Auburn students and citizens will soon enjoy a larger Kroger, but until then, they will have to deal with the construction.
The Kroger on Glenn Avenue has been under construction since February, and will not be finished until May 2016, according to Bradley Whitman from store management for the Glenn Avenue Kroger.
The store will still be open during renovation.
“The Kroger has needed to expand for quite some time,” said Forrest Cotten, director of city planning.
Cotten said the store will be increasing from 48,000 square feet to more than 74,000 square feet.
Some other changes to the store will include the addition of a Starbucks, a cheese shop and a larger produce section, according to Whitman.
He also said weather has put the construction behind schedule.
Auburn students have a lot to say about the construction.
“I’m excited for the construction to end so that I can start shopping at that Kroger,” said Elena Wisniewski, sophomore in psychology.
While students have mixed reactions about the construction itself, many students are excited about the outcome of it.
“I think it is making the store hard to shop in but I think it’s going to be ten times better when it’s finished” said Chandler Cofield, senior in communication disorders.
David Dorton, director of public affairs for the City of Auburn, said the new Kroger will provide more opportunities for Auburn residents.
It’s always a positive for the community when a shopping center can renovate and expand," Dorton said in an email. "Right now the Corner Village as well as the old Kmart shopping centers are getting a facelift and new and/or improved stores. Many residents have expressed an interest in having more retail opportunities, so we’re proud these projects are happening and that we could facilitate them in some way."
The store is normally open 24 hours a day but has been closed from midnight to 6 a.m. for the construction.
According to Cotten, the stores that had been located next to Kroger have already been relocated to a finished building by Glenn Avenue.
The Glenn Avenue Kroger location has been one of Kroger’s best performing stores, according to Cotten.
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