One year after a devastating EF-3 tornado tore through North Dallas, the Preston Royal Shopping Center is poised for a remarkable comeback, anchored by the much-anticipated reopening of its beloved Central Market. On the eve of the one-year anniversary of the October 20, 2019, tornado – a storm that flattened a significant 15-mile stretch from Harry Hines Boulevard to the Home Depot at Forest and Central, yet miraculously claimed no lives – city officials and representatives from H-E-B, Central Market’s parent company, announced the store’s grand return in Spring 2021, with specific plans targeting April/May.
The revitalization extends far beyond Central Market. Many other cherished retailers are also making their return, breathing new life into the Preston Royal community. Shoppers can look forward to the reopening of Preston Road Animal Clinic, I Heart Yogurt, Hollywood Feed, Fish City Grill, Sample House, Marco’s Pizza, Talbots, Tip Top Cleaners, and the Pedi Spa, all expected to welcome back customers by June of next year. Patrick Krejs, Regency Centers central region director, confirmed that once construction progresses, returning and new merchants will finalize their interiors and open for business, transforming the shopping center into a vibrant hub once more.
H-E-B’s Unwavering Commitment: A Million-Dollar Pledge to Dallas Education
True to its reputation for corporate generosity and community partnership, H-E-B made a profound announcement alongside the reopening news: a generous $1 million donation to the Dallas Education Foundation. This substantial gift is earmarked to provide crucial support for students in the three Dallas ISD schools that bore the brunt of the tornado’s fury: Thomas Jefferson High School, Cary Middle School, and Walnut Hill Elementary. These schools suffered significant damage, with some unable to reopen on their original campuses, underscoring the vital need for resources to aid their rebuilding process and ensure continuity in education for thousands of students.
The impact of the tornado on the evening of Sunday, October 20, 2019, remains a vivid memory for many. At approximately 8:30 p.m., the ferocious storm directly struck the Central Market store. In a remarkable display of courage and quick thinking, store managers bravely ushered roughly 40 patrons into the sturdy dairy and meat coolers, ensuring their safety as the tornado ripped through the building. Stephen Butt, president of H-E-B’s Central Market Division, recounted attempting to contact the three Dallas stores in the tornado’s path that fateful Sunday night, a time when most residents were at home watching the Dallas Cowboys game. He received responses from the Lovers Lane and Midway Hollow stores but was met with alarming silence from Preston Royal.
In the days immediately following the tornado, the entire Preston Royal intersection was shut down for nearly a week. The area was impassable due to extensive storm debris, felled traffic lights, and downed power lines. In a testament to its community dedication, H-E-B swiftly deployed food trucks to the site, providing nourishing meals to the tireless relief workers who labored around the clock to clear the devastation and restore essential services. This immediate support was crucial for those on the front lines of the recovery effort.
Further demonstrating its profound commitment to the affected community, Central Market had already donated $50,000 immediately after the storm. This initial gift was specifically allocated to help rebuild the libraries at each of the three severely damaged Dallas ISD schools, recognizing the critical role libraries play in student learning and recovery.
The long journey of rebuilding and restoration for Central Market’s Preston Royal location began almost immediately after the storm. Unfortunately, much of the surrounding shopping center did not fare as well; many structures had to be completely leveled due to severe structural damage. Patrick Krejas, managing director of the Central Region for Regency Centers, the developers overseeing the shopping center, emphasized their unwavering dedication: “Preston Oaks has long served the surrounding community and will continue to do so for many years. Our team, along with the support of our retailers and the city of Dallas, have been working tirelessly to bring this center back to life as quickly and responsibly as possible. We look forward to welcoming everyone back as our construction progresses through 2021.”
The comprehensive rebuilding project for Central Market includes several exciting new features and amenities designed to enhance the customer experience. The revitalized Preston Royal store will offer convenient curbside service, expanded produce, seafood, and floral departments, alongside an increased grocery selection. Customers can also look forward to a larger sandwich bar, a new and improved coffee bar experience, and additional comfortable customer seating in the upstairs mezzanine area. Beyond aesthetics and convenience, the store is integrating more energy-efficient fixtures and equipment, reflecting a commitment to sustainable operations and being a “greener neighbor.” Furthermore, meticulous attention is being paid to the construction materials and architecture to highlight and complement the elegant Mid-Century modern aesthetics of the original building, ensuring the renewed structure respects its historical design.
Stephen Butt underscored the company’s deep roots in the community and the journey of recovery, stating:
“H-E-B/Central Market is committed not only to rebuilding the Preston Royal corner, but we are committed to this community as a whole. Our company has a long-standing commitment to public education throughout the state and we’re proud to participate in helping Dallas ISD with additional funds to rebuild these schools in our own backyard. On the anniversary of the tornado, we’re hoping to re-energize the attention still needed to rebuild this part of the city and are inviting others to join us in these efforts.”
This sentiment was echoed by Mita Havlick, executive director of the Dallas Education Foundation, who expressed profound gratitude:
“H-E-B/Central Market understands, through their many years of supporting public education, that it takes a community to educate a child. We are beyond grateful to H-E-B/Central Market and Mr. Butt for this incredibly generous gift. Even more so, we appreciate their commitment to community and our Dallas ISD students, teachers and schools, especially those whose lives have been forever impacted by the October 2019 tornadoes.”
In addition to the substantial financial gifts, Central Market is actively contributing to the environmental recovery and beautification of the neighborhood. Through a partnership with the RETREET organization, Central Market is gifting 50 new trees to the community. One of the defining characteristics of this well-established Dallas neighborhood was its beautiful, mature canopy of trees, much of which was tragically destroyed during the storm. The replanting effort aims to help restore the area to its original natural beauty, providing shade and enhancing the local ecosystem.
The human element of the recovery has also been a top priority. Approximately 130 Central Market employees, referred to as “partners,” were employed at the Preston Royal store at the time of the storm. All these dedicated partners were immediately offered the opportunity to transfer to other Central Market locations while their original store underwent reconstruction. The plan is for a significant number of these original team members to return to Preston Royal for the store’s much-anticipated reopening, ensuring continuity and familiar faces for loyal customers. Stephen Butt highlighted the importance of these relationships:
“Our top priority is serving our customers. I’ve been very proud of our store leadership and team as they’ve continued to keep these relationships strong during our rebuilding process. Whether it was serving meals to first responders and neighbors from our H-E-B Mobile Kitchen immediately following the storm or delivering groceries and cleaning supply buckets to surrounding neighborhoods, we want our customers to know that we are here to serve beyond the walls of our store and will be ready to welcome them back when our doors open again in the spring.”
The journey from devastation to revitalization has been a testament to the resilience of North Dallas and the unwavering spirit of its community members and corporate partners. As Stephen Butt succinctly put it, “With every cloud there is a silver lining, and this has certainly held true in the Preston Royal neighborhood during this time of recovery and rebuilding. Throughout this process, the entire community has stepped up to help each other through clean up efforts, meal delivery, donations and volunteers. We are more than ready to get our doors reopened so we can start seeing and serving our loyal Preston Royal customers again.” The reopening of Central Market and the full resurgence of the Preston Royal Shopping Center promise not just a return to normalcy, but a revitalized, stronger, and more connected community.