DFW Kroger News/Observations

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storewanderer
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by storewanderer »

The problem with the Sports Arena Store is it has higher than average shelves (so aisles are darker), and its layout is not very pleasing. Not much in the way of angles or other eye catching features. There is not much open space around produce, pharmacy, bakery, or deli areas. When you get into the back of the store, it feels more like a F4L than a full format conventional (especially around dairy). It is funny as that was one of the initial Ralphs built with a Kroger type layout (this store is more like Smiths builds in 2002-2006 than most of the newer Ralphs are) but it did not work on the deep store so well.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by rwsandiego »

You hit the nail on the head, storewanderer. The depth of the store is what makes it less than pleasing. It feels like it tried to have the ASC "grand aisle" but kinda fell flat. The teardown of the original store made room for several new stores, including Old Navy, Forever 21 Red, and Dick's Sporting Goods.

I moved to SD in 2000 and the original store seemed, on one hand, to be older than 16 years at the time but on the other hand seemed like it wasn't that old. It had a worn-out feel to it.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by architect »

A quiet DFW Kroger closure: On May 6th, apparently Kroger closed their store at 6080 S Hulen St. in Fort Worth. Although this store was located in a high-traffic shopping area, it appears that its poor visibility from Granbury Rd. along with a lack of capital investment killed it (the only renovation this store had received in years was a revamp to a cheapened version of the 2012 Kroger decor common around Texas, minus the raised signage). Look at the Google page for this store, it is interesting to say the least. Oddly enough, this leaves an early-2000's Albertsons just to the west on Oakmont Blvd. as the only traditional grocer in the Hulen area. Also somewhat ironic, shoppers who inquire about the Hulen location are now being directed to a store to the east on Altamesa, a former Greenhouse which is honestly in the same poor condition as the Hulen store was. Looking at Fort Worth proper, Kroger definitely seems to be slipping at this point, with the majority of their store base either undersized or outdated (a Fresh Fare store next to TCU seems to be their best in the area at this point, and that is a stretch).
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by storewanderer »

That store has the distinction of being the first Texas Kroger I ever visited, a number of years ago (it had some other interior back then, and wow did it look awful). I went to the store very late at night and traffic was low. Perimeter was not very well stocked and in general I was pretty unimpressed with the store.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by architect »

storewanderer wrote:That store has the distinction of being the first Texas Kroger I ever visited, a number of years ago (it had some other interior back then, and wow did it look awful). I went to the store very late at night and traffic was low. Perimeter was not very well stocked and in general I was pretty unimpressed with the store.
Actually, it appears that as recently as 2011, this store still features Neon Decor. However, considering the age of the decor at that point, I am sure that much of lighting was in pretty bad shape (though I am still sad that I missed the chance to see it). Based on Yelp/Foursquare photos, it appears that the store had a mishmash of decor packages prior to its most recent revamp, including Millennium checkstand markers and Script aisle markers. I wonder what caused this store to perform so poorly?

Also, of note, it appears that Kroger has plans for a future store in the area at Dirks Road and Chisholm Trail Parkway, just to the southwest of this current store. However, no announcement of construction or an opening timeline has been made yet.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by storewanderer »

Yes, 2011 is when I was there. Photos below.

Really was not impressed with this store. Kroger Texas redeemed itself later as I visited some Marketplace locations, but the store in Fort Worth at 1050 Bridgewood was another piece of work and not in a good way. I see that closed too. At least Kroger Texas is good at pruning.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by pseudo3d »

Wonder what they meant by "restaurant", I know some Kroger stores tried actual cafes in the 1980s and in the 1990s, the Signature stores in the Southwest division introduced real food courts (I have an article where there are counters for KFC and Pizza Hut in the first Kroger Signature store), but I'm at a loss here...did they try to pass off their deli hot food as a "restaurant" or was there more going on here?
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by storewanderer »

I think there was actually a restaurant... I think it was where the "seasonal items" are...

Maybe more of a cafeteria-style operation than a formal restaurant with a wait staff, etc.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by wnetmacman »

pseudo3d wrote:Wonder what they meant by "restaurant", I know some Kroger stores tried actual cafes in the 1980s and in the 1990s, the Signature stores in the Southwest division introduced real food courts (I have an article where there are counters for KFC and Pizza Hut in the first Kroger Signature store), but I'm at a loss here...did they try to pass off their deli hot food as a "restaurant" or was there more going on here?
Many of the Bauhaus-era stores had a 'restaurant' as a part of the Bakery-Deli operation. It served a dual purpose; it was a breakroom of sorts for employees to get a quick bite, and it could give shoppers a place to rest and eat also. I know Longview's store had such an arrangement. Not sure if it survived the last set of remodels or not.
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Re: DFW Kroger News/Observations

Post by architect »

wnetmacman wrote:
pseudo3d wrote:Wonder what they meant by "restaurant", I know some Kroger stores tried actual cafes in the 1980s and in the 1990s, the Signature stores in the Southwest division introduced real food courts (I have an article where there are counters for KFC and Pizza Hut in the first Kroger Signature store), but I'm at a loss here...did they try to pass off their deli hot food as a "restaurant" or was there more going on here?
Many of the Bauhaus-era stores had a 'restaurant' as a part of the Bakery-Deli operation. It served a dual purpose; it was a breakroom of sorts for employees to get a quick bite, and it could give shoppers a place to rest and eat also. I know Longview's store had such an arrangement. Not sure if it survived the last set of remodels or not.
During my last visit to the Longview store a couple of years ago (post-remodel), I didn't recall seeing a restaurant. Most of these closed during the 2000's; I am not sure if any actually remain in operation. Along the front wall of the Longview store when I last visited, there was a Southside Bank branch along with the bakery and deli to the north of the registers, while the pharmacy was to the south (if I remember correctly).
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