Houston’s own Joe V’s Smart Shop debuted a new logo seemingly in anticipation of its debut in DFW. The new logo for Joe V’s emphasizes the connection with their parent company by adding “by HEB” at the bottom of the logo. The addition strikes a comparison to the grocery giant’s entry in Houston. When debuting in the Bayou City under the name “HEB Pantry Foods,” emphasis was placed on the “Pantry Foods” portion of the name. However, the connection to the somewhat known grocer was made by many locals who shortened the name long before it was done officially. Anecdotally, I recall visiting the Hill Country in the early 2000s and realizing that using the name “HEB Pantry Foods” was unusual for locals. It seems that HEB’s use of this new logo is related to the store’s debut in Dallas. When the two stores were announced, renders included this new logo. While HEB’s approach towards Dallas has been different than Houston’s, I believe Joe V’s is the closest to filling in the Pantry Foods role, but likely in a more permanent sense. However, only time will tell if the concept will last.
