AUSTIN, Texas — Austin is known for its food scene, but on the edges of the city limits, there are not nearly as many food options.

Patricia King, 70, has lived in Del Valle for 20 years. Ever since then, she has to drive more than 10 miles to a grocery store that has a variety of affordable and healthy options. 

“I have to deal with the traffic, and at my age I don’t like dealing with traffic a lot. I have to have food, so I have to get out there and drive,” said King.

The H-E-B grocery store on Riverside Drive in East Austin, may be closer to King’s home in distance, but she actually prefers to go to the location in Bastrop, because there are less turns and less traffic. 

“It makes me feel tired, because that’s quite a long way. It makes me feel angry, because we don’t have the amenities that all the other communities have that surround us,” said King.

There are smaller supermarkets and convenience stores near King’s Southeast Austin home, but she said they tend to be more expensive and there are limited options. 

“It doesn’t have everything that that everyone needs,” King said. 

The lack of grocery stores has been a priority for Austin City Council Member Delia Garza, who represents this district. She said there are new incentives for retailers and the recently passed operating budget for the Economic Development Department will allow for market analysis of this neighborhood.

Garza said there could be an opportunity for smaller grocery stores. 

“[Grocers] need to know that a certain amount of traffic is coming in. Obviously, it’s a business, it has to be profitable, so they look at growth patterns. They look at what’s already there. From the time the door opens, they need to know that there’s going to be enough people in the area to come in and provide business,” said Garza.

In 2016, H-E-B purchased a 17-acre site at the southeast corner of FM 973 and Highway 71. The news of a potential store excited some residents, but two years later, the public affairs office said it is still evaluating the location.

In the meantime, it has partnered with the nonprofit Farmshare to support a mobile market. 

“As we review our long term planning options it often makes sense to purchase property in advance of our current real estate needs. Development in Southeast Austin and Del Valle has been encouraging and it made sense to invest in this land. We have a network of stores in East Austin, and we remain interested in this community and look forward to watching it grow and develop,” said Leslie Sweet, Director of Public Affairs for the Central Texas Region.

King started a petition to get a grocery store in her neighborhood back in 2010 and collected more than 1,300 signatures. She hopes a grocer will eventually come in, while she is still able to drive. 

“We need healthy foods out here,” King said. “We really need something that is sustainable and healthy and will help our community.”