H-E-B is planning “major improvements” to the exterior that will complement an ongoing revamp of the store’s interior, the company announced in a news release on Friday, August 14. The renovation is part of efforts to “refresh and modernize” both the look and utility of the store, located at 4801 San Dario, Laredo, TX 78041.
“At H-E-B, we’re always looking for ways to invest in our stores and enhance the shopping experience for customers,” top store leader Gilbert Almaraz said.
“Inside and out, we hope the fresh, new look we create will be something that this vibrant community can be proud of for many years to come,” he said.
One of the most recognizable changes loyal Laredo shoppers will see is the removal of the twin-peaked white tent canopy that provides shade for the store’s entrances and cart corral. Company officials said the tent has reached the end of its three-decade-long lifespan.
“It will be replaced by a metal canopy that will keep the sidewalk shaded along the entryway and will create more space in the parking lot to help improve traffic flow,” H-E-B officials said.
H-E-B will make other changes to the Laredo store’s exterior, including “updating the entryways and modernizing the facade” to allow more natural light and create a “more welcoming experience.” Artistic renderings of the improvements show that the Laredo store’s exterior will be refinished with a sleeker wood panel-like design scheme.
Similar design finishes have already been implemented at other recently upgraded South Texas H-E-Bs, including the store at the corner of Freddy Gonzalez Drive and McColl Road in Edinburg, and at the corner of Expressway 83 and West Lincoln Avenue in Harlingen, in the Rio Grande Valley. H-E-B invested between $23 million and $34 million on those projects, but has yet to announce how much the Laredo store renovation will cost.
Meanwhile, as MySA previously reported, a $3.5 million remodel of the store’s nearly 75,000-square-foot interior began earlier this year. That includes equipment upgrades, such as the installation of new HVAC systems, and refrigerated cases, but also remodeling and expanding multiple departments. The meat market, deli, seafood, floral and pharmacy departments are all undergoing overhauls. The store recently added a “Healthy Living” section that offers shoppers new “bulk food items, sports nutrition products, and supplements,” officials said.
And shoppers will have new hot and ready-to-eat food options in addition to the Flaming Bird that already exists at the store.
“An expanded Sushiya area will also be added, which will now include Asian grill items such as noodle and rice bowls,” officials said.
Construction began this month and is expected to be completed by the spring of 2027, and the store will remain open and operational throughout the renovation process.