Mindful of the neighborhood bias of the editor, our battalion of reporters is always on the lookout for Hillcrest news. This is a biggie, from Leslie Newell Peacock:
The Kroger grocery store at Beechwood and Kavanaugh in Hillcrest will close Jan. 30 for an estimated 36 weeks for a total remodel, store representatives said at the Hillcrest Residents Association meeting last night.
The store will be gutted and remodeled and feature a new façade. The footprint of the store, and parking, will remain the same, but the sheltered areas at the east and west entrances will be closed in.
Hank Bates, head of the HRA, said the new store will feature a Fresh Fare section and offer more prepared meals. Kroger’s pharmacy will not close, Bates said, but will be relocated to a trailer on-site while the store is being remodeled.
Company officials said Hillcrest store employees will be given jobs at other Kroger stores. To open up parking at the Kroger on Cantrell in the Heights, that store’s employees will be shuttled to the store from a car park in Riverdale, Bates said.