H-E-B breaks ground on construction for 3rd store in Pflugerville

coming fall 2024

newsroom.heb.com

If there's one thing that a majority of Texans love about their state, it's their hometown hero grocery store. H-E-B has broken ground on their newest location in the North Austin suburb of Pflugerville on July 12.

The new store, located at the corner of Pflugerville Parkway and State Highway 130, will span 127,000 square feet and is expected to open by fall of 2024. In a press release, H-E-B said over 500 jobs will be created to staff the new location.

"We are thrilled to start construction our third store in Pflugerville, a growing community we’ve proudly been a part of for 35 years," said Cathy Harm, H-E-B Senior Vice President Central Texas in the release. "We look forward to serving our dedicated customers in this part of Travis County with a new store that offers a wide assortment of quality products, innovative services, and the best of what H-E-B has to offer."

To celebrate the beginning of the new store's construction, H-E-B made $5,000 donations to five local organizations in Pflugerville and Central Texas, totaling $25,000:

"H-E-B is passionately committed to its customers beyond the four walls of its stores, weaving an undeniable Spirit of Giving into its business philosophy," the company said in a statement.

The new H-E-B will have a modern exterior. newsroom.heb.com

The design of the latest store will showcase a modern exterior similar to other H-E-B's in the area, with the Texas Backyard centered between the two entrances, the Curbside area on the right side of the building, and the True Texas BBQ on the left side.

In addition to providing residents with fresh produce and classic Texas customer service, this new H-E-B will also have a True Texas BBQ restaurant, a gas station with a car wash, a Cooking Connection station with live demonstrations, and a Texas Backyard for any and all outdoor grilling or gardening needs.

Other familiar services and amenities that will be available with the new Pflugerville H-E-B include:

Meal Simple area
Sushiya
Full service bakery and tortilleria
Expanded Healthy Living section
Blooms floral services
Curbside and Home Delivery services
Full service pharmacy with a two-lane drive thru

There are two H-E-B stores currently in operation in Pflugerville: one at 1434 Wells Branch Parkway, and another at 201 FM 685.

More information about the new Pflugerville H-E-B can be found on newsroom.heb.com.

Pflugerville, TX Municipal Government / Facebook

Pfun Austin suburb pflies to top 50 most livable small cities

where quality meets life

Pflugerville is as pfun as they come, and according to a new study by SmartAsset, it's one of the most livable small U.S. cities too.

The North Austin suburb ranked No. 31 in SmartAsset's list of 275 small American cities, and was the only Texas city to make the top 50.

Recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau states Pflugerville's population is 65,191 as of April 2020. The study found that housing costs take up less than 20 percent of an owner's income, only 6.6 percent of residents live below the poverty level, and the city's unemployment rate is only three percent.

"Pflugerville is a fast-growing city, home to residents who enjoy safe streets, a beautiful trail system and share incredible community spirit," the city's website says. "Pflugerville combines trails and community with business opportunities and is the place where quality meets life."

Other factors that helped determine the city's rank include healthcare, average commute times, entertainment, and more.

Other Austin-area suburbs that made it into the report include Cedar Park (No. 118), Leander (No. 138), and Georgetown (No. 141).

Temple, which is about an hour north of Austin, ranked No. 223, while New Braunfels and San Marcos ranked No. 229 and No. 270, respectively.

The top 10 most livable cities in the U.S. are:

No. 1 – Redmond, Washington
No. 2 – Sammamish, Washington
No. 3 – Novi, Michigan
No. 4 – Newton, Massachusetts
No. 5 – Arlington Heights, Illinois
No. 6 – Palo Alto, California
No. 7 – Kirkland, Washington
No. 8 – Farmington Hills, Michigan
No. 9 – Maple Grove, Minnesota
No. 10 – Queen Creek, Arizona

The full report can be found on smartasset.com.

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash

Austin household bills are 25 percent higher than the national average, report finds

LIVING IS EXPENSIVE

We already know how expensive it is to live in Austin. With rent prices on the rise and a six-figure salary not going as far as it used to, it’s no wonder why people would rather move to the suburbs than live in the city. Now, a new tool explores just how pricey the average Austinite’s household bills are in comparison to the national average. Spoilers: it’s not a pretty picture.

