It’s been a few months since the announcement of the new HEB store at Mueller, and I wanted to take a look at nearby grocery facilities now around the old airport and compare them with the future plan.
The situation now is shown below – grocery stores according to Walkscore.com, which conveniently includes convenience stores. I know that Family Dollar doesn’t really sell fresh food, so I wouldn’t classify it as a grocery myself, though if you need a place that you can walk to that sells Diet Coke – it’s your closest bet.
There are already several stores within 3 miles of Mueller
As for large grocery stores, there are several HEBs within 2 miles of the neighborhood. There’s a heavily oversubscribed one at Hancock Center popular with students, and one at Springdale Plaza, which doesn’t have a great reputation. I know, it used to be the closest one to my former home, yet I would still drive further to the really busy Hancock Center one. There’s a Fiesta less than a mile away which has a great foreign food section (including a British aisle if you want to stock up on Heinz Baked Beans). There’s a Central Market 3 miles away and a Whole Foods downtown for those that like driving into traffic, along with a smattering of Farmers’ Markets at the Triangle, and in East Austin.
In 2013 there will be a new HEB at the edge of the development and an In.gredients 1.2 miles away on Manor Road. And the market district won’t be just a HEB, there will be other smaller stores too. Which is something lacking in the current picture. There are some great food and coffee trailers (the Mueller Eateries) and some food and shopping choices at the North of the development, in addition to some smaller offices at Mosaic. With the Wildflower Terrace having some commercial opportunities in the ground floor and the Market District, there will be more choice. There will also be more demand for these services as the residential part of the neighborhood continues to grow, with new apartments, and the new homes at Mueller due in 2012.