Pictures of Idiots Like Me in Line!

Okay, pictures slowly coming and not great quality.  My Droid is supposed to take good pictures, but I'm thinking the user hasn't figured it out yet!

Alleluia!!!!!!

Yes, the opening today was fantabulous!  I was there at 6:45 a.m., anxiously waiting with hundreds of friends and fellow fans of our sorely missed Fort Mitchell Kroger!  Television, radio and more were on hand to document our excitement when the doors opened promptly at 7:00 a.m. - and we already had our free give card from Kroger in hand as they handed them to us in line outside while we waited!  It was great, almost Macy's Parade-like but with a shorter line and much more free stuff!!!

Upon entrance to the store, there were staff and corporate suits welcoming us with smiles, awesome sampling opportunities and friends everywhere . .  and I literally mean everywhere.  The place was jam packed with people at 7:00 a.m.  It was the best non-drinking happy hour I've ever been to! 

The new store is scrumptious - sushi selections, cheese from everywhere, a Bistro with awesome seating, Starbucks (with no free refills on the ice tea though!) with all the caffeeine offerings to please anyone, produce that makes you cry, meat selections that fill your weekly menu with ease, and more . . . so much more!

The ribbon cuttings showcased Kroger donating money to area non-profits including various breast cancer organizations and our beloved Beechwood Band (State Champions Band)!  The ceremony was great, the crowd constant and the awe in everyone's faces a people watching extravaganza. 

Yes, the parking lot is full.  Yes, it was very crowded to shop.  Yes, Thanksgiving is right around the corner so it will most likely remain at full capacity through the holiday, but in time things will find a normal rhythm and we'll continue to be thankful for having our neighbor back . . . better and bigger than ever!

Pictures are coming . . .  I took so many it's taking more time than I thought to download!!!!  Thanks, too, to kypost.com for sharing the fact that this blog was out there!!  http://www.kypost.com/dpps/news/local_news/new-fort-mitchell-kroger-opens_5528905

Share your experiences!

Who Will be there at 7:00 a.m.?

Okay, the big day is upon us - Kroger Fort Mitchell opens at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, Thursday, November 18 - a date that has been circled on calendars throughout the 41017 zipcode!  Starbucks, groceries and gasoline at our fingertips - we aren't going to know what do do with ourselves!!!!  See you there and let's compare notes after our first trips!

The Countdown is On . . . .

Our little town of Fort Mitchell, Kentucky is abuzz about the new Kroger opening - it's just days away.  Thank you to the many people who have emailed me, texted me or called me about receiving special invitations to special opening events prior the store opening on Thursday.  Obviously, my time as a blogger on the subject, my shopping at Krogers around the Tri-State and going out of my way to fill up my vehicle at Shell Gas Stations to use my Kroger card is not paying off for me.  I have received no such special invitation!
Regardless, I anticipate the new Starbucks to be overflowing on Thursday morning and the store to be busy as a beaver with people joyfully shopping at our very own Kroger again. 

There's been discussion about tail gating - I'm game!  Morning Mimosa's or Evening Bud Selects - I'm open to celebrating the idea that we will have convenient grocery shopping, expansive product offerings and good price points on our favorite kitchen needs!!!!  I cannot say that time has flown since April, but we have somehow survived, although I think many families will be re-introducing the kitchen back into their lives!!!  Here's to celebrating the Opening . . . .

Time is Ticking!

Asphault is down, parking lines drawn and Help Wanted Signs (thank goodness Kroger finally took down the hand written posters on bright pink poster board - BRANDING people!) are hanging on poles in the parking lot area. 

The time is near - word on the street and in the Liquour Store (still open and well utilized!) notes it will open sometime in November.  Let's hope this happens before Thanksgiving.  I can't imagine preparing for our annual Turkey Fry on Thanksgiving without the Fort Mitchell Kroger!

Okay - topics of interest:  1.  Tailgating  2. Pool on when it will open

So, let's hear some guesses on an exact date.
Let's hear some suggestions on how to celebrate it's opening.  As usual, I take comments both on and off (which seems to be the popular forum) line. 

Time is ticking . . .let's speed up the clock!

Gone Bananas!

Okay folks, the asphault is down and the parking spot lines are drawn, so the day must be near that our beloved Kroger doors will be open to us loyal shoppers in Fort Mitchell.  They are saying possibly it will open by November !  Enquirer Reports: Fort-Mitchell-Kroger-could-be-ready-by-November-1  However, it will not be soon enough.