The average Austin household pays $2563 monthly for their bills, which adds up to $30,756 a year. When compared to the national average, which is $24,552 a year, the Austinite household is paying $6,204 more per year, or 25 percent more. Their findings show Austin is the No. 33 most expensive Texas city for household expenses, so at least we’re not at the top of that list.

If you look around at other Austin-area cities, like Pflugerville, the average household is paying $2,358 per month for their bills, which is only 15 percent higher than the national average.

In Round Rock, however, the average household there pays more than they would in Austin proper, at $2,606 a month, making them the No. 30 priciest city for household expenses in Texas. Additionally, Round Rock residents pay $6,720 more per year in household bills than the average American household.

Here’s how Austin-area cities rank when compared to all cities in Texas:

No. 23 – Dripping Springs
No. 30 – Round Rock
No. 33 – Austin
No. 49 – Buda
No. 50 – Cedar Park
No. 55 – Manor
No. 60 – Pflugerville
No. 27 – Kyle
No. 135 – San Marcos
No. 153 – Del Valle

The DoxoInsights (stylized doxoINSIGHTS) Explorer is a first-of-its-kind tool that calculates the average monthly payments for 10 of the most common household bills and compares them to the national average. The bills that it tracks are the average cost of a mortgage, rent, auto loan, utilities, auto insurance, mobile phone, health insurance, cable and satellite, life insurance, and alarm and security.

According to the tool, Travis County is the No. 7 in a ranking of most expensive household bills in the state. Neighboring Williamson and Hays also rank in the top 10 most expensive counties in Texas at No. 6 and No. 10, respectively.

The top 10 most expensive counties in Texas are:

No. 1 – Collin County
No. 2 – Rockwall County
No. 3 – Fort Bend County
No. 4 – Denton County
No. 5 – Kendall County
No. 6 – Williamson County
No. 7 – Travis County
No. 8 – Waller County
No. 9 – Galveston County
No. 10 – Hays County

More information can be found on doxo.com.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

Famous Austin furniture store Louis Shanks shutters last remaining locations

closing up shop

After nearly 80 years in business, family-owned Texas furniture store Louis Shanks is closing down its business.

As reported by Furniture Today, Louis Shanks will host a liquidation sale beginning Thursday, September 21, at the last remaining store in San Antonio, at 11035 IH-10 West, and its flagship store in Austin.

The furniture retailer first opened in 1945, led by its namesake Louis Shanks and John Stanford, Furniture Today said. The business had been operated by the Shanks family for four generations, with the San Antonio store opening in 1983. The company previously had a second Austin store, and more locations Houston and Sugar Land, which have all since been closed.

"An independent, regional retailer became nationally recognized by the industry and its customers for its fine furniture selection and impeccably vignetted showrooms," the industry website said.

Furniture Today reported that Planned Furniture Promotions will be spearheading the liquidation sale for Louis Shanks. Senior vice president Tom Liddell said in a statement that his company is "honored to be a part of [the] historic moment" with the long-established furniture retailer.

"This is a celebration of their decades of excellence and an extraordinary opportunity for consumers in the Austin and San Antonio areas to experience the legacy of Louis Shanks Furniture one last time," Liddell said. "This marks the end of an era, and we at PFP are thrilled they have entrusted us with this pivotal project."

A combined 200,000 square feet of merchandise will be liquidated, according to the report.

Here are the top 7 things to do in Austin this weekend

Weekend Event Guide

Nonstop cinema, critically acclaimed comedy, and tons of festival fun are in our sights for the next several days. Enjoy riveting conversation and expert journalism up close at the Texas Tribune Festival, or enjoy nonstop cinema with the return of Fantastic Fest. Check out the top seven things to do in Austin this weekend. For a complete list of events, go to our calendar.

Thursday, September 21

Fantastic Fest
The country’s largest genre film festival returns to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema South Lamar for another year of all things fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and action. Attendees will have the opportunity to screen a curated selection of daring and thought-provoking cinema by filmmakers from around the world. Notable festival events include screenings of the opening night film The Toxic Avenger, the first two episodes of Netflix's The Fall of the House of Usher, the mystery thriller Eileen, the closing night film Totally Killer, and more. Screenings and events are scheduled through September 28. Badges are available at fantasticfest.com.

