East Texas was sent into a frenzy when news broke Wednesday (Oct. 14) that Brookshire Grocery Co. was exploring a sale potentially worth $1 billion.

Now, a buyer might be here.

KETK NBC in Tyler is reporting, from an anonymous source, that Brookshire's is exploring a possible sell to H.E. Butt Grocery Company, or more commonly known as H-E-B.

H-E-B, like Brookshire's, is a Texas-based grocery chain that operates more than 350 stores in the Lone Star State and northern Mexico. It was founded in 1905, about 23 years before Brookshire's, in Kerrville and now has more than 80,000 employees.

H-E-B has two locations near Brookshire's home base in Tyler, one in Carthage and the other in Corsicana.

Reuters reported Wednesday that Brookshire's is exploring a sale of its 150-plus stores that include Brookshire's, Super 1 Foods and Fresh By Brookshire's in Tyler. H-E-B also owns Central Market, a similar concept to Fresh that has nine locations in Texas.

Brookshire's employs more than 13,000 people in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas.

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