Kroger continues to invest in new stores, remodels
Kroger continues to invest in new stores, remodels
This past year Kroger invested $71 million in the Cincinnati area, opening three new stores, performing major remodels at four locations and opening six new fuel centers. The company anticipates investing significantly more money in the area for 2014.
At this point the only two projects that have been approved are a new store in Florence, OH, expected to open in the spring and a major remodel at its Mt. Zion, OH, location.
The total cost of these two locations is $25 million, but “we actually have over $120 million projected for 2014,” said Rachael Betzler, public relations manager of Kroger’s Cincinnati and Dayton division. “However, only the [Florence and Mt. Zion] projects are approved at this time. Some projects can take years to be approved based on the city or township. Others, not so long, so the timing varies.”
One potential project is in Union, OH, but it has not been approved at this point.
“We are constantly reviewing our stores and gathering customer feedback on how to make our customers’ shopping experience better,” said Betzler. “Investing in our stores each year is a way to do that. Investments to our stores also create new jobs in the local communities.”
In the past five years, Kroger spent $205 million on 13 new stores and an additional $66 million on 20 remodels.
Kroger, one of the world's largest retailers, employs 343,000 associates who serve customers in 2,418 supermarkets and multi-department stores in 31 states under two dozen local banner names.