SANTA FE — Food Town, a Houston-based grocery chain, will officially open a new store in Santa Fe on July 30, taking over the former Arlan’s Market building on Highway 6. The move marks not only a return of a full-service grocer to the area but a sign of growing economic momentum in the city’s Highway 6 corridor.

Long-term commercial vacancies can lead to neighborhood decline. Filling the space quickly helps keep the Highway 6 corridor active and supports nearby businesses by maintaining foot traffic and consumer flow.

The store, located at 12460 State Highway 6, has already filed permits and will soon install updated signage. While no major renovations are expected before opening day, the store will include internal curbside pickup and delivery — two services Arlan’s itself previously did not offer, but was available through third parties, such as Instacart.

In a phone interview with KGTX 7, Devin DePascal, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Economic Development, said the new store reflects a broader economic surge in the area.

“This is just one out of nine new businesses that have opened along the Highway 6 corridor since January,” DePascal said. “We’ve seen real blooming activity in the area, and Food Town’s arrival is a major part of that.”

Food Town has a long-standing reputation in the Greater Houston area, known for providing fresh produce, quality meats, and national-brand groceries in a neighborhood-focused setting. This will be the company’s first Santa Fe location and 28th store overall.

“They pride themselves on being an inner-local store — one that assimilates into the community rather than imposing on it,” DePascal told KGTX 7. “I believe this is a place that people will feel belongs in Santa Fe.”

After Arlan’s closed its doors on June 1, city officials acted quickly to keep the space from sitting vacant.

“Many in the city mobilized as soon as Arlan’s closed,” DePascal said. “We stayed in touch with the shopping center’s owner and made it clear we were ready to help. La Michoacana was instrumental too — they played a key role in bringing this together.”

Food Town’s decision to move in means Santa Fe residents won’t have to go far for groceries — or wait long. The store will open its doors in less than two weeks.

“This is more than just another grocery store,” DePascal added. “It’s part of a much bigger story about growth, resilience, and what’s next for Santa Fe.”

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Editor’s Note: We made a correction regarding Arlan’s not offering curbside or delivery. While this was not available internally, it was available via third party apps.