I popped into the Latonia Kroger a couple of weeks ago (actually two weeks ago tonight) at 7:00 p.m. to get some much needed staples - milk, eggs, lunch box foods, and more.  Bananas are a major staple item in our house - we go through anywhere from 2 - 4 per day - fruit smoothies and healthy eating!!!  I arrive to the produce section at Kroger in Latonia, and, on the large expansive table which holds a large supply of bananas, there were 8 sole bananas to choose from.  Yes, only eight - and not all eight were worth buying!  I must say, I applaud the staff at the Fort Mitchell Kroger, as I have never ever seen this at our store and I've been shopping there for the last 10 - 11 years.   They would never have a produce area so empty during prime time shopping hours.  

The off line conversations about Kroger have been getting desperate.  The doors need to open!  I suggest we have a tail gate party in the parking lot upon opening!  Let's discuss in next post.

To those of you out there still impacted by the loss of our Kroger on a daily basis, may you look elsewhere for your bananas!

Back to School with No Kroger in Site in Fort Mitchell

Who is jealous that Mariemount in Cincinnati just celebrated the opening of their new Kroger?  Will that day come for Fort Mitchell?

Should be interesting when school at Beechwood is back in session next week and Friday night football begins.  After all, the question on everyone's mind is parking - will there be enough?  Logic says Kroger has done their homework, but avid Kroger shoppers in the Expressway Plaza truly question the amount of space for parking.  We don't want an Erlanger Kroger parking situation - no good!!!

By the way, how do you get a bad smell out of a refrigerator?  Any good tips you Kroger shoppers?  I've tried Pine Sol, Lysol, Baking Soda boxes, cut lemons and limes, etc.  I need help!  Construction on my house finished, but the remnants of a remodel remain, like the fridge situation!

Cheers all.  And best of luck as you complete your back to school shopping without the benefit of our neighborhood Kroger. 

Parking Discussion - ON and OFF LINE!

Okay folks - I crack up at the level of discussion about this blog that happens off line and in our community face to face!  Whoever said the Internet was always anonymous!!!

Let's get the discussion going on here so we can solicit feedback from Kroger.  There's no question that everyone in the Greater Fort Mitchell area is asking the question:  Will there be enough parking?  I keep saying, Sure, Kroger is a big boy who knows codes, needs and how to be good to us, the customer.  But, I'm with everyone on this.  There does not seem to be enough room for parking.

Thoughts?  Comments?  Arguments?  Frustrations? 

By the way, who else has a family that has not been eating well balanced meals on a regular basis due to lack of grocery shopping?  Please say I'm not alone.  I do have some house renovation going on (by the best contractor ever I might add!).  So, it's tough to seek out groceries when I don't have a kitchen to work with, but life would have been easier with Kroger on board. 

Sorry about the stray, but grocery shopping and the lack of Kroger has had a major impact on my life and I'm assuming yours as well.  Right Anisa!

So, read, comment and solicit feedback from Corporate.  We want answers . .  and more importantly, we want our Kroger back up and running.

Running on empty,
Suzanne

Is it too much to ask for Christmas in July?

So, word is our beloved Fort Mitchell Kroger will be open by Thanksgiving or Christmas?  I'm getting desperate - any chance we could celebrate Christmas in July with thoughts of doors opening and cash registers ringing right now?

Seriously, it's getting to me!  A quick trip to the store with what I need at the prices I like is just not in our vicinity anytime soon -  today, tomorrow, or any time in the near future.  Kroger - give us an update on where things stand.  Walls are up, electric is on inside (atleast for the construction workers), and your shoppers are anxiously awaiting to be invited inside!

Shopping and Parking Possible?

Okay folks - so sorry about the hiatus.  Not only is my favorite Kroger under construction, so is my home dwelling!  Believe me when I say, life is chaotic.

In June we reviewed several of the area Kroger stores while our beloved Fort Mitchell one is in the rebuilding process.  I shopped at Erlanger, Latonia, Florence, Hebron and Newport.  My all time favorite is definitely the Newport store.  The fruit and vegetable section is like 3D artwork with colors flying and options everywhere.  Hope our new one has a section like this.

The question of the day - when we are able to start shopping at the Fort Mitchell Kroger, will we be able to park there as well?  It's definitely been a topic of conversation around the hood.  It looks like a lovely store that will house our favorite Kroger and name brand products, but will we be fighting for a parking spot?  Will the dilemma become so great that Beechwood would benefit from auctioning off a few of their spots as a fundraiser?  Any comments Kroger, friends and neighbors? 

It's Practically Like a Phoenix, Minus the Fire!

