COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHEN THE NEW H-E-B MARKET OPENS ACROSS THE STREET “I shop at the Dunlavy Fiesta fairly regularly. To brace themselves for the new competition, the staff just got spiffy new uniform shirts, and they’ve put out a banner that says that location has housed a neighborhood grocery store for 60 years (indeed, my grandmother shopped there decades ago when it was a Safeway). I keep wanting to ask the employees if anyone is moving over to the HEB, because if I were running HEB the first thing I’d do is hire away the best Fiesta employees. But I’m sure it’s a touchy subject. I love HEB and will probably shop there, too, but I’m going to feel like a traitor.” [Carol, commenting on Meanwhile, on the Former Site of the Wilshire Village Apartments]
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aww, the power of the consumer.
This is supposed to be what makes a market economy great!
I shopped at the Fiesta Dunlavy location when it was Apple Tree (early 90’s). It was my favorite grocery store in the Montrose/Museum area.
I’ll continue to hit Fiesta first for basic produce, then dash across the street for everything else. How about Fiesta turning Dunlavy into one of their Beverage Marts?
Weingarten’s-Safeway-Appletree-Fiesta could use some sprucing up.
Its all about the shopping experience. I live less than four blocks from the Randalls at Weslayan & Bissonnet. However, I prefer to shop at the HEB on Buffalo Spdwy because its just a more pleasant experience and their products are fresher. The other key point is that HEB ensures that multiple registers are open so there is hardly a line…unlike Randalls where frequently the lines are 5 and 6 deep afterwork.
Actually that fiesta is pretty nice, good produce, wine and beer selection are very good, the staff is nice, and it’s down to earth and homey, nothing wrong with that. Can’t wait to have HEB as an option currently driving from downtown to bunker hill for groceries, allow me to be the first to say F- whole foods..
Don’t get used to the Fiesta being there… looking at the comments here, the changing demo of Montrose and the value of that property, I expect an apartment complex to sprout at that location in the next 2 years…
Plus, if it’s Fiesta in general you like, there’s a much larger one just down the road. I don’t go there often, but when I need something out of the ordinary, I’ll go there over (the slightly closer) Dunlavy.
I love that Fiesta. Besides nice, inexpensive produce and a careful selection of unusual brands, it has a lovely scale. You can park right in front, grab a few items, and check out in very few steps. It reminds me of the Safeway we went to when I was a kid. I find the giant grocery stores exhausting, especially if I just need a couple of things.
I like that Fiesta too. I currently shop at Disco Kroger, BS HEB, and the Dunlavy Fiesta. While I like different aspects of each store, overall my favorite is Fiesta. It’s friendly, easy to access and has really fun music (I’ve always found Kroger’s in-store radio really annoying).
I’d shop at a Piggly Wiggly if it had covered parking. If Discount Airport Parking can have covered spaces, how expensive could it be?
I live close and occassionally shop at Fiesta. I don’t really care for the narrow ailses. It feels crowded when you have to navigate around other shoppers. However, it does have some sentimental value for me — I won my first ever prize here as a child in 1967 – a ten speed bicycle raffle when it was Weingartens.
We should create a flash mob to shop at Fiesta on opening day of HEB
heh ok..
I shop almost exclusively at that Fiesta. I love that its small and inexpensive, yet still has all kinds of foreign foods etc. BEST WINE PRICES IN TOWN!! I do hope it survives.
Though once the opening madness calms down I will be heading to the new HEB occasionally for prepared foods, flowers, and better produce.
I think what Fiesta on Dunlavy is going to have to do if they want to survive is go “out of the ordinary”.
I love that there are unusual items in that store. They need to go with that, go full on Mexican, Vietnam, British, etc. with an aisle for each, then also get some more health foodie items (I second f Whole Foods) and the Beverage Mart idea is great. Turn a big portion into that.
I will continue to run into Fiesta when I pick up my dry cleaning next door, but looking forward to HEB for big shopping.
Oh and I forgot about my weekly “Oldies” fix at Fiesta! Can’t give that up.
FYI, the opening date for HEB’s “Montrose Market” is now confirmed for 2011-11-16, i.e. next Wednesday.
I’m sure I’ll stop by to check it out on my way over to Fiesta for my usual bottle or three of excellently priced wine. I’m also pretty sure that it will be so thronged w/soccer mommies, their offspring, and assorted yuppie scum that I won’t be staying long.
#13 for COTD. Combine that with #18, so what time on Wed should we show up?
Just for pure spirit, Fiesta has my vote. It has an excellent spirits section, the best seafood section this side of Chinatown (with affordability tossed into the equation), and their international section is unequalled by any beneral-purpose store in Houston. Its disappearance would be a big blow to the quality of life in the Montrose area. The appearance of a bunch more i% types on that space would not be a compensation.
Yeah you should feel like a traitor….