Celebrate Every Day
Those three simple words sum up our mission. At Central Market, we want to exceed your wildest expectations and transform your grocery shopping experience.
In our stores, shopping isn’t a chore — it’s a joy. You see, we love food as much as you do. It nourishes our passion, feeds our curiosity and brings us all together. Our love of food shows in our vast selection of high-quality domestic and imported goods, not to mention our dedication to outstanding customer service. And we’re eager to share it all with you.
Best of all, we believe in finding value without losing flavor. From our selection of more than 700 hand-cut cheeses to hundreds of meat and seafood offerings, there’s a new find around every corner. What can we say? We’ve been this way since day one.
H-E-B and Central Market: Cultivating Our Roots
In 1992, Charles Butt acquired a special piece of property on the corner of 38½ and Lamar in Austin, Texas. His goal? Build a destination market that would turn grocery shopping into an enjoyable experience by providing unparalleled food products and customer service. He turned to John Campbell, whose 30-year career at H-E-B began as a store checker, to make it all happen.
Campbell’s quest to create a different kind of grocery store took him to the world’s finest markets for inspiration. On his journey, he had an epiphany. Rather than carry products that customers could find almost anywhere, he decided Central Market would feature a wide array of foods never before offered in Texas.
H-E-B opened the first Central Market in Austin in 1994. It was quickly dubbed “an amusement park for food lovers.” The European-style fresh market concept amazed shoppers and chefs alike, and the store quickly became one of Austin’s most popular tourist destinations. In fact, it boasts an average of 2 million visitors each year!
After years of witnessing customers drive hundreds of miles to stock up on fantastic food finds at the original Central Market, H-E-B decided to bring the Central Market experience to San Antonio, Houston and a second location in Austin. By 2002, Central Market had added three more stores in Dallas, Plano and Fort Worth, each one a fun and unique addition to the Central Market family.
In 2006, the eighth Central Market opened in Southlake, increasing the company’s presence in North Texas. Each debut of a Central Market location has attracted national attention for its innovative grocery experience that brings a “must-have” quality-of-life enhancement for food lovers.
Branching Out: The Central Market Experience
Central Market is a place for people who are passionate about food. Never been before? We invite you to stop by and savor the vibrant colors and aromas of our fresh coffees, hot baked breads, peak-of-season vegetables, fruits and herbs.
Come in and take a look around. You’ll find each store filled with some of the finest products the world has to offer. From the Texas Hill Country to Tanzania, our appetite for the freshest and highest-quality food knows no bounds. Not only that, but our employees — we call them Partners — are committed to providing you with a level of customer service that can’t be beat.
Whether you’re new to the cooking world, own your own restaurant, or simply love food like we do, you’ll find new and familiar delights in abundance at Central Market.