Texas Tribune Festival
Lone Star journalism takes center stage at the return of the Texas Tribune Festival. The three-day event is curated by the journalists of the Texas Tribune itself and features interviews, surprise talent mashups, panel discussions, and several guest speakers all in one jam-packed weekend. Confirmed speakers for this year’s festival include Jake Tapper, Katie Couric, Coln Allred, and many more. For a full schedule of events and to attend the festival, go to texastribune.org.

ACL Live presents "Jim Gaffigan: Barely Alive Tour"
ACL Live hosts multihyphenate entertainer Jim Gaffigan for two nights back-to-back. He’s widely known for his keenly hilarious observations on life and is also a New York Times best-selling author and three-time Emmy-winning recording artist. Ticket information can be found on acllive.com.

Cap City Comedy Club presents Kevin Nealon
Comedic great Kevin Nealon is the newest featured artist to take up a residency at Capitol City Comedy Club. He’s best known for his decade-long stint on Saturday Night Live and other popular television series including Weeds and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Shows are scheduled through September 23. Get more details at capcitycomedy.com.

Photo by Leah Muse Photography

Bust out your best moves at the Public Power Block Party on September 24.

Friday, September 22

Beerthoven Inc. presents "From the Top: A Duet for the Beginning of Time"
Duo da Capo, a local harp and oboe ensemble, explores the story of creation with a special live concert at Saengerrunde Hall. Guests can expect a program of contemporary music accompanied by creation artwork, for a dynamic showing for multiple senses. Pastries, beer and wine, and non-alcoholic beverages will be served. For tickets, go to Eventbrite.

Saturday, September 23

Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival
Take a short trip to the Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead in Dripping Springs to welcome the fall season with a cornucopia of autumn-inspired activities for all ages. Pumpkin Festival highlights include live musical performances, seasonal food offerings, photo opportunities, games, attractions, a marketplace, and more. Following opening weekend, festival programming continues through October 29. For tickets and additional event information, visit geoji.com.

Sunday, September 24

Sierra Club Texas presents Public Power Block Party
Moontower Cider Company partners with the Texas Sierra Club to open its doors and grounds for a block party to raise awareness about clean energy plans and sustainability efforts. Visitors can enjoy food, drinks, live music, and other family-friendly activities all while learning about Austin Energy’s upcoming resource plan and other new initiatives. Block party admission is free and open to the public. Go to sierraclub.org for more details.

Austin wakes up and smells the brews at 2nd annual coffee festival

cool beans

Making a cup of coffee is one of the most ritualistic morning activities for millions of people every day. It's a truly customizable experience: You can use pre-ground coffee or grind whole beans yourself, and there are many different brewing methods, such as a traditional drip coffeemaker, a moka pot, or an AeroPress.

The local coffee community in Austin is in a world of its own, and coffee aficionados can enjoy a special weekend all to themselves to meet their favorite local roasters at the second annual Austin Coffee Festival on September 30 and October 1 at Fair Market.

Attendees are encouraged to bring their own reusable cups to enjoy endless coffee tastings from about two dozen well-known Austin roasters like Merit Coffee Co., Medici Roasting, Barrett's Coffee Roasters, and Greater Goods Coffee Co. Master roasters can help newcomers learn more about coffee, and local musicians will provide the soundtrack for the weekend.

If you're not a coffee drinker but would still like to tag along, there will be non-coffee options available, like tea tastings from Kilogram Tea and Kinship Milk Tea. Snacks will be available for purchase from Gelu Italian Ice and casual Mexican mini-chain Pueblo Viejo.

Additional roasters that will be at the festival include:

Creature Coffee
Red Horn Brew
Malone Specialty Coffee
Fara Coffee
Intelligenista
Kimbala
Sightseer Coffee Roasters
Vision
Springtown Roasters
Casa Brasil
Hard Charger Coffee
Haciendo Coffee Roasters
Carta Coffee Merchants
Dog Day Coffee
Tianon Coffee
Little City Coffee Roasters
Wild Gift Coffee
Luna Espresso

ATX Theatre, Topo Chico, Oatly, Mill-King, Minor Figures, and Loveramics will also be in attendance.

More information about the festival and tickets (beginning at $25) can be found on austincoffeefestival.com.

View All Listings