Skip the Store

There's a new way to get groceries delivered in Austin 24 hours a day

Shipt is launching in Austin this summer.

Photo courtesy of Shipt

Shopping can be a chore, but with a growing number of delivery apps, it's easier than ever to get what you want without having to swing by the store.

Shipt, the latest on-demand grocery service to hit the scene, will be available in Austin starting July 20. The Alabama-based company is partnering with H-E-B and Central Market so Austinites can skip the store.

You can do everything — shop, pay, even schedule a delivery — through the Shipt mobile app or online platform. Deliveries can be made 24 hours a day and in as little as one hour depending on the order. The only things that can't be delivered are alcohol, cigarettes, hazardous items, and prescriptions.

Rather than paying a fee for each order, Shipt members get free deliveries on orders over $35 for just $99 per year or $14 per month. There are markups on a few H-E-B items (an average of $5 on a $35 order), but those costs can be off-set by exclusive sales. The biggest financial perk? No surge pricing, even during the holidays.

Perhaps the most exciting feature is the massive delivery zone. Shipt's coverage area stretches from Round Rock to Lakeway to parts of Hays County.

Shipt is currently available in almost 30 U.S. cities, including Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

"It has been a busy and exciting summer expanding our partnership with Shipt across our home state of Texas," said Jeff Thomas, senior vice president and general manager of Central Texas Region operations at H-E-B, in a statement. "Our partnership with Shipt has been extremely well-received in both San Antonio and Houston."

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Games on the Go

This outdoorsy mountain trolley is now a vintage arcade in Austin

Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley still bears most of the markings from its past life in Tennessee.

Some classic arcade games are now on the go in Austin with the launch of the Austin Arcade Trolley. Housed in a renovated trolley car, this new mobile arcade shows off eight vintage 80s and 90s games, while keeping some of the transportation nostalgia intact, too.

Austin Arcade Trolley owner and ex-corporate salesman Trey Tschoepe said in a press release that the idea came about after attending birthday parties with his 6-year-old daughter. The parties inspired a desire to "keep Austinites young at heart." It wasn't intended as a business, but Austinites can now book it for their own events.

The vintage games include:

NBA Jam
Golden Tee
Ms. Pacman
Atari
The Simpsons
NFL Blitz
Mortal Kombat
Street Fighter II

Austin Arcade Trolley interior Even though the aesthetics are different, both halves of this bus are very retro.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

It's not just limited to those classics, though; a 55-inch screen will let guests play more than 30,000 other games. Minecraft, Roblox, and Tetris are a few of those offerings.

“Not only are we delivering nostalgic fun that accessible to all ages, but we’re also doing it in style with a vintage trolley car converted into a mobile arcade," said Tschoepe. "There’s truly nothing else like this in Texas or anywhere else.”

There certainly are other mobile arcades, but the trolley is unique not just for its vintage selection but a delightfully outdoorsy look. The back of the vehicle looks like an arcade, but the front and exterior sidestep the expected design elements — neon colors, envisionings of cyberspace — by keeping everything as-is.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley basically looks like any other mobile arcade.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The wooden interior still has some passenger benches, and the outside even displays its original affiliation: the Tennessee town of Pigeon Forge, where it was designated a "Fun Time Trolley."

Tschoepe did put some work in, even though he kept the aesthetic intact. He purchased the decommissioned car in May 2024 and spent six months implementing custom woodwork and other design updates.

Now it can fit 15 guests in the arcade section, with space for 7 more in the seating section. There's also wifi and air-conditioning, and guests are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks onboard.

Austin Arcade Trolley interior This part of the trolley brings light to an airier side of gaming.Photo courtesy of the Austin Arcade Trolley

The trolley is available for hourly booking every day. The case price is $375 including delivery, setup, and unlimited play within the booking time, which happens in two-hour increments. It can travel around Austin as well as to Round Rock, Cedar Park, Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander, Dripping Springs, Bee Cave, Buda, Kyle, and Lakeway.

Tschoepe welcomes kids and adults for birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, weddings, corporate and team-building events, and anywhere else it's needed.

“We’re excited to spread the fun throughout Central Texas," he said.

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