Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

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Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by arizonaguy »

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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by storewanderer »

Landlord promises a new top line grocer by 2024. I wonder what that means.

Looks to me like the landlord wants a different grocer here.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by veteran+ »

Sad......

I remember that store so well along with the disco, Limelight, that was in the corner of the L shaped center.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by buckguy »

Kroger spent several million dollars renovating it a few years ago to upgrade it to some variation on Fresh Fare. When I lived in Atlanta, it was probably the largest Kroger in the area but offered nothing really special, despite the size and the upscale location. Whole Foods has a store about a mile away. Publix has stores 1-2 miles East and West of it, both of which are relatively small and about 20 years old---perhaps Publix will become the new tenant and replace one or both of the other stores.

Kroger doesn't seem to have any other stores close-by. The Buckhead area is in a constant state of redevelopment, so I'd imagine they could relocate somewhere in the not too distant future. It's an important submarket (well-off and relatively densely populated) where they'd probably want to be represented.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by storewanderer »

Kroger hasn't applied that fresh fare interior in the west (was previously seen a lot at Ralphs and QFC, and a couple Fred Meyers or Frys) in over 10 years, but I was noticing in the Atlanta photos how the interior still looked pretty fresh and did not show the signs of ware I see in the stores that still have out out west at this time. So they just applied that interior at this store within the past few years?

Maybe the top shelf grocer will be Sprouts. I sure wouldn't call that top shelf. Closer to bottom shelf, perhaps hanging off the middle shelf about to fall off is the best way to describe Sprouts.

Sounds like a more modern Publix would be the logical replacement for this store. Surprised to see Kroger letting this one go.

When was the last time Kroger opened a new ground up store in Atlanta?
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by Knight »

storewanderer wrote: July 10th, 2021, 5:23 pm Kroger hasn't applied that fresh fare interior in the west (was previously seen a lot at Ralphs and QFC, and a couple Fred Meyers or Frys) in over 10 years, but I was noticing in the Atlanta photos how the interior still looked pretty fresh and did not show the signs of ware I see in the stores that still have out out west at this time. So they just applied that interior at this store within the past few years?

Maybe the top shelf grocer will be Sprouts. I sure wouldn't call that top shelf. Closer to bottom shelf, perhaps hanging off the middle shelf about to fall off is the best way to describe Sprouts.

Sounds like a more modern Publix would be the logical replacement for this store. Surprised to see Kroger letting this one go.

When was the last time Kroger opened a new ground up store in Atlanta?
I noticed Kroger's Atlanta Division has more stores closing than stores opening. I think Publix has partly contributed to Kroger stores closing.

A Publix replacing Kroger #259 is a possibility. Publix Super Markets has a quantity of additional Publix stores in development in the Atlanta area. A new Publix store could be a new build after Kroger #259 closes and is demolished.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by storewanderer »

Atlanta used to be a bullet proof market for Kroger but closures like this one do not look good.

Atlanta was and is a real success story for Publix and its early out of FL organic expansion efforts but I think much of their success was due to other competitors failing/closing in the market.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by buckguy »

Kroger has actually been doing quite well in Atlanta and, Georgia, generally. The Great Recession hit Atlanta rather hard because such a large fraction of the employment base had become related to real estate---property values cratered, development projects stopped and more people left the area then entered for the first time in many years. Kroger was better positioned given the economy and regained leadership, after several years of being neck and neck with Publix, although doing it with fewer stores. Publix closed a number of stores which was unusual for them--only one of their odd initial stores failed to survive their first decade. As the economy has picked-up, Publix has recovered and they seem pretty even. Before and after the recession, Publix did a better job of covering the upwardly mobile areas in Atlanta and its near suburbs. Kroger has continued to open new stores, including a recent new marketplace in DeKalb County.

There was a time when Kroger had no real competition, from what I can piece together it was in the 80s and early 90s---A&P had taken over most of the former Colonial/Big Stars, Ingle's bought Bruno's and Food Giant had withered under Super Valu-----Colonial and Food Giant once had dominated the market with Kroger limping along but they ran into problems with outside ownership. Winn-Dixie had a weak operation with odd locations. Ingles kept to outer areas, skipping much of the metro area. and A&P failed to gain traction with the Colonial locations. Publix and Harris Teeter entered in the mid-90s. Publix had an odd collection of early stores---redeveloped strip centers in places that didn't always fit their clientele and a couple development projects that probably included incentives---they gradually added new builds in more typical locations and then bought most of the A&Ps. They methodically built-up from there. while Kroger methodically upgraded or replaced existing stores. Both chains, but esp. Publix added new lines to compete with Whole Foods which, oddly has never been quite the factor I would have expected them to become. H-T had a mix of bought and built stores (including some early A&P cast-offs) but exited the market after raising prices (Kroger bought several stores and one became a Whole Foods). Winn-Dixie left around their first bankruptcy and the stores tended to go vacant. So, basically Kroger has been in a strong position for a long time, regardless of the competition.

The Disco Kroger may simply be an investment that never really paid off or has a landlord that wanted something else in that space (having recently redone the shopping center). That location received a major remodel a few years before the current format was introduced at great expense, so one way or another it may not have been the investment Kroger had hoped to have.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by SamSpade »

Ah yes, many Atlanta-area Krogers have fun nicknames like "beltway" (formerly murder Kroger)... Yes, just what I'd like my store to be nicknamed as an operator, I'm sure.

It's kinda cool to see that disco parking lot mural. Oh well.
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Re: Atlanta Disco Kroger to Close

Post by buckguy »

"Beltline Kroger" not "Beltway". Old timers probably will still call it the "crack Kroger" or the "murder Kroger" for a long time. Name aside, it did a great business when I lived there, with a diverse clientele, plus it had a coveted 24 hour liquor license which probably made it one of the few 24 hour stores with a robust overnight business.
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