Driving past the retail space at the Expressway Plaza is like seeing a phoenix rise from the fire and ashes, except replace the fire with rubble, rubble and more rubble!  There are mounds of rubble, but walls of bricks outlining what will be our new Kroger by the end of the year!  Thank goodness.  The rubble is quite prominent from the street, as the digging out of necessary "stuff" to connect necessary "stuff" for gas has created mini-mountains.  That's the status, and will provide photos next time I'm in the passenger seat of my car instead of the driver's side.  Just doesn't seem safe when driving!

On to the Tour - I do now have fresh vegetables, awesome fruit, and Van's all natural wheat free frozen waffles back in my kitchen, all courtesy of the Newport Kroger Marketplace.  Awesome store and didn't even feel too big.  Wonder if we get the awesome produce section?   Sushi would be great too - my kids love the stuff.  Anyone else out there like this Kroger? 

Still wanting ours back - convenience is key, but until then, we'll continue the tour. 

Time is of the essence, so it seems is starvation!

I'm blessed to be busy at work and my husband and are I blessed to have two great kids involved in activities!  However, without our friendly Kroger next door, the hectic schedule has literally led to emptier shelves and refrigerator space at our house than when Hurricane Ike came through!   We all always say that once in a while we are going to use up everything in the pantry before buying more - the day is here.

So, I will report on the tour of Krogers when I get a chance to shop at one - which has to be soon or the pounds I need to lose will happen oh so naturally! 

GOOD NEWS - word on the street is that the construction at the Fort Mitchell Kroger is about 3 - 4 weeks AHEAD of schedule.  That's right - our corporate neighbor is beating the schedule as of now.  Just maybe, we'll be buying our halloween candy there.

For now, thank goodness I can get my favorite adult beverage formerly owned and operated in the United States (hint: still brewed in St. Louis) at the two remaining aspects of our Kroger - Drugs and Alcohol - both of which are open during construction.

Here's a picture my husband took from his car last night - PROGRESS!  Tilt head to the right to view - not sure why it won't upload properly, but I know that black cloud over my head is related to my impatience with technology!

Disclaimer Notation which I will put somewhere permanently on the blog: 
This is a blog I have created based on my opinions with a goal of having fun until our beloved neighbor is back up and running.  This blog does not represent the opinions from Kroger in any way, unless they want to comment of course!

Video Footage of the Before!

Thanks to a friend, neighbor and member of the local historical society, we have video of what Kroger was prior to the tear down.  Check it out . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN1FTEMRSNE

A Lament for Our Kroger, a Guest Posting

The response to this blog in Northern Kentucky certainly caused quite a bit of conversation over the weekend into this week. So many are chuckling as they too are challenged without our local Kroger.
Today’s post comes from a dear friend who had some thoughts to share. . . enjoy .

From Anisa: 
At the risk of being melodramatic (Me? Melodramatic? NEVER!) Kroger has for years taught me a lot about myself. I fancy myself the sort of person who will regularly visit the Farmers’ market who will even trek to Findlay market. I will think ahead to by a cow share and freeze and can from the season so we’re stocked up with a freezer full of stuff we grew in the garden and our very own cow. I read Michael Pollan! I read Jamie Oliver! I read Marion Nestle! I grew up with a small garden and today we have the benefit of a garden patch in the backyard tended lovingly by my mother in law. Who needs Kroger! Yeah right.

Like most images we have of ourselves, this one of me is inaccurate. For one, they don’t sell Diet Coke in bulk at the Farmer’s Market; another problem is that while many parts of a cowshare are the ones I know what to do with (ie steaks, hamburger), our current freezer cow is down to the rather icky parts that I feel like I need Dr G Medical Examiner to evaluate. We do have broccoli for the picking, but like all homegrown broccoli we also have those little green bugs that have to be picked out or soaked out with salt water. What is left of the salad greens is a little too, well, leafy--think oak, not lettuce--in terms of taste and texture. After a long day of work or kids’ activities or whatever, what I often long for is a bag of Kroger frozen broccoli, and perhaps a few pork chops packaged in styrofoam, and maybe some sweet potatoes to bake. And a Diet Coke of course.

Homegrown. Local. Organic. These are lovely concepts and great sounding words. I’m still very much in favor of them. But what also was lovely was listening to James (who worked at our Kroger) do his rendition of Jim Morrison’s songs as he picked up the carts. I miss being able to run in for a salad for dinner or emergency doughnuts on Saturday morning (don’t tell me you never did that). Luckily we have other great options for grocery shopping nearby, but none of those seem natural yet. I hope they soon will.

