UPDATE: Kroger Embry Hills Delayed Until 2018

Kroger Marketplace Embry Hills moving forward

This past February I released news on this site regarding Kroger's planned expansion at Embry Hills shopping center in Tucker.  Kroger planned to nearly double the size of their current store creating what it calls "Kroger Marketplace."  

In the months since, S&S Cafeteria, the beloved southern institution closed. While Magnolia Room Cafeteria, an S&S replacement, being opened by a longtime patron nears completion a few miles away, nothing further had been said, or done, at Embry Hills.  

I dug deeper and uncovered rumors of Kroger abandoning the project and others of Kroger looking at both North Hills shopping center and "other" locations on which to build their big new store.  

To get what I hoped would be a clear and  definite response, I contacted Glynn Jenkins, Public Relations Director for Kroger’s Atlanta Division.  

In an email, I asked Jenkins, "What is the status of the upcoming Kroger Marketplace at Embry Hills in Tucker?"

His [full] response is below.  

"Kroger continues to open stores to suit the unique needs of our customers. Kroger’s new 113,000-square-foot Embry Village Marketplace will have upscale service departments, drive-thru pharmacy, Starbucks, Chef on the Run, apparel department, and more that will cater to our Tucker-area customers' shopping needs. Kroger’s Atlanta Division operates ten Marketplace stores including locations in Athens, Carrollton, Cartersville, Dawsonville, Gainesville, Grovetown, Rincon, Savannah, and Warner, Robins, GA and Columbia, SC. Construction is tentatively scheduled to commence in the spring 2017, with a completion in summer 2018." [Although Jenkins does not explicitly mention it, Kroger has reportedly received all necessary permits / approvals to have a fuel center at their new store.]

As a follow-up question I asked "Will the existing store ever close or will the new store be built  around / in front of it in a manner that does not affect customers' weekly shopping?" 

Jenkins responded, saying "The existing store will close after the new store opens."

As you can see in the image above, the site plan indicates that the former Motel 6, former S&S and multiple other spaces are "available."  This of course is not the case as the Kroger will consumer both of those spaces, and more.  Interestingly, while the siteplan seems outdated, verbiage on the Kimco website for Embry Hills states the following:

"Embry Village is under redevelopment to expand Kroger to 120,000 square feet for a new Marketplace concept store. The complete site renovation will include 9,900 square feet of new shops next to Planet Fitness in 2017."

Given this timeline, one has to wonder why the S&S was forced to close this past July.  

Are you excited for the new Kroger Marketplace at Embry Hills?  Do you still miss S&S Cafeteria in Embry Hills?  What restaurants or retailers would you like to see join Kroger in the redeveloped center?

Please share your thoughts below.