OT: Next Big Thing for El Paso?
- Thread starter Maximus Miner
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Albertson's is just a grocery store. HEB is an experience. Employees are far more friending and helpful. Cool music playing while you're shopping. HEB branded goods that are unique to HEB and delicious. Product organized sensibly. Interactive tastings everywhere of both food and wine. Better pricing. In store BBQ restaurant is ridiculously good. HEB is just different. And in a very good way.
Hard Eight is good but not the best. I'll take HEB brisket and ribs over Hard Eight. And HEB is not anywhere near as expensive as Hard Eight. HEB's brisket beans are absolutely killer. Love them.
The Great American Supermarket Is Not Finished With You, Yet
The digital future is now. So why are traditional grocery stores better than ever?
Not Ep related but in my neighborhood we’re about to get something called Scheels. Never heard of it but seems like a big deal.
Sporting goods store with Ferris wheel, aquarium coming to Cedar Park
Cedar Park SCHEELS is expected to open in 2026.www.kxan.com
There's a Sheel's in The Colony that's pretty cool. Tons of sporting stuff and some household stuff. It's mostly a sporting goods store though and they have it all.
Salt Lick is really good too. My fav has been the original Black's in Lockhart.
It's similar in size and scale to Cabela's. The "good"/"big" Cabela's are considered a big deal and Scheels is the same. The Scheels I went to in Iowa had a great gun selection and of course so does Cabela's.Not Ep related but in my neighborhood we’re about to get something called Scheels. Never heard of it but seems like a big deal.
Sporting goods store with Ferris wheel, aquarium coming to Cedar Park
Cedar Park SCHEELS is expected to open in 2026.
I know El Paso has a Cabela's, but is it a "good" one?
(Similar post somebody made above that not all Buc-ee's are created equal.)
Black’s in Lockhart is great. Not so much in New Braunfels. As good as Black’s is, Smitty’s is my go to in Lockhart, tho.
Albertson's employees are friendly and helpful.
Albertson's has cool music.
Albertson's branded goods are delicious.
Albertson's products are organized sensibly.
I don't care about interactive tastings of food and wine.
BBQ restaurant is average.
HEB is different, but I don't get the hype.
Walmart outsells any other store by large margins. I don’t get the hype with them either. Absolutely hate walking in that place.
I agree. Albertson's and other stores have the same if not, lower prices for food.
Prices isn’t always the determining factor. I’m sure food city is cheaper than H‑E‑B but I’ll pass on FC.
Price and convenience are the determining factor for me.
If Food City has cheaper prices, then I will l go there. I wouldn't go out of my way and drive miles to go to HEB or any other supermarket.
Understood. I prefer quality over cheaper prices. There’s 2 H‑E‑B’s within a five - seven minute drive of me. The nearest Albertsons to me is 2.5 hours away. There’s a Whole Foods about the same distance as the H‑E‑B but that’s a little too much for me.
I prefer quality and cheaper prices. Food City and Albertson's has both and that's why I shop there.
HEB is a good store, but I just don't get the hype. I would shop at HEB if it was close.
The only legit concern over HEB is that they don't sell too many national brands. You won't find Cheetos brand cheese snacks but you will find HEB brand crunchy cheese snacks which I think are better than the original. And APCO brand chorizo from HEB is the best and most important reason to shop there.
That's why it's a niche market. I prefer national brands because I know the taste won't change from store to store.
Never tried the chorizo. I will have to give it a try next time I'm in east Texas
Say what? In what city H‑E‑B is this? The ones I’ve seen have everything. The national brand, Mi tienda, H‑E‑B brand and the cheap Hill Country Fare brand.
How does H-E-B brand compare to Trader Joe's (or even Aldi)?
El Paso, as far as I know, doesn't have any of them. I would think El Paso could support a Trader Joe's, at least. They have them in Albuquerque, so I don't want to hear any crap about El Paso being too isolated.
El Paso, as far as I know, doesn't have any of them. I would think El Paso could support a Trader Joe's, at least. They have them in Albuquerque, so I don't want to hear any crap about El Paso being too isolated.
Walmart is a habitat all its own…with its own species.
I read that in Sir David Attenborough's voice. LOL
I like that area, lots of Family and Adult entertainment options and Nebraska Furniture if you want to re decorate your place lol
HEB more like Albertsons Trader Joe’s more like Sprouts.
You are absolutely correct, the Fountains was supposed to be a high end shopping center, but fell way short of expectations. I was told by a high end retail regional manager that high end retail stores and expensive restaurants don’t consider high income earners in Juarez. It’s a shame because there are quite a few high income earners in Juarez and Chihuahua that spend big money in El Paso. Unfortunately, some of these individuals are traveling to other cities like Dallas, Phoenix and Houston that offer high end stores and restaurants. It still baffles me to see Albuquerque, which has about the same population as El Paso get nicer stores and restaurants. I don’t think Albuquerque’s incomes are much higher than El Paso’s. I wonder if El Paso gets passed over due to its proximity to Juarez. An example of this is In-N- Out Burger. They are in every major Texas city except El Paso. Now Albuquerque is getting one and El Paso is getting skipped. This is a fast food joint, which is actually cheaper than Whataburger and Chi Fil-A. Odessa and several cities in Mexico have HEBs and again El Paso is not in their plans. I don’t get it…
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ABQ has more money, less poors, and is THE city to visit in the state. What would El Paso rank in places to go in Texas? Not at the top, especially if you don’t want to hear Spanish your whole trip.
ABQ - Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 $56,366
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 $33,494
Persons in poverty, percent16.2%
EP - Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 $51,325
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2021 dollars), 2017-2021 $25,165
Persons in poverty, percent. 18.3%
Like I mentioned, the income and poverty levels between the two cities are not that different, especially when you consider the average price of homes between EP and ABQ. Since housing is more affordable in EP, that means EP residents have more disposable income than ABQ residents. As far as Spanish is concerned, what does that have to do with any of this? You think Spanish speakers hurt EP’s image? You should go to Miami, LA, and Tampa. There is a lot more Spanish being spoken in those cities.
The cost of living in Albuquerque, NM is 13.4% higher than in El Paso, TX.
In September 2023, the median listing home price in El Paso, TX was $298.6K, trending up 5% year-over-year. The median listing home price per square foot was $158. The median home sold price was $240K.
What is the Average Home Price In Albuquerque NM? The average home price in Albuquerque is $401,633 for September 2023 and the average home price in Albuquerque is $388,566 for the trailing twelve months (TTM). Read more and view the historical average home price in Albuquerque NM.
You’re comparing El Paso to Miami, LA, Tampa??? Surely you just smoked some crack, yes?
Albuquerque is THE city to go to in their state, El Paso is not. People from the US actually go and visit there. Only people from Mexico come and visit El Paso. So put your new restaurant in a city that attracts Americans from several states or put your new restaurant in a city that has a bunch of illegals and is only visited when people are driving through to cooler cities? Hmmmm. Tough choice there.
I think El Paso has enough Benjamins to support a Trader Joe's. People in El Paso shop for groceries just as much as Albuquerque.
Now, maybe there's some logistical reason that Trader Joe's can't afford to stock a store in El Paso with their supply chain. I just find that hard to believe because Albuquerque isn't that far away.
You really can't go wrong in Lockhart. I've had Black's, Smitty's, and Chisholm Trail and all were really good. I had favs of one type of meat from one place and another type of meat in another. Like the smoked turkey, if you're going to have turkey, is really good from Salt Lick in Austin/Driftwood but the brisket and sausage are better in Lockhart IMHO. And that is not a diss at Salt Lick. Salt Lick is pretty terrific too.
