Grocery store news from Kroger, Food Lion
Kroger is celebrating the reopening of a Blacksburg store that saw a $5 million renovation, while Food Lion has announced it is closing two stores in Bedford County.
The University City Kroger recently underwent a renovation to update the 54,000 square-foot store’s decor, exterior, improve the entrance and expand several departments.
The renovation also included the creation of the Deli Bistro, where a chef prepares meals from scratch. The deli charges $7.99 for an entree and two sides, according to a news release from Kroger.
In addition, the deli and bakery, gourmet cheese shop and pharmacy were expanded.
The renovations added 20 jobs, bringing total employment to about 200, the news release said.
Food Lion, meanwhile, has announced it will close stores at 679 Lake Center in Moneta and 1208 Perrowville Road in Forest.
The stores will close in mid-February, Food Lion spokeswoman Christy Phillips-Brown said. The company is also closing six other stores in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
“While these decisions are difficult, especially given the impact on our associates, customers and communities, our actions will continue to enhance the performance of our overall store portfolio and further enable us to deliver profitable growth and accelerate shareholder value,” Phillips-Brown said in a statement.
January 25, 2013 - 5:00 AM
Will Towers Kroger ever renovate? Has to be the Kroger that needs a reno the most.
@Bryan: I’ve wondered that too but haven’t been able to get an answer. Next time I talk to the Kroger spokesman I will ask again.
Kroger Towers by the way is the only Kroger store in Roanoke City.May explain why an expansion has been slower than most.Ask the spokesperson that Amanda!
It only makes sense for Kroger to take the UKrops building as opposed to renovating Towers. They cannot really do anything to that location. No room to grow and terrible parking.
On the positive side there is news of a Wegmans Grocery chain coming to Roanoke. There are plans on the table to open in Charlottesville Va, check out their web page for future locations. My sources tell me of the next location to be Roanoke within the next year or 2 as they push south in the Va areas.Wegmans are amazing stores,consumer friendley IE no self checkouts, all areas such as deli or bakery have 8 to 10 people working at all times for the quick service. Checkouts a breeze at least 15 going at any given time. Check out Wegmans web site for a great adventure in grocery shopping.
I also forgot to mention they are in the Fortune 100 best places to work for.
Isnt the kroger store a the Sams Club in the city? They recently did a renovation and added a drive thru pharmacy station.
Cant say im surprised about the Food Lion in Moneta, the management is terrible, and the store was always filthy
TOWERS ISN’T THE ONLY KROGER IN ROANOKE CROSSROADS IS,THE CITY HAD ANOTHER ONE ON 460 BUT THEY WOULDN’T WORK WITH THEM ON REMODELING OF THE OLD BUILDING NOW THE NEW OWNER CAN’T SELL OR LEASE IT HE HAS OWNED IT FOR GOING ON 4 YEARS THE CITY DOESN’T WANT BUSINESS
#3 – FWIW, the Towne Square Kroger (near Sam’s) is in Roanoke City.
If Whole Foods won’t come, Wegmans won’t be coming. Sorry to burst your bubble there Michael. Until I see Roanoke on their Future Locations, I won’t believe it. We will see 5 more Krogers before that.
@Mike 3 – There is another Kroger in Roanoke City. That store is located over near the airport.
Just more proof that Food Lion is dying a corporate death. It will be interesting to see how soon the same closings start occurring at JC Penney stores. I remember it was less than a year ago on here how many cheerleaders thought JCP’s moves were so wonderful, and pledged to spend so much money there that they obviously did not spend. It will be interesting to hear about all those stores closing up like Food Lion. Bad management, losing sight of the bigger picture because of an obsession to uninformed accountants’ spreadsheets…
Wegmans? Ah, I can only wish! I could see them opening in C’ville but not in Roanoke. Do you have a link to that info?
