Tuesday, December 20, 2016

UPDATE: Kroger Embry Hills Delayed Until 2018

Kroger Marketplace Embry Hills moving forward

This past February I released news on this site regarding Kroger's planned expansion at Embry Hills shopping center in Tucker.  Kroger planned to nearly double the size of their current store creating what it calls "Kroger Marketplace."  

In the months since, S&S Cafeteria, the beloved southern institution closed. While Magnolia Room Cafeteria, an S&S replacement, being opened by a longtime patron nears completion a few miles away, nothing further had been said, or done, at Embry Hills.  

I dug deeper and uncovered rumors of Kroger abandoning the project and others of Kroger looking at both North Hills shopping center and "other" locations on which to build their big new store.  
To get what I hoped would be a clear and  definite response, I contacted Glynn Jenkins, Public Relations Director for Kroger’s Atlanta Division.  

In an email, I asked Jenkins, "What is the status of the upcoming Kroger Marketplace at Embry Hills in Tucker?"

His [full] response is below.  

"Kroger continues to open stores to suit the unique needs of our customers. Kroger’s new 113,000-square-foot Embry Village Marketplace will have upscale service departments, drive-thru pharmacy, Starbucks, Chef on the Run, apparel department, and more that will cater to our Tucker-area customers' shopping needs. Kroger’s Atlanta Division operates ten Marketplace stores including locations in Athens, Carrollton, Cartersville, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Grovetown, Rincon, Savannah, and Warner, Robins, GA and Columbia, SC. Construction is tentatively scheduled to commence in the spring 2017, with a completion in summer 2018." [Although Jenkins does not explicitly mention it, Kroger has reportedly received all necessary permits / approvals to have a fuel center at their new store.]

As a follow-up question I asked "Will the existing store ever close or will the new store be built  around / in front of it in a manner that does not affect customers' weekly shopping?" 

Jenkins responded, saying "The existing store will close after the new store opens."


As you can see in the image above, the site plan indicates that the former Motel 6, former S&S and multiple other spaces are "available."  This of course is not the case as the Kroger will consume both of those spaces, and more.  Interestingly, while the siteplan seems outdated, verbiage on the Kimco website for Embry Hills states the following:

"Embry Village is under redevelopment to expand Kroger to 120,000 square feet for a new Marketplace concept store. The complete site renovation will include 9,900 square feet of new shops next to Planet Fitness in 2017."

Given this timeline, one has to wonder why the S&S was forced to close this past July.  

Are you excited for the new Kroger Marketplace at Embry Hills?  Do you still miss S&S Cafeteria in Embry Hills?  What restaurants or retailers would you like to see join Kroger in the redeveloped center?

Please share your thoughts below. 

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

My understanding from the earlier community meetings about this project is that the new Kroger will not house a Bank of America branch. In that case, I sure hope BoA will open a new branch in the shopping center, as the next closest BoA locations are in downtown Tucker or over on Buford Hwy. A LOT of people use that BoA location in the current Kroger.

Anonymous said...

There is also a BoA across from Best Buy near Northlake but I agree I really like the one in the Embry Hills Kroger and it does have lots of customers.

Anonymous said...

Hi Eli. They've started the renovations at Kroger Cambridge Square in Brookhaven. Could we get an update with specifics on what to expect with his renovation? Also when is the new Brookhaven flagship of Walgreens opening on Peachtree? From the outside it looks ready. I enjoy every edition of your column.

LostinAtlanta said...

Yes, people really miss S&S. I work in a doctor's office across the street from this area and our older patients are constantly talking about how much they miss "their" S&S. It's a shame they had to close so soon. I don't look forward to the traffic mess that will come with this new Kroger. I watch wrecks constantly involving cars trying to get into and out of the driveway next to SunTrust bank. I hope a lot of thought has been placed on traffic. I think they should completely close that driveway, it is a hazard.

Ham said...

I suppose everyone has their own weird emotional attachment to a place. The S&S was special to me because I stopped in often with my parents, so now that they are both gone a meal there always brought back good memories.

I do wish S&S could have stayed open, but hey Kroger is in business to make money and taking that space made the most sense for them. It is sort of funny that they say something about, “the unique needs of our customers”. Maybe meeting the unique needs of your customers would have been to find away to allow a unique and vanishing style of American restaurant the opportunity to actually stay open. Looking at the site plan I wonder if there weren’t other options, but hey we’ve been down this road before. Also, there are several Publix in the area which all offer better service and a more efficient layout than Kroger.

Me said...

The dangerous entrance nearest Suntrust in and out of Embry Hills will be redesigned and while not certain yet should be getting a traffic light.

Anonymous said...

According to information given out at the initial public meeting I attended, there will be another traffic light installed at the Suntrust entrance. This will help if you are a Kroger customer but if you are simply trying to travel up and down Chamblee Tucker Road, it will be one more bottle neck to get through. No new lanes will be added but they will be working with Dekalb County to synchronize traffic lights. This statement brought groans from attendees. How do synchronized traffic lights help if traffic is bumper to bumper and who has any confidence that Dekalb County can synchronize anything?

Anonymous said...

I live less than a mile from this place, but HATE Kroger so will never shop there. I wish it was a Publix, Trader Joe's, Costco, or just about anything else. But bringing a Starbucks to this part of the city is smart since there is literally no other coffee shop option.

Unknown said...

Kroger's just not a friendly inexpensive shopping experience.
I stopped going when I found ants in the skye hill bakery and management shrugged it off.

Disneypal said...

I was wondering about this since it seems nothing is progressing there. It is sad that S&S had to close because of this and then nothing has happened but on the plus side, Fantastic Sams is still there, which I am happy about.

Any idea what is happening across the street from Embry Hills - at the former Chevron station across from KFC? They are prepping it for something but I have no idea what.

Hmmmm said...

I have been trying to figure out the same thing what will replace the old Chevron? I hope it's Walgreens or CVS

Me said...

A new convenient store with gas island is going in at the old Chevron. It's been mentioned the location may also be getting a donut shop with drive thru too.

Hmmmm said...

I heard it's a Circle K with a Dunkin donuts.

When will the Kroger construction begin?

Anonymous said...

The produce department is the worst! Much of it is ready for the comost bin.

Dev Pablo said...

FYI the old wine and spirits building and old hotel are to be demolished the week of 8/28.

The liquor store is fenced and the site is being prepped for demolition. Per Kroger managers, the expansion is still happening, slowly.

Georgia Water Tanks said...

The old motel and liquor store buildings are gone. We need an update! :-)

Unknown said...

Now 2019

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