Wednesday, March 22, 2023

[UPDATE] Kroger Looks to Build Long Delayed Lawrencevile Store

Years after the store seemed to have been shelved indefinitely, newly released planning documents suggest that a new Kroger planned for 1006 Martins Chapel Road in Lawrenceville may finally be getting close to breaking ground.  The store, announced in 2016, was to have opened in 2017, but was postponed for several years as Kroger re-evaluated its store openings.  If and when the new store does open, it would mark one the first completely new Kroger stores in metro Atlanta in more than four years.  

The new store, which according to updated planning documents, would measure more than 118,000 square feet, would be considered a "Marketplace" store, and would include among other things, a Starbucks, Murray's Cheese Shop, expanded offerings of prepared meals, new, larger belted self-checkouts, eighteen fueling stations and a drive-thru pharmacy.  

Interestingly, according to a site plan for the project, Kroger plans to move their Pickup (formerly Clicklist) online ordering area from spaces traditionally found in the front of the store, to a dedicated area on the side of the store.  The Pickup area will feature a total of 15 "pull thru" spaces dedicated to online grocery orders.  This is a design feature seemingly new to the market and one that according to the plans is paired with entry to the store's pharmacy drive-thru area.  

The Lawrenceville center - referred to as "Martins Chapel shopping center" - spans more than 30 acres and would also include several outparcels (including both freestanding and "inline shops") as well as a "Community Activity Pavilion," among other things.   

A new Kroger in Augusta, which like the Lawrenceville store will be about 118,000 square feet, will feature a similar layout including the 15 car "pull thru" spaces.  Kroger officials broke ground on the store this past January and plan to have it open by spring 2024.  The store will anchor the new Eisenhower Crossing shopping center located near the corner of Jimmie Dyess Parkway and Harper Franklin Avenue, just outside Fort Gordon. 

In Richmond, Virginia, a new Kroger like those planned for Lawrenceville and Augusta, is also moving forward.  Similar to the Lawrenceville site, the Richmond store has been in the works since 2015 and was to have opened in 2017, but was delayed for unspecified reasons.  

When reached for comment on both the Lawrenceville store and pending opening of the new replacement store on Powers Ferry Road near East Cobb, a Kroger spokesperson said, "there are no updates at this time."  Separately, a store employee at the current Delk Road/Powers Ferry store indicated plans are for the new store open in late April or early May. 

In recent years Kroger has been especially quiet, even closing some stores, as rivals like Publix significantly expanded their presence in the market.  In just the past two years Publix has opened or announced more than a dozen new stores in the greater metro Atlanta area.   For its part, Kroger closed one of its Brookhaven area stores in 2020 and more recently closed stores in Decatur and Buckhead this past December.  Kroger completely abandoned plans to open a new store at 17th Street and Northside Drive.  

New Publix stores in the works in metro Atlanta include those planned for Buckhead (Buckhead Landing), Summerhill (Summerhill Station) and West Midtown (Interlock Phase 2), among others.  

Are you excited for the planned opening of a new Kroger Marketplace in Lawrenceville?  Where do you do the majority of your grocery shopping?  Do you use "Pickup" often? 

Please share your thoughts below  

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

The side pharmacy/curbside pickup area is how the Embry Hills Kroger is configured after it was rebuilt in 2020.

Anonymous said...

Same for the Kroger Marketplace on Glenwood in Atlanta.

Anonymous said...

I doubt that these will have market place signage… recwntly when i went into a marketplace store they have stopped selling clothes and appliances( some marketplace stores) and have boosted more specialty foods… if they do use the marketplace branding id expect a completly different experience then what a normal marketplace store offers. Right now the marketplace stores are a mess.

Anonymous said...

At Powers Ferry, the fuel center opens in April but the store will be later this summer. Which will be a staffing nightmare for the fuel center as those rely on store employees to cover the fuel center for breaks, lunch, etc...

DaBigMotor said...

I've been wondering if Kroger will ever return to Peachtree Corners. They haven't been here since 2011, when the Publix right next door ran them out of Peachtree Square shopping center.

Anonymous said...

Please remodel the Kroger on Grayson highway in lawrenceville. It’s gross and has bugs. It’s old and doesn’t offer pick up

Skrybe said...

Anonymous, my wife & I gave up on that Kroger many years ago and started going to the one a little further down, just 3-4 minutes away. It was better, but we still now mainly use the one across 316, Kroger Dacula on Dacula Road. Yes, it takes a few minutes longer to get to than the Kroger in Grayson, but it's definitely the best of the three.

My hope is that the opening of this new Kroger will finally trigger a shutdown or complete renovation of the Kroger in Lawrenceville. It truly is in a sad state.

Anonymous said...

Bring back A&P! Loved their Ann Page brand danishes!

Anonymous said...

I totally agree.

Anonymous said...

I heard that the Grayson Hwy location will close when the new one in Lawrenceville mentioned above opens. I agree on the current state of the current Grayson Hwy. location.

Anonymous said...

The Grayson Kroger is in a sad state. It’s not fair to the people who live in that area and deserve to have a nice place to shop nearby-especially within walking distance from their homes. Why has Kroger allowed it to become this way?

Anonymous said...

The Kroger in Lawrenceville on Grayson Hwy is horrible. Never has the weekly sale items, in a sketchy area and too many crimes in the parking lot. The Kroger in Grayson on Grayson Hwy is wonderful to shop at, other than it does get crowded.

We can't wait until the Kroger on Martins Chapel Rd and Sugarloaf Pkwy opens up.

Anonymous said...

Please find another location! I'm worried about the increase in traffic and unwanted attention to this area!

Anonymous said...

I agree! Close up everything outside the perimeter and go back to weeds and trees and old cabins or cottages. Too many people out there, go away and leave us alone in the wilderness.

Anonymous said...

We’re excited … it’s about time we get a decent Kroger in the area. The opening can’t be soon enough. However, The size of Martin Chapel needs to be addressed. With the traffic these new stores will bring, a two lane road will be a nightmare!!

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