The marker above (showing a now-officially-proposed H-E-B on N. Shepherd Dr.) is a little out of place, if it’s aiming for the former Fiesta site on N. Shepherd between W. 23rd and W. 24th streets as H-E-B says — but you get the idea, and the Houston Heights Beverage Coalition held a press conference on the site this morning to drive the point home. The red line on the map also only roughly shows the boundary of the nominal dry zone that the H-E-B-backed PAC is hoping to get loosened up a bit via that upcoming local election on take-home beer and wine sales. But you can find out for sure whether or not you’re close enough to be eligible to vote in the Houston-Heights-only election by checking your ballot at at HarrisVotes.com — and also check whether or not you’re registered, which you’ve only got until Tuesday to do. (If printing out a form is too much of a hassle, maybe try your nearest taco truck.)
- Previously on Swamplot: Yes, The Heights Dry Zone Petitioners Really Did Collect Enough Signatures For a Vote; Heights Dry Zone Signature Gatherers Return from the Hunt Victorious; Former Fiesta Site Preps for Teardown as Heights Dry Zone Petitioners Circle; H-E-B Would Like To Plant a Store in a Wetter Heights Dry Zone; Somebody’s Trying to Legalize Beer and Wine Sales in the Heights Dry Zone
Map of proposed H-E-B in Heights Dry Zone: Houston Heights Beverage Coalition
This is literally the only vote I’m casting this year.
Well that’s kind of awesome! Letting the people decide, what a great idea. Maybe they’ll let us vote on blowing 7 figures on new school names–what wait?
Families first. Neighborhood first. HEB needs to stop manipulating our neighborhood.
If HEB wants this, why not locate a few blocks over? Seems like they are ruining a great neighborhood.
Where was HEB when Kroger got a spot on 11th? Where was HEB when Walmart got a spot on Yale (we know the answer to that one)? Where was HEB when Kroger got another spot on Studemont? Where was HEB when Whole Foods got a spot on Yale and 610? Where was HEB when Fiesta moved out of 14th St.? Why can HEB do a 12,000 sq ft market in the SoFlo neighborhood in San Antonio, but cannot do the same concept in the wet part of the Heights? Why not spruce up the store on W 18th? Why do we need an HEB at W24th and at Washington and Studewood? Why should we let the 40s of malt liquor flow out of CVS, Walgreens and Death Kroger on 20th just so HEB can wait around until all the big players are done to get its spot in the Heights? And is HEB really that good? It is really just another Kroger with some lipstick on it.
So being able to sell beer and wine at grocery stores ruin neighborhoods? Repealing laws enacted in early 1900s that doesn’t exist elsewhere in Houston is bad? Interesting … it seems like Woodlands Heights, etc. is doing just fine.
I’m a San Antonio girl and I love HEB. But they being said, watch out for them! They’ve monopolized the grocery market in SA. The only other choices for groceries are SuperWalmart and SuperTarget. Kroger is gone. Albertson’s is gone. Though I love Central Market and HEB, I try to give my business to other stores as well, like Kroger. And if HEB wants to sell beer and wine, they should build in an area near the Heights where they can do just that.
Old School, Kroger got that spot on 11th decades ago, before HEB ever came to Houston.
HEB – have always had good service and products in their deli and meat dept. Selling beer and wine in grocery is not a big deal. Wine and beer bar in Kroger. There are like 3 breweries within a 3 mile radius in the Heights, there was no hysteria over that. There is a need for a full service grocery for the 610 Shepherd area. Who wants to drive on Yale or Heights Blvd , traffic is awful especially on weekends.
Unlike other nearby neighborhoods, the Heights border I10. Accordingly, a change to the dry status will allow all sorts of convenient stores in to the neighborhood. Nor hill and Woodland Heights do not have this potential.
I would absolutely just openly mock anyone who is opposed to this referendum. It’s stunning that this is even a point of contention.
“Why should we let the 40s of malt liquor flow…?”
Wow!
I didn’t expect the “vote against beer & wine sales so brown people don’t invade our neighborhood” argument to be made quite so explicitly.
@Angostura: Where did I suggest that only “brown” people drink 40s? Funny that you immediately think of “brown people” when I mention malt liquor and 40s.
@Ross: You just proved my point. HEB first began growing into a regional grocer in the 1940s. Kroger entered the Houston market by acquiring an existing chain in the 1950s. HEB sat out the Houston market for decades while other grocers moved in. HEB’s business model is to let everyone else test the waters and only move in once it is safe. That is fine if that is how they want to do business. But if that means that they miss out on getting a good spot, they should not look to the community to make compromises just because they are perpetually gun shy on locating new stores.
The dry zone has served the Heights well for a century. It is even more vital now that so much new retail and residential development is going into the Heights. Life in the Heights has been great with no HEB and will continue to be great without one once we get a Whole Foods 365. HEB snoozed and lost the best deals.
Can’t wait for the new HEB!
The dry zone has been a joke for years now. Build a restaurant or coffee shop, tell your customers they have to join your “private club”, even print out cute little laminated cards for awhile. Then just give up on the whole charade because it’s obvious no one gives a damn. Now we’re supposed to clutch pearls and cry foul because some Big Bad Corporation wants to formalize what everyone else has been blatantly ignoring?
Dog-whistlers gonna dog-whistle.
@THGibbs, Pretty sure Woodland Heights and Norhill Heights border I-10. In fact, they are closer to “Katyville” as you NIMBYs put it and less affluent areas that would cater more to malt liquor. I really don’t understand who is opposed to responsible development. I can only assume it’s people who have lived in the Heights for decades and want to keep it exactly the way it was “back in the good old days” because “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Why is everyone so upset about HEB selling beer/wine at the proposed location when there is a liquor store about 3 blocks down?! All the restaurants in the area serve beer/wine/most liquor, so whats the big deal ? I would rather see a grocery store than another monster Apt complex. Im voting yes on the proposition, Keep heights dry and quirky??? What ever !
Did any heights residents oppose IN TOWN BREWERY ? No ? Then why oppose HEB ?
Why did HEB operate so secretly? It did not disclose the lease for the Heights Washington location and covertly funded a petition drive. This election is about big business, not neighbors. I will vote against big business ruining by neighborhood.
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I imagine the lease is a lot cheaper at the Fiesta site. Were they playing us all along?