How big is the newly expanded mega-Kroger on 11th and Shepherd? So big that a Swamplot reader standing in the parking lot couldn’t fit the entire store in one photo. The best attempt, above, shows the place is “too big to do that now.” At 96,000 sq. ft., the Merchants Park Shopping Center Kroger at 1035 N. Shepherd is now apparently the largest grocery store inside Houston city limits.
The new section of the store opened last Friday, reports our reader,
to much rejoicing in the Heights. Both the new and the old section of the store is in use. I assume now that the new part is open they will begin renovations on the old part of the store.
The new part of the store has a Starbucks, large produce section & bakery, Mediterranean bar, hot food bar, and prepared foods section.
More reader-submitted pics from inside and out:
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- Previously on Swamplot: Heights Kroger Stats: Double Plus Goods, Stripped: Heights Kroger Knocks Its Neighbors
Photos: Swamplot inbox
I went for the first time on Monday and loved the new side. Can’t wait for the whole thing to be finished. Other good Heights grocery news is that HEB is seriously considering opening a store on Heights BLVD. just across the street from The Art Car Museum.
Haven’t checked out the place yet but does the size of the store rival that of the former Auchan’s (way back in the 90s/80s).?
(ahhhh…scratch that comment. Auchan was really more classified as a hypermarket than a grocery store.)
I doubt it Chris. Didn’t Auchan’s multitask like a Super WalMart in that they carried a ton of things besides groceries? This is purely a grocery store. I think you’ll need to go elsewhere for underwear and vacuum cleaners. lol
Looks nice. Out of all the places I have lived, Houston seems to have the nicest grocery stores.
I went in last night and really like the new addition. Great health foods section, wide layout, shiny newness, and no funky smell. I did have to venture back into the ‘old’ section where I quickly ran into a scruffy looking person in the process of dropping his cans of Nattie Light on the floor. Funny how Kroger can be viewed as half new and hip, half old and hip. Pretty much a metaphor of the Heights right now.
I hope the service level gets an update too. We drive from Washington to Kroger or HEB on Buffalo Speedway, HEB at Bunker Hill, and to Central Market for great selections and great service. We have bypassed the West Gray Kroger because unless you go in the morning, the staff sucks and the management is terrible. The 11th St. Kroger has been a disaster for two decades; hopefully new management will be in place that understands customer service. We’ll give it a few chances.
The new side is promising but I noticed that some of the prices are quite a bit higher than HEB, especially for the international foods. The warm and eat Indian curries that go for $2 at HEB were $3-$4 at Kroger. Likewise, German Mustards were also about $2 higher than the same products at HEB. I’ll definitely be comparison shopping, and will still probably drive out to Bunker Hill if I need to buy a big load of groceries.
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Wait a minute won’t that big box in the Heights create a traffic nightmare,cause global warming and what about the 18 wheeler delivery trucks?
CD, What a great comment! And so timely!