Me: "There's no way Central Market can top last year's Apple Fest."
Central Market: "Hold my cider."
I do try not to be a homer about my undying love for H-E-B's Central Market, but every time an out-of-town retail/produce friend visits, they're first on the list for store checks. That makes me feel a little bit better when I start fangirling too hard.
I've lived in the Austin/Central Texas area since 2002, and have grown to appreciate the over-the-top, everything-is-bigger-in-Texas promotions Central Market puts on. When they do a promo, EVERYTHING in the store gets involved. Don't even get me started on Hatch Fest.
For this Apple Fest, they rolled out The Apple Squad, giving each variety a flashy persona used throughout the store. It was amazing, and let me tell you, I didn't just buy a lot of apples that week...my cheese consumption was through the roof thanks to all of the apple and cheese pairings.