New H-E-B Rises in San Marcos

Steel beams are climbing rapidly along the I-35 corridor as San Marcos residents watch the city’s newest grocery development transform the skyline.

Construction is well underway on the 114,000-square-foot third H-E-B location just off McCarty Lane near the San Marcos Outlets. While the company has not released new updates since last fall’s groundbreaking, the scale of the rising structure signals steady progress toward a late 2026 opening.

Major Retail Expansion Along I-35

City and H-E-B leaders officially broke ground on November 4, 2025, marking a milestone for one of Texas’ fastest-growing corridors between Austin and San Antonio. The new store will be the first H-E-B on the east side of Interstate 35 in San Marcos, a rapidly expanding college town home to Texas State University.

"This is our first San Marcos store on the east side of the highway, so it really just all came together to be a perfect spot for us," H-E-B Senior Director of Public Affairs for Central Texas Heidi Post said during the groundbreaking ceremony last fall.

The store is expected to create hundreds of new jobs and provide a full-service grocery experience designed to serve both longtime residents and the city’s growing student population.

First True Texas BBQ and Full-Service Features

When doors open in late 2026, the store will introduce San Marcos’ first True Texas BBQ restaurant. In addition to barbecue, shoppers can expect:

• A full-service pharmacy with drive-thru
• Curbside pickup and home delivery
• Fresh tortillas and an in-store bakery
• A meat and seafood market
• A Sushiya sushi bar
• Meal Simple prepared-food options

The site will also include a fuel station, car wash and an H-E-B Fresh Bites convenience store concept, making it more of a retail hub than a traditional supermarket.

The combination of grocery, dining and fuel services reflects H-E-B’s broader strategy of building destination-style stores that anchor developing corridors and residential growth zones.

Economic Momentum and Additional Filings

The I-35 corridor has seen a surge of residential and commercial development in recent years. San Marcos continues to attract new housing communities, student housing projects and retail investments, further strengthening its role as a midpoint between Austin and San Antonio.

Recent state filings indicate that an additional nearly 6,000-square-foot H-E-B convenience store with a fuel station and car wash is planned at 3375 South I-H 35. Construction on that project could begin as early as July and wrap up in early 2027, though H-E-B has not confirmed whether it will operate as a standard convenience format or under the Fresh Bites brand.

For now, the 114,000-square-foot flagship project remains the city’s most visible retail development. Its steel framework and rising walls serve as a physical symbol of San Marcos’ continued expansion and growing consumer demand.

Located at 1074 E. McCarty Lane, the new store is poised to become a major retail anchor for the east side of town — bringing jobs, expanded food options and increased convenience to one of Texas’ most dynamic college communities.

Originally reported by Nicholas Hernandez, New Braunfels Digital Reporter in My San Antonio.