,” Christina C. told MySA. “The Central Market here is not as grand or special, and I was very surprised when I found out it was owned by H-E-B. The new H-E-B in Fair Oaks should have been a Central Market.”

Ultimately, shoppers seeking a wider range of specialty cheeses, craft beer, upscale meat and fish, or the more curated vibe of Central Market will have to brave what has become a maze of confusing construction on Broadway. Otherwise, locals are turning to H-E-B competitors for a more luxurious shopping experience.

The only Central Market in San Antonio, at 4821 Broadway, has been under construction for the past two years as H-E-B invests millions to revamp the façade, expand café seating and update the interiors. While it’s been a difficult location to navigate in recent months, the disruption is expected to last until late 2027. Progress is being made. In fact, the parking lot is now open again, and shoppers can officially grab their beloved hot food staples.

A major draw of the lone Central Market on Broadway has always been access to fresh, chef-prepared meals at the heart of the store. Whether grabbing an affordable yet hearty lunch or a dinner without dishes, the ready-made food in the iconic showcases at the center of Central Market has been essential to the store. After months of wondering when these essentials would return, the wait is finally over.

“We are eager to start introducing pieces of what’s coming, and today, we opened what I believe to be the most exciting parts of the store,” said Katherine Miller, Broadway Central Market Food Service Director. “This new space provides a renewed culinary experience for our customers and Partners and a place where we can connect and celebrate with our community.”