Kroger preps for renovation
January 22, 2014
By Sarah Brookbank
The Kroger off Euclid Avenue is the go-to grocery store for students living on or near campus. But patrons will soon have to find a temporary replacement while the store is remodeled starting March 15.
The current building will be demolished and replaced with an 86,000-square-foot facility that will have rooftop and surface level parking. It is set to reopen in December, said Tim McGurk, Kroger’s spokesman for Kentucky.
“This new Kroger store will be the first of its type for our company,” McGurk said in an email to the Kernel. “It will clearly offer the best shopping experience available anywhere.”
Drew Wisdom, a Kroger supervisor and a computer science junior, said the new Kroger will double in size and will have three floors.
He said he thinks the store could suffer financial loss during the 10-month construction period.
Some students who frequent the Euclid Kroger are concerned about where they will go for groceries.
“It’s an inconvenience for anyone who lives here,” political science junior Nate Dillon said. But he said he is lucky enough to have a car and will probably shop at the Kroger on Nicholasville Road.
“I’m excited to see what the future holds for the Euclid Kroger,” he said.
Biology sophomore Annie Bruner agreed, saying the closing is going to make her life more difficult.
She said it may force UK students to rely on gas stations and fast food restaurants, and ultimately impact their health and wellness.
“I like to cook with a lot of fresh produce and I can’t get that at a gas station,” Bruner said.
For students without a car on campus, Lextran offers a route to the Nicholasville Kroger and Wal-Mart.
During construction, Store Manager Cindy Spears said employees will be relocated and no one will be laid off.
Once rebuilt, the Euclid location will employ 50-80 new workers, Spears said.
Kroger plans to keep its pharmacy open during the remodel, but Spears said they have not confirmed where it will be located.
She said the new store will be unique with its expanded nutrition and organic departments, and will be like a Kroger Marketplace without the furniture.
