A paradise of fresh awaits customers at the recently remodeled Birmingham Kroger store, according to the store’s new manager, Matthew Dakho. Customers are invited to peruse the entirely renovated facility when the store reopens its doors at 6 a.m. on Friday, December 12 during its grand re-opening celebration.
The first 400 customers will receive a FREE reusable shopping bag and $10 gift card. All shoppers will enjoy extensive product sampling and specials throughout the day.
The facility remodel represents a $5.5 million investment, with the 56,357-square-foot store featuring attractive earth tone colors, a new layout and new products and services such as a sushi, soup and sandwich area, a Murray’s Cheese Shop and olive bar. Murray’s is a Greenwich village-based business in New York that continually strives to identify the most delicious cheeses from across the globe and offer them to customers.
A new macaroni and cheese bar invites shoppers to make their own version of this American classic, perhaps by adding lobster or creating a macaroni and cheese BLT. The store also offers a bistro area with an extensive selection of prepared foods for a quick lunch or gourmet dinner.
“Customers will encounter fresh products – ranging from produce and meats to deli selections and a Starbucks area – whether our guests enter the store through the updated front entrance or the expanded rear vestibule,” Dakho said. “The Birmingham Kroger is located at the gateway to the vibrant and walkable City of Birmingham. We streamlined and updated the interior to create an inviting environment while offering products and services that meet our customers’ individual needs.”
A large wine cellar staffed by a beverage steward will offer wine tastings during the grand re-opening and everyday for the next six weeks. The store will conduct mixology seminars, hold tastings for scotch, agave and whiskey and educate customers about wine and food pairings.
“Customers will find a very personal level of service at the Birmingham store,” Dakho said. “Our department managers will step from behind the counter to greet shoppers and our associates want to get to know them by name and understand their tastes.”
The Birmingham Kroger rehired more than 50 percent of the associates who served customers prior to the store’s closing on August 2. The location also increased its part time associates by more than 30 percent.
Other store updates include new check lanes near the front and rear entrances, updated equipment and shelving, and energy efficient food cases and refrigeration units. The pharmacy was relocated and provides a counseling room and waiting area. The recycling center moved and offers new machines and an outside entrance.
Kroger renovated the store exterior with new signage, a repaved parking lot and canopies above the cart corrals to keep shopping carts dry.
The Birmingham Kroger store is located at 685 E. Maple Rd., with store hours 6 a.m. to midnight daily. Pharmacy hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
Enjoy!
Follow FREEISMYLIFE on Facebook