Kingsdale Shopping Center — Development News & Updates

[Walker Evans]

Jason Powell wrote:

Grocery stores should be dispersed throughout the community to create equal access to as many as possible.

If grocery stores were run by nonprofit or government organizations, then that would probably be true.

As for-profit businesses, their location selections are primarily driven by customer bases and profit margins.

[shmoopatties]

Well the hyperbole about the Olentangy Kroger location in the comment above is over the top. I was a regular shopper at the Chambers Road Krogers for years, but I now drive slightly further to the Olentangy location because I greatly prefer it over the remodeled Chambers location. I do not shop Giant Eagle because of their pricing. I love Huffman’s and buy one-off items and booze there, but sadly I can not do regular shopping there because of pricing. Even as a loyal Kroger’s shopper within blocks of the proposed Kingsdale location, I gotta say it seems ludicrous to have 2 groceries in the same parking lot. But lay off my Olentangy location…it’s great. If you need something fancier than their usual inventory, it’s only a couple extra blocks to also stop in at the High/NW Broadway location.

[NEOBuckeye]

Walker Evans wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Jason Powell wrote:</div>
Grocery stores should be dispersed throughout the community to create equal access to as many as possible.

If grocery stores were run by nonprofit or government organizations, then that would probably be true.

As for-profit businesses, their location selections are primarily driven by customer bases and profit margins.

The Kingsdale move (and challenge to Giant Eagle’s prototype Market District store no less), combined with Kroger’s recent round of price cuts seems to really be about Kroger asserting their dominance, and could even mean Kroger intends to run Giant Eagle out of the Central Ohio market.

I’ve been saying for years now that if Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are the respective “army headquarters” for Kroger and Giant Eagle, Columbus is the theater where they are engaged in a decisive battle that could affect who controls the market throughout the broader region.

I agree with Jason though that it does seem like an opportunity was missed here by Upper Arlington to make Kingsdale into the genuine downtown it lacks. The Macy’s building for its part could have easily been converted into municipal offices and a community center complex. This would make better sense than yet another Kroger store for the area.

[Walker Evans]

NEOBuckeye wrote:

I’ve been saying for years now that if Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are the respective “army headquarters” for Kroger and Giant Eagle, Columbus is the theater where they are engaged in a decisive battle that could affect who controls the market throughout the broader region.

Hahaha! Never thought about it that way. ;)

[FunkBrothers]

Giant Eagle needs to play dirty here. If Kroger wins and gets to build on Kingsdale, I could see Giant Eagle reopen their store on 5th and Grandview.

[aculbie]

Seems counter productive for them to do that. With the Market District on 3rd, Giant Eagle would almost be competing with itself.

[OneBagTravel]

Each grocery store has their glorified Kwick-E-Mart locations. Kroger has Olentangy and Giant Eagle has Neil Ave. ;)

[japoling]

Apparent end of an era, I was in Giant Eagle Kingsdale last night and there was a notice posted indicating that the store would no longer be open 24hrs beginning September 20th. New hours: 6am to Midnight. The cashiers indicated it was a “regional” decision at the corporate level. Does anyone know if this is true? Is Grandview Yard also only going to be open 6AM to Midnight?

[Analogue Kid]

The Chambers Road Kroger went to those hours a number of years ago so I can’t say I’m surprised. Just not a lot of high value purchases being made in that time frame.

[Stephen43215]

Several of the grocery stores here in Vegas have recently posted signs saying they will no longer be 24 hours and will only be open 6 am to midnight including almost all of the Smith’s (Owned by Kroger) I don’t typically shop at Wal-Mart but stopped by around 1 am the other night and it also had a sign posted with the new hours only being 6 am to midnight.

[OneBagTravel]

japoling wrote:

Apparent end of an era, I was in Giant Eagle Kingsdale last night and there was a notice posted indicating that the store would no longer be open 24hrs beginning September 20th. New hours: 6am to Midnight. The cashiers indicated it was a “regional” decision at the corporate level. Does anyone know if this is true? Is Grandview Yard also only going to be open 6AM to Midnight?

If anything, I hope this allows them to bunch up their staff between those hours. I hate going in there and seeing only 3 registers open with 10+ people in line. This is one of the reasons I still hit up Whole Foods. They have people manning their checkout lines even when it’s slow. [/soapbox rant]

[Eridony]

I like shopping in the middle of the night when the place is empty. Too bad for me.

[Jason Powell]

Makes sense. Imagine how much money will be saved in man-hours and utility costs by closing those six hours. It’s a waste of resources to accommodate such a miniscule number of shoppers. My first job 20 years ago was bagging groceries, sometimes working cleanup until 2 and 3 am. It felt like the zombie apocalypse with music playing and nobody in sight.

[I_am_Father_McKenzie]

Jason Powell wrote:

Makes sense. Imagine how much money will be saved in man-hours and utility costs by closing those six hours. It’s a waste of resources to accommodate such a miniscule number of shoppers. My first job 20 years ago was bagging groceries, sometimes working cleanup until 2 and 3 am. It felt like the zombie apocalypse with music playing and nobody in sight.

Except you’d be saving one position’s hours. There are still going to be the shelf stockers there all night. The only other person in there overnight is the person running the self check-out. All the utilities will remain on. Seems silly as every time I’m in a Kroger or Giant Eagle during these hours, yeah it’s slow, but there are still always at least 3-4 other shoppers in there. Some people’s schedules dictate this is the best time for them to shop. Too bad for them.

[Walker Evans]

I_am_Father_McKenzie wrote:

The only other person in there overnight is the person running the self check-out.

I believe you always need some sort of manager present during business hours. Plus security. So there’s a few other expenses involved with being open all night.

[Author]

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