Photo: Courtesy of H-E-B
Ophie Garcia started working at H-E-B in 1965 at 27 years old. She recently retired after 56 years of service, making her the longest-tenured retail worker in H-E-B history.
Her five-plus decades of service earned her a proclamation by the City of Austin, making December 22 "Ophie Garcia Day," according to KXAN. H-E-B also honored Garcia at the grand opening celebration for the new Oak Hill location in Austin, according to a press release.
While Garcia, 84, is the longest-serving retail employee, H-E-B CEO Charles Butt has worked at H-E-B longer. The two have become good friends in their time at the Texas-based supermarket chain.
"Ophie has a heart for people and offers encouragement to everyone she meets. Whether she’s in the store or out serving her community, Ophie is always going above and beyond to provide world-class customer service. I’m proud to be on her team," Butt told the Austin American-Statesman in 2018.
Garcia started at an H-E-B location in Harlingen. In 1988, moved to the cosmetics department at the former Oak Hill location. Before her retirement earlier this year, she worked as a door greeter and helped Spanish-speaking customers in the pharmacy and business center.