Over 70 residents convened at the Cathedral of Christ the King to air their thoughts on Kroger’s decision to close up shop at its relatively small but popular Romany Road location.
During the meeting hosted by Councilman Bill Farmer, residents from the Chevy Chase area said they felt blindsided and betrayed by the move. One dismayed former shopper, Leola Herring, was behind several protest signs dotting the entrance and stage, including one that read “Kroger Abandons Elders.”
"It's been in Romany Road for a long time and a lot of people are retired that live in this Chevy Chase area," she explains. "And it's going to leave Chevy Chase without a little store."
Kroger’s rationale – including statements indicating the location had ceased to be profitable years ago – garnered little sympathy with the crowd. Instead, community members worried aloud that the company would choose to run out the year remaining on its lease to prevent any competing grocers from moving in.
Still, Farmer remains optimistic that public protests, if loud enough, will catch Kroger’s attention and result in a new tenant that satisfies the needs of the area.
"We've had some interest too, so I think we're trying to vet through what has happened, where we can go to, and try to put a little public pressure on Kroger that if we can get someone who's interested, let them come on in, and get something going rather than have that place sit empty for a year, which really wouldn't help anybody," Farmer says.
Suggestions thrown out at the meeting include the Good Foods Co-Op, Trader Joe’s, and organic food market Earth Fare. Farmer said he's been in contact with Bowling Green-based Houchens, Aldi, and Lucy's Market.
City planners say the property, situated in a B1 neighborhood business zone, could be sold to another retail business, but changes to the physical layout would require planning commission approval. Potential buyers could also seek to rezone the area.
Kroger has argued the Romany location had been operating in the red since 2008. In a press release, the company also cited the location’s small size, building condition, and lack of adequate parking as reasons for the departure. The announcement came after major upgrades to two nearby locations on Chinoe and Euclid.
Update (9/16): Asked to respond, Kroger spokesman Tim McGurk sent WUKY this statement:
- Kroger appreciates the twenty years that we were able to serve this neighborhood.
- Unfortunately the facility’s condition, size, and location are simply inadequate for Kroger to operate in a way that meets the company’s standards.
- The company delayed the difficult decision to close this store for as long as possible.
- It has lost significant profits for multiple years and its financial projections for 2016 were even worse.
- We look forward to working with city officials to facilitate a smooth transition to a new tenant.
