The Kroger corporation sent several representatives to the Merion Village Center this evening for an open discussion with neighbors. About forty people were in attendance including Kroger employees representing the real-estate and human resource departments, the Parsons Avenue store manager, the district manager as well as a lawyer representing the corporation. As a resident Merion Village resident I was present as well.
Kroger has plans to add a fueling station to its property on Parsons Avenue as way to bolster sales, which are reportedly down by 12% over last year at this location. The new plans call for the fueling station to be located on the current Kroger property rather than on the previously targeted vacant lot at the south-west corner of Sheldon and Parsons.
While the fueling station plans are still under consideration, Kroger wants to address neighborhood concerns about the facility in hopes that making improvements to the facility and personnel would lend neighborhood support for their continued commitment to Merion Village.
The most commonly voiced concern dealt with how the Kroger store handles the disposal of trash. Residents who boarder the Kroger property complained that the compactors behind the building emit foul smells and are sources of neighborhood litter. Adjacent neighbors claim that the compactor lids and enclosure are not properly secured.
Other residents stated that they feel as if the facility is not maintained to the standards of other Kroger stores, comparing it most often to the Kroger store in the Brewery District. Store cleanliness and employee attitudes were cited as the top reasons why neighbors have taken their shopping dollars elsewhere.
A portion of the discussion surrounded the adjacent parking lot which Kroger also owns which is located between Frebis and Moler (click HERE for more info). The lot is maintained as part of the square-footage-to-parking ratio that was required by the city at the time of construction. Representatives from Kroger asked what, if anything, the residents would like to see happen with this property.
A local resident whose background is in urban planning suggested that the lot(s) be returned to the urban fabric of the neighborhood with new housing. Another resident suggested a community garden. Whatever Kroger may decide to do with the adjacent parking lot would require a variance from the city to scale back the number of required parking spaces. However, Kroger claims that no variance is needed to eliminate the existing parking spaces to accommodate the fueling station.
Kroger’s district manager said that the Parsons Avenue store has been approved for a large-scale renovation although a date has not yet been set. He did not say, however, if the renovation included the fueling station or if the renovation was aimed primarily at the existing facility.
Most residents said that they felt that a neighborhood grocery store was key to keeping the neighborhood and Parsons Avenue vibrant and many volunteered to assist Kroger in any way possible to see that the Parsons Avenue store become a more productive part of the neighborhood. Kroger representatives stated that they hoped to become a Business Member of the Merion Village Association.
Both the store manager and the district manager claim to be working on programs and processes to ensure that a mutually beneficial relationship continue and grow between the two parties.
Another meeting will be planned to discuss the actual fueling station plans later this year.
The Merion Village Association proudly presents the 10th Annual Merion Village Garden Tour, Sunday July 12th. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
