Among the things I did on my vacation was visit a few grocery stores, and one of these was the H-E-B Pantry Foods in Orange, Texas. Well, it's branded as an H-E-B now (has been since at least summer 2008) and has been kicking around since its opening in August 1991 (there's a plaque outside of the door, as well as another honoring a deceased manager). Rumor is H-E-B has purchased Northway Shopping Center near I-10 to develop into a new H-E-B and additional retail but that's probably at least a year away.
Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the inside as I was still on a bit of a deadline (and hit Houston right at rush hour) and one of the only photos on Google that's not an H-E-B stock photo is this shot from 2017 (the aisle signs have been replaced, but otherwise looks pretty accurate). Inside-wise, it resembles the Pantry store I remember growing up with a few changes. They've clearly tried to fit more merchandise in, produce is cramped and bumps up right against the main grocery aisle (produce on the right to the front) while the bakery area (Pantry stores had a small bakery) had been removed for additional space (it's where the water was found and I think some HBA items were there as well). It is a tiny store at around 27,000 square feet. A new-build H-E-B is about four times that size (but wastes a lot of space, here nothing is wasted).
I know I saw an ad once that indicated someone drove from Louisiana for that H-E-B (before the short-lived Lake Charles store, anyway) but I can't find it at this time. The store number is #35 according to H-E-B's current website as well as what we currently have as H-E-B Pantry's full listing. (I did not visit the former Kroger Family Center nearby).
The H-E-B is located at 2424 North 16th Street, Orange, TX, 77630.
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