Kroger officials say the remodeling project underway at its Columbus location will be complete “prior to the holidays” this year.
Joe Bell, the manager of marketing and public affairs for the grocery chain’s Mississippi division, said that when the project is finished, the refrigerated cases will have been updated and the store’s organic and natural foods section will expand. Also, the store’s meat department will be updated, the decor inside will change, there will be a sushi bar and the parking lot will be resurfaced.
Work began at the 40,500 square foot store on Highway 45 North in mid-June. It is a $3 million-plus project.
“The Columbus customers have been very loyal to Kroger and we needed to improve our facility and the shopping experience for our customers,” Bell said.
There have been “numerous rumors,” Bell said, about the grocery chain possibly relocating its Columbus location.
“As evidenced by our remodel and investment in the existing store, there are no present plans to relocate the Kroger store,” Bell said.
The grocery store opened in 1994. Today, it has approximately 125 employees. That number will increase by “five to 10 people” to accommodate the new and expanded departments, according to Bell.
Kroger’s headquarters are in Ohio. It operates 2,640 supermarkets and 1,240 fuel centers, including the one in Columbus.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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