H-E-B — the holy grail of Texas grocery stores — is finally knocking on Fort Worth’s door. We’ve seen news for the last few months about the San Antonio-based chain opening locations across the DFW area, now it’s finally our turn to celebrate. But what are we celebrating, exactly? Let’s find out.

Time for a history lesson

Like most beloved grocery stores, H-E-B is a family-owned company that started in 1905 in Kerrville — about 4.5 hours south of Fort Worth. Over the last century, the chain grew a faithful following and became a Texas staple with 420+ stores across the state and in Mexico. In North Texas alone, H-E-B is opening eight locations, including the one coming to the Fort Worth-area.

What makes H-E-B so special

Think: Costo and Trader Joe’s merging, but with a Texas twang. All H-E-B store brand products are made by Texans — so, when you’re sipping on a morning cup of Texas Pecan Cafe Olé or biting into a homemade tortilla, you can rest easy knowing they were made by fellow Texans. Let’s not forget about the hundreds of Texas-shaped items including tortilla chips and even a cast-iron skillet.

Most notably, the company works to support Texas during hard times. In recent weeks, H-E-B committed $500,000 to support the community of Uvalde following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School. H-E-B also has several programs to get involved and better serve the community.

View the full master plan for what to expect at Alliance Town Center. | Map via Alliance Town Center

Here’s what we know

The Fort Worth location was rumored to be part of the upcoming development of Parkside at Alliance Town Center — a 30,000-sqft shopping area with food and entertainment on the north side. AllianceTexas developer Hillwood released a statement saying it “inadvertently” included H-E-B in its announcement about the development, and that the grocer had not made any public announcements.

In the meantime, we can look forward to the opening of Black Rifle Coffee Company and other retail shops in Alliance Town Center next year.