Although the HEB parent company could easily go about their business opening their standard stores and super centers, the Butt family saw fit to open stores in socioeconomic communities that require more assistance and consideration than it gets. After some research I discovered that the concept for this line started with a very poignant question from the founding family.
"If the current store was available to my family at a time when money was not so available to us, could we shop and survive off of what was offered in an HEB store?"
The answer ended up being a resounding, no. While the HEB enterprise was one to be proud of for sure, acknowledging the fact that there was more that could be done for lower income families in struggling communities, much like the original Butt family had maybe needed at some point in time. So the concept came to fruition. Joe V's Smartshops, piloted upon a few and in between Houston locations around town, being careful to land in areas where were much needed, but as well not too close to densely populated HEB favored neighborhoods, as to avoid becoming competition unto itself. Joe V's has made every effort to make feeding a family possible on any budget. While every product may not be available, there is more than enough variety and options to satisfy most every diet and lifestyle, recently they even added an HEB staple, freshly made on site sushi station. While that might be slightly overzealous as per priorities of the store's dominant demographic, it does add a certain level of identifiability as an HEB run establishment, which adds to the customer's trust in the establishment which to most Texans translates to an easy decision to become repeat customers. Such places become beacons not just to people inside of a community or neighborhood, but to those trying to find a way as well. I met some evacuees from Hurricane Laura not too long ago, and while they had a place to stay, there were things they were going to need to get by, priority being food. So I told them about Joe V's. To my surprise, not only did they bring supplies for their individual families, but they were also able to buy such a surplus that the hotel they were staying was able to offer free meals and snacks for the remainder of the time that they were waiting for their homes to become inhabitable. They were all so impressed with the store, and what they were able to obtain with severely limited resources, some even swore they would make the drive from Louisiana back to Houston to shop that the deals were worth it. Joe V's is a remarkable business, while the deals on many items are outright steals in many ways, of course it comes at an exchange. Upon entrance Joe V's looks more like a warehouse, you will notice more pallet shopping, than shelves, the cashiers don't actually handle the cash, and they do not employ grocery baggers, instead asking that customers assist in bagging their own groceries, which for the savings, most customers are happy to contend with. Really a great store! read more