Wegmans is wonderful but it seems unlikely. If the Kroger moved into the Ukrops spot it would have a chance to expand and modernize like every other Kroger in the area. Where they are now, they’re hemmed in by other storefronts.
Amanda check out the rumor about Wegmans. I find it hard to believe as well but would be great if it were true. Anything would be great besides the million old Kroger stores we have. Ivy Market site would be great but do not want to wait that long. Charlottesville is getting a Wegmans but not until 2015! Also heard Trader Joes at Keagy Village! That might be the big news coming out soon from that development. Not sure I believe that either but would be great!!
Roanoke needs a whole foods and a trader Joe’s. Food lions must go and all Krogers need to be like the one on 460.Famos saying build it and they will come. They need another Target in the area how about Botetourt?
They did a nice job on the Blacksburg location; and the South Main location near First & Main was well done for such a large facility. Wegmans are good – originally from New York state I think.
My bad on Roanoke City Kroger’s,,forgot about Rutgers store #325,Apologize for the error.Wegmans would be great in the city or county as would Publix or Whole Foods,
Michael Kory please link to a Wegman’s story about Roanoke, or even Cville. They’re based in Rochester and expansion into the mid-Atlantic is still new, heading down into our region doesn’t make sense.
It would be nice for Kroger to update one of their locations in Salem. Both locations are absolutely horrid.
Kroger at towers is nasty. I would rather shop in the city dump for food than go inside kroger at towers! We have complained and received an email that they are working on the store. Homeless people work harder than that store manager. Filth.
I’m all for a Wegmans, Trader Joe’s (or even bring back Harris Teeter) but I do have a question for Michael Kory. How is having no self check out considered consumer friendly? If a store was ALL self check out, that would not be consumer friendly. Just as I feel having NO self check out to be not consumer friendly.
The Kroger in Christiansburg is desperate for a renovation and expansion.
Amanda, friends said they ate Friday at Baja Bistro for their last day in business…
Found out yesterday that today is Baja Bistros last day in business. They said the closing was hopefully temporary while they found a new building? Do you have any details? It’s a shame, love it
there and it is so much better then Chipotle!
Thanks for letting is know about Baja Bistro, Salemite and Jenni. I will see what I can find out on Monday.
#8 John, What’s your beef? I am not royalty like you apparently are but I personally found the people at the Moneta Food Lion to be wonderful people and, although it is an older store, the place is always very well kept. Get a life man.
We’ve stopped going to Towers Kroger all together. Occasionally we stop in for milk or beer. We’ve made the decision to go to the Kroger on Brambleton now. Its about the same distance from Grandin. We are happy with that decision.
Baja Bistro, Meh. Happier with Chipotle.
Bryan my bubble didnt burst as I shop at Wegmans at least once a month. My sources for the new location are a store manager in Syracuse, and people who work at their corporate headquarters on Jetview Dr in Rochester, New York,from a map which shows future location in the future. The Charllottesvile location can be found on Wegmans web site on store locations, future locations. I am not here to spred rumors, just state what I have heard.
Micheal do you know if they have listed us- Roanoke on there future map?? Exciting news!!thanks man!
Here is the link that shows a future Wegmans in Charlottesville. Roanoke isn’t listed.
Amanda, prior stores now built did not show on their future store sites untill a later given time and date. My sources are very good. The store recently opened in Bellair Md was not listed untill a few months before being opened. Why would a store Manger and people working in their corporate headquarters tell the same thing. What say you? A call to Wegmans might not give you the answers do to realestate problems, IE most of their stores are built on property owned by Wegmans.
@Michael: It’s not unusual for businesses to keep their expansion plans hush-hush. Thanks for sharing your info with us. I will keep this on my radar.
Does anyone know why the mexican place at West Villiage closed? Choptile way better. Not surprised!
@Chris: I am trying to find out today why Baja Bistro closed. I’ll let you know if I am able to get in touch with the owner.
