Here’s how many people lined up for H-E-B’s opening in Fort Worth’s Alliance

In a vintage San Antonio Spurs ball cap, sporting an ” I heart my H-E-B” T-shirt and waving a Selena tote bag, Cristian Alcocer had been camped outside the Alliance H-E-B since 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

Cristian hasn’t had an H-E-B to call his since 2006, when he left San Antonio.

Now, like all of Fort Worth, he does again.

At 6 a.m. Wednesday Fort Worth’s first H-E-B opened its doors at 3451 Heritage Trace Parkway.

Cristian, his wife Jennifer Alcocer and their daughter were three of over 800 people lined up before dawn for the opening of the San Antonio-based grocery store.

Jennifer said that every time they visit a city with an H-E-B they stock up on products but they’re excited to have one just a few blocks away.

He said he was excited about H-E-B’s daily made flour tortillas (which he said he’d given up on trying to find good ones in Fort Worth), ready made meals and the store’s meat section.

“I like to grill and smoke a lot and the meat selection at H E B is incomparable to anybody or anywhere else, “ Cristian said.

The Alcoers had just one more — very Texas — critique for the pre-dawn fanfare.

“Tell them to play more Selena.”

The Keller Central High School drum line and the Lightning dancers performed just before the opening.

But the performers weren’t the only suburban high school students giving up their morning (or night) to be a part of the H-E-B opening.

Lined up behind the Alcocer, was a group of students from Saginaw High School who had camped out overnight.

Malachi Cook, a junior, said he planned to grab a few energy drinks before heading to classes.

Cook’s friend, Josiah Parker, said he decided to camp out because this was a “community event” and also because he had not been to an H-E-B before.

The first person in line and in the store was Susan Thurman, who told the Star-Telegram she began camping out at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Inside the store customers’ shopping styles varied. Some loaded up their cart, guided by the iconic yellow H-E-B coupon books. Others were grabbing an iconic item or two like fresh tortillas or conchas.

Many grabbed the H-E-B brand Twisters sandwich cookies, the free item of the day for shoppers using the H-E-B app.

There will be a free item offered for users of the app in the next two days as well.

Many of the shoppers are from Alliance and surrounding areas but Justin Anderson made the commute from downtown to be at the opening.

Anderson, who sells his spice seasoning Bel Air Ranch at Central Market, said he is glad an H-E-B has opened within city limits and is easily accessible from other parts of the community, describing central Fort Worth as a food desert.

He also hopes his product will be available at H-E-B soon too.

Manning the 12 open registers, a mix of veterans, brought in from across the state, guided new hires, 90% of whom are from the area, according to store leader Chase Bowman.

Fernando Gonzalez has worked for H-E-B for eight years. He came from Waxahachie to help open the first store in Fort Worth.

Gonzalez and other veterans will work on showing new hires the ropes until next Wednesday, when they return to their stores.

Gonzalez said he’ll be back in Tarrant County this summer to train the employees of the Mansfield store.

While hundreds flooded the aisles of H-E-B on Wednesday morning, one shopper in particular stood out.

With a loaded cart, items ranging from dog food to paper towels (almost all in house H-E-B brands) Haley Bowman headed to the register to check out just after 6:30 a.m.

But this isn’t just a grocery haul for Haley, who is married Chase, the store manager.

Chase led stores in Midland and Odessa the past few years. Leading the Fort Worth store is a homecoming for him since he grew up in Granbury.

As Chase teased her for her loaded cart, Haley said she was proud of her husband, who has been both stressed and excited for this opening day.

Haley also said she is glad they can be near both family and H-E-B again.