ORIGINAL BLOG: 09/23/15/ 7:20 AM
The new Kroger Marketplace held their Grand Opening and ribbon cutting on September 23rd, 2015. I drove through their parking lot the night before and they already had something going on – possibly a friends and family preview event. There were free hotdogs out front and I met one of the people in charge that I’ve been talking to – Sonya – who said they will have 25% off apparel today. I said, “Apparel?!” I guess they’re selling clothes in there too. Pictures below from the Grand Opening:
UPDATE 09/23/15 11:31 PM
Here’s the video I took this morning. $18 million in construction, about 300 jobs came to the area and we found out that Benton Mayor David Mattingly can sing! Pictures of the inside are coming, but I’m about to go try sushi counter for lunch!
UPDATE 09/23/15 3:25 PM
Here’s a photo gallery of the ribbon cutting, the various counters and sections of the store and some cameos from shoppers you may know!
Here’s the lovely invitation I received from the nice folks on Kroger’s management team. There were lots of folks behind the scenes, getting this grand opening off the ground!
You can see the video up above of the various intros, hellos and thank yous, but here is the actual ribbon cutting at about 8:12 a.m. Wednesday, September 23rd, 2015.
Benton Mayor David Mattingly (right) and his wife Nancy surround Kroger Marketplace Produce Manager Bub Bishop.
Kroger gives back by give $1000.00 each to Arkansas Rice Depot and the Boys and Girls Club of Saline County.
While residents waited outside for the ribbon cutting (so they could get inside and shop) there was a line to spin the wheel and win a prize.
Once that ribbon was cut, everyone piled inside to check out the layout, the departments and the incredible selection. They didn’t pay me to say that. It’s freaking amazing.
I thought I was going to do some shopping early and then get back to my desk and post these pics, but a quick (30 minute) walk-through let me know that I had better come back after my work hours to fill a basket.
Oh, but I did have time to grab a cinnamon dulce latte at Starbucks!
Ok so the first thing I noticed as I walked in is that the produce department is massive. Everything I could need and a bunch of things that I will have to Google to figure out what the heck it is. A few of us from the Benton Chamber were checking out this thing that looked like a cross between a watermelon and a porcupine. It turned out to be a jack fruit. The staff had some cut up and let us try samples of it. I’m not going to say it’s my favorite fruit, but the thing intrigues me, and I’m going to do some research on how experienced jack fruit eaters prepare it.
I don’t think I got enough pictures of cheese. There had to be – no lie – a hundred kinds of cheese in there. Wallace and Gromit would be proud.
↑↓Hot and cold food here, a salad bar, soup bar, olive bar and more. If you are A.D.D., make extra time to figure out what to eat for dinner. I picked the black pepper beef bowl today for lunch. So yummy.
More cheese, but not nearly all the cheese.
Hey, here are some lovely Benton residents, looking at pies. Benton Fire Chief Bill Ford poses with Benton Alderwoman Evelyn Reed.
I don’t know about you, but I love me some seafood. Also, you can’t see it so good in this pic, but there are some thick ole steaks down there to the right by those well-suited men.
Pots, pans, utensils, coffee makers, toasters, lions, tigers and bears (except those last three).
When you see the guy is cooking bacon, you have to stop and get a picture. And a slice. And a Petit Jean meats slap bracelet that looks like bacon wrapped around your wrist.
Who’s this sweet lady eating fruit (didn’t get a pic of me eating bacon)? Thanks to the man standing by who offered to take a photo.
It’s kinda small in the picture, but that’s beer. Arkansas-made beer. Yes, if you were wondering, Kroger does have their alcohol permit.
Dog food, cat food and all manner of treats. Wet food and chilled food too!
This must be the seasonal section. I found Darth Vader back here but he was behaving. Probably chillin’ with some iced pumpkin cookies.
I love this cat but you have to see the skeleton dogs I found out front. So cute.
I had heard there were clothes, but I did not know about towels and bathroom accessories.
Here’s the back part of the clothing section. I was trying not to immortalize too many folks in photos, but there was just too much going on.
Over to the front right of the store, there’s a big pharmacy area and the consultation window appears to be a little more private than ones I’ve seen elsewhere. There’s also a drive-thru on the east side of the building, close to the gas pumps.
Hogs section! Woo pig sooie!
There are some good-looking clothes in here, and I really liked the shoes too. Might get me some of those boots and tell y’all I bought ’em at Kroger.
More clothes!
Even baby clothes and other baby needs.
I could have taken a lotttt more pictures of the chiller and freezer cases, but get yourself in there and take your own tour.
“I like cold beverages.” –G Love and Special Sauce
Lottery tickets/scratch-offs and money services here.
I am close personal friends with this guy. Yummy.
Who can resist a cupcake tower?? I got a chocolate one with cream cheese icing.
Over to the left in these veggie packs, there are some combinations of things that make a great side, griller or salad. That’s like Garanimals for food.
There’s that jack fruit. The big thing in the middle. Crazy stuff.
Kiwi, star fruit, pomegranate, mangoes and uh, what’s that furry red stuff? Ya got me.
Pumpkins and squash and mums!
Here are those skeleton dogs. BarooooooOOOO so stinkin’ cute.
Hey look what I found behind the pumpkins! I was wishing there was a Redbox closer to my place.
That’s it! Thanks for looking at my photo gallery. Feel free to share this page! 🙂