Kroger’s largest Virginia supermarket just opened in Richmond suburbs. Will the store be a viable Whole Foods competitor or is the food-packed monstrosity just a larger version of its former self?
On July 29, 2010, with much fan fare, Kroger launched its most ambitious supermarket endeavor in Virginia—a mega-sized supermarket in the affluent residential and shopping district located on West Broad Street, familiarly known to Richmond, Virginia residents as “the West End” or “Short Pump.” Short Pump residents are accustomed to retailers rolling out their very best to get their attention and their spending dollars. The five-mile stretch of West Broad, located just outside the city of Richmond in Henrico County, is already home to many of America’s high-end stores. Since 2003, stores such as Crate and Barrel, Nordstrom, Dillards, the Apple Store and William-Sonoma have enjoyed steady business at the upscale Short Pump Mall. Big box retailers Home Depot, Lowes, Target, Walmart and Barnes and Noble opened their doors just a few feet away.
Since the West End is primarily a residential neighborhood, grocery retailers have been keeping a close eye on the comings and goings of local residents and selecting strategically situated real estate to set up shop. In the past three years, Whole Foods and Traders Joe’s have opened their doors to natural and gourmet food-loving Richmonders, of which there are many. Whole Foods at Short Pump offers a much larger selection of natural, organic and locally produced products than is offered at other Virginia Whole Foods locations, even at those located in affluent regions of Virginia such as suburban Washington, D.C. In an effort to cater to the needs of Short Pump residents, the store also features an extensive bistro area that spans the length of the store, a deli/bakery featuring a wide selection of freshly prepared, ready-to-eat meals and pastries, a brick pizza oven offering gourmet pizza and a gelato bar. Whole Foods shoppers at Short Pump get the same friendly customer service for which the company is known.
So, as not to be out done, and to capture the high-end grocery dollars flowing on the West End, Kroger, already with a standard supermarket location in Short Pump, closed down its existing location for an ambitious undertaking–a 92,000 square foot supermarket, said to feature everything shoppers could possibly want, at the far end of West Broad Street. The store features a bakery/deli, a coffee shop, large bistro with seating in the wine section and nearly 100,000 thousand grocery items. The store will provide over three hundred jobs to Richmond-area residents, although many of them will be traveling to Short Pump from less affluent areas.
Discerning shoppers will ultimately be the judge as to whether Kroger can compete with Whole Foods simply because the store is a larger and more cumbersome version of its former self. While Whole Foods continues sell and serve natural products produced by small producers and farmers both in the United States and abroad, the majority of Kroger’s product offerings come from national and multinational mega producers and the quality of the products is no different than at any other supermarket. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what truly matters to shoppers. Time will determine whether it is quality or quantity to which consumers respond. –Chef Lois, 1600 iStreet
1600 Ingredient Street 
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