When we moved here one of my first relationships was with Kroger; the same was true when we got married (and I had to go to our nearby Kroger in Lexington when we got back from our honeymoon to stock Kevin’s man-pantry with a few things besides tomato soup and canned corn) and when we had our first baby (and I realized that the convenience of Kroger diapers were more to my ability level than washing the cotton diapers myself. That was another one of those reality checks.) For a new mom and her extroverted baby, Kroger became a social outlet for him and a place for me to learn how to plan meals for a family. When we moved here from Lexington three years ago, it was only natural to seek out the familiar: frozen broccoli, pork chops, sweet potatoes, Diet Coke. Kroger had me at 10 for 10.

Onward and upward--the new place will be bigger and in some ways better, and at least for a while I won’t take its’ proximity for granted. I’m also be more grateful for the absolute abundance of relatively cheap food by which we are surrounded, and more empathic regarding the struggles of people who live in urban and rural “food deserts” and don’t have even one real grocery store nearby, much less two or three. The only thing left to do is to stock up on Diet Coke.

At least there is a snippet of Kroger Open!

Well, as we all wait (and a long one it seems it is going to be!) for our friend, the Fort Mitchell Kroger, we have at least a snippet of them still with us - Pharmacy and Alcohol!  Atleast during the summer months we'll be able to sooth our hungry souls with a cold beer and some aspirin!

It is June and I said we would begin our tour of Kroger.  I've heard many of you talk about the options, so here's your chance to chime in! 

First off - Kroger in Florence across from the Mall.  Interesting Kroger and convenient to one of my favorite stores - TJ Maxx!  It's small and not new, but all of the people that work there are ever so nice.  It does make me miss my Fort Mitchell Kroger, as there are some natural products that I couldn't get there.  Am I the only person outside of Fort Mitchell that likes to purchase all natural, wheat free frozen waffles???  I slowly picked up some Chocolate Chip Eggos, but then quickly put them back.  My kids will never eat the good stuff again if I give them this option! 

Any one else hit Krogers in Florence???  Yes, we'll get to the other locations - we all have to have patience!!! 

Happy Hump Day folks!

Working on the holiday weekend!

The brick walls are going up quickly on our friend and neighbor in the Expressway Plaza on Dixie Highway in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky!  Crews seem to be working at a feverish pace over a holiday weekend to get the brick walls up.  Makes it seem like we'll be shopping in there tomorrow, but I fear we'll be buying our Labor Day needs elsewhere! 

May the force be with you as you continue to figure out your shopping! 

Walls are going up!!! Not in time for BBQs this weekend.

Well, the exciting news is that the walls are going up for our new store.  The bad news is we won't be able to shop within those walls for any graduation parties, BBQs or family gatherings you are attending this weekend.  I have to say, the Latonia store is pretty nice and the people that work there are incredibly nice.  I like to keep things on a positive note, but I have to be honest that the Erlanger location just doesn't cut it.  I get a little claustrophic going into that store, not to mention the parking challenges.  Any one else have an opinion?

I'm going to upload some more pictures!  June is dedicated to the Kroger Tour!  Let's check them all out and see where we are using our Kroger coupons the most as we anxiously await the return of our corporate neighbor and missed Fort Mitchell friend. 

Have a great weekend, and yes, I've add the feed to make it easier to access!!!!

Missing the Kroger "Drive In"

It's a beautiful day in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky and today is Field Day at Beechwood Elementary School! I'll be helping out with the activities, but unfortunately I will have to leave my perimeter of comfort before going the 2 miles to get to the school. I need to bring pop cycles and Kroger is no longer there for those quick pop ins before or after school. Anyone else have to drive out of the city limits and hit a competitor (of which I will never disparage) that just doesn't have everything I need? We will persevere, but just another reason why I'm craving my Kroger to be back! The quick drive in and pop out with what you need from Kroger is non-existent in Fort Mitchell right now.

Wish I would have taken pictures right when Kroger got knocked down. Anyone out there have any?

Day One: Missing Kroger and Many Months To Go!

It's been a little over a month since the Kroger in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky was demolished to make way for a new store. Yes, the store needed to be replaced. But, Kroger has done a great job in the last several years marketing to me - sending me coupons on goods I buy, expanding natural and organic food choices, offering their Private Selection brand and name brands - just to name a few. Then, right before they knocked the walls down, they started offering discounts at Shell with Kroger points! Woohoo, I was loving that one. Then, the Kroger went down and my family's pantry and refrigerator has been bare. I didn't even have enough points to get a discount at the Shell near us. My kids keep eating cereal for breakfast and dinner offerings have been a disaster.

With these challenges in mind and the observance of the rebuilding beginning, I thought I would start this blog to document my experience of losing my Kroger until Christmas! Come join in the fun and comment away. After all, I'm not the only one missing the store. I'm quite sure of that.