First of all, Baja Bistro FAR surpasses Chipotle. Not even close. Their building manager would not let them re-sign the lease, so they are looking to relocate.
I actually posted that when Chipotle opened I’d probably never go back to Baja Bistro, and for the most part that has held true. The one thing they did have that Chipotle doesn’t is QUESO. I really did like their queso burrito, and it was great that they started using their own version of Chipotle’s signature cilantro-lime rice, but unfortunately they fell into the same trap that a lot of places do. The last time I went in there, I found out the hard way that their “steak” is no longer STEAK. It’s more like “Philly steak”, which to me is NOT steak… it’s just roast beef.
Anyway, I’ll survive without them, but if they do reopen somewhere else I’ll probably give them another try. It would really be nice to get a Moe’s Southwest Grill, but I doubt Roanoke could support both, especially if another Chipotle opens here. Speaking of queso, though, that place downtown called Queso is really good… I really need to get down there more often.
hooters closed also
LOVED Food Lion in Moneta. So sad it’s closing. Now if Wegmans would come to Moneta, they would give Kroger a run for their money! Please find out what’s up with Baja Bistro, Amanda.
I was in Baja Bistro last week and the girl behind the counter said they were told rent had gone up by a significant amount and the owner decided to close the location.
Speaking of closings, a few places in downtown Radford look closed now. Main Street Cafe (I think that was the name) is for rent, Cafe 24 looks closed down, and it now appears that Mi Puerto is closed as well (I was driving past, but it looked like they said the building had been sold). But, in Fairlawn on Rte 11 in the former Thai House/El Ranchero building, they’ve been doing a lot of work in the surrounding parking lot and have stripped a lot of the building facade down. No signs are posted, but at one point Troy’s Original was slated to open there, until a legal challenge over the name ensued a few years ago.
As a Fairfax ex-patriate, I would love to see a Wegmans here. I hope you are right, Michael K! However, I’m guessing even if it’s under consideratio nthat we are a few years away. Wegmans really takes its time with new store openings. BTW, the location in Fairfax has added self checkouts.
@Other John: Thanks for the report on closings out your way!
@lisa2: I am trying to get in touch with the owner of West Village to see what he can tell me about Baja Bistro.
Though the Old Urkop’s building I am going to assume is almost move in ready for another supermarket? Though can a supermarket with one store in an area succeed in the Kroger dominated market?
I think Keagy Village is great for Teader Joe’s- but it’s a pain to get in there to Firehouse or Dunkin Donuts.
I thnk everyone that can, should check out the Facebook page to get a TJs in Roanoke – or just go to their website and recommend Roanoke.
Also it’s interesting that Baja’s lease wasn’t renewed if that is the case.. Some other more attractive tenant come calling?
For #39 this channel 7 reports:
http://schurz.co/v7a6hj
Lindsey Nair reported the Hooters closing yesterday. Click here to read her blog post.
re: Kroger – yes, all three Salem locations could use some renovation. Can’t see Kroger moving the Towers store to the Ukrops building now that they’ve invested in the Towers fuel center.
WW – Kroger just opened a free standing fuel center near corporate (Peters Creek Rd.???) But it is doubtful Kroger would even consider closing their Towers store. There’s a lot of customer loyalty to that store.
We don’t need another Chipotle in the Roanoke area.
We need a MOE’S.
I am skeptical that we’ll see a Wegman’s in Roanoke.
Doubly skeptical about the likelihood of a Whole Foods in Roanoke.
The Food Lion store on 220 should be a Trader Joe’s.
UKROP’S old store would be awesome as a PUBLIX.
Is there any confirmation that there is going to be a “Bloop” in Vinton?
There are PLENTY of Frozen Yogurt spots all over town now. What Roanoke needs is a FAST way to get delicious creative salads on-the-go.
Whoops – I thought Bloop was Bloom and then checked the bloom website and realize that Bloom is now Food Lion. http://www.shopbloom.com/ {oh well!}