Kroger opened a new 123,000 square foot superstore in northern Powell on Nov. 14, the Cincinnati-based grocer’s second brand-new store in the Columbus area in the last year.
The $36 million store, which includes not just groceries but also some clothing and household goods, hosted a grand opening celebration that included gift card raffles, appearances from a variety of mascots — including Brutus Buckeye — as well as free samples throughout the store.
Kroger already has another story 3 miles south of the new location. But Kroger built another one as housing developments continue to proliferate in one of the fastest-growing counties in Ohio, Kroger spokesperson Mark Bruce told The Dispatch after the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We’ve had our eyes on this property for a while. It was kind of waiting for the right time and the (nearby) houses reached the right point,” Bruce said.
After 15 years without opening any new locations, Kroger has been rapidly expanding in the Columbus area in recent years. The area’s last new location opened in 2009.
Kroger also opened another store in Jerome Township in November 2024. That store is one of the first commercial developments in the area, while this one adds to the existing commercial and residential landscape, Bruce said.
“There’s already a good density of homes around and it’s what people want,” Bruce said.
Two other Kroger stores are planned to open next year in Canal Winchester and outside of downtown Delaware.
Kroger does not have any plans to close other stores in the Columbus area, Bruce said.
Some shoppers waited for hours to get inside the store. That included Leylan Shaheen and Rawan Alsamare, who were some of the first in line waiting. They live nearby and were trying to get Starbucks’ elusive Bearista cup, which they found out was unavailable at the coffee shop inside the Kroger.
Ronnia Fort lives in Dublin, but came to the store for the grand opening celebration. She said she would start coming to this store to shop sometimes because of the variety at the store.
The store is now the closest place to shop for groceries for thousands of nearby homes. That includes Marcie Lindo, who lives just about a mile away.
Lindo came in shortly after the grand opening ceremony to do her regular shopping and was surprised to see the parking lot was very full.
“We live just over the way, it’s very handy,” Lindo said of the new store.
Anna Lynn Winfrey covers the northwestern suburbs for the Columbus Dispatch. She can be reached at awinfrey@dispatch.com.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kroger opens new store in Powell, has two more openings planned next year
Reporting by Anna Lynn Winfrey, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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