Kroger Remodels, Expands Market in Houston
The Kroger Co. has reopened its expanded and remodeled supermarket at Merchants Park Shopping Center in Houston, making it the grocer’s largest store in the Texas city.
“We are excited to have the newly expanded and remodeled Kroger store open at Merchants Park,” said Michael Carroll, CEO of New York-based shopping center developer Centro Properties Group. “We feel confident the Heights community will greatly benefit from the new larger format and additional amenities that this store has to offer.”
The newly remodeled Kroger, which now encompasses 89,000 square feet, offers a variety of enhanced departments and amenities, including an expanded selection of deli, bakery and grocery products, international items, gourmet and chef-prepared foods, and premium meats and seafood. The new store also offers a broader selection of produce, an expanded natural foods section and a large wine selection offering monthly wine tastings.
In addition to an improved health-and-wellness department and an expanded floral department, the revamped Kroger also offers a drive-up pharmacy lane, a fuel center, a Starbucks Coffee shop and a lounge area including free Wi-Fi.
Merchants Park is nearing completion of its two-part redevelopment; the first phase was completed in 2006. The second phase included the expansion of Kroger and construction of approximately 9,500 square feet of additional retail space. The new retail building, still under construction, is estimated to be complete in September 2010. Total cost of the redevelopments at Merchants Park is about $7 million.
Centro Properties Group is the second-largest owner of community and neighborhood shopping centers in the United States. Its portfolio of some 600 properties is located across 39 states and aggregates approximately 98 million square feet of gross leasable area.
Cincinnati-based Kroger operates 2,470 supermarkets and multidepartment stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names including Kroger, City Market, Jay C, Food 4 Less, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, King Soopers, QFC, Ralphs and Smith’s.