Proudly Serving Texas for 110 Years - Dedication

Throughout 2015 we're celebrating our 110th anniversary with a series of individual words that represent the culture at H-E-B. In February our feature was on Dedication.

DEDICATION: How did a family run grocery store in the small town of Kerrville become over 350 stores throughout Texas and Mexico? In a word - dedication. And it started with with one man - Howard Edward Butt (1895 - 1991). Having managed the first store in Kerrville while in high school, he took the reins of the C.C. Butt Grocery store in 1919 after serving in the Navy during World War I.

Determined to make H-E-B a success, in 1924 Howard gambled on expansion and opened stores in Center Point, Junction, Brady, and Brownwood, all of which would fail. However, he didn't let that setback stop him. In 1926, he finally opened a second successful store in Del Rio.

Encouraged by his recent success, Howard requested loans from six banks with the hopes of establishing other stores in the area. Finally, his determination paid off when Victoria Bank & Trust granted him a $38,000 loan, enough to open three additional stores which paved the way for many more grand openings in the years to come.

Regardless of setbacks and economic challenges, Howard remained dedicated to his fellow Texans by bringing them better value and friendly service, two hallmarks H-E-B is known for.

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