As appeared in Cincinnati Enquirer, March 17, 2010

Kroger opens Marketplace in Harrison

By Laura Baverman

Kroger opens its newest large-format Marketplace store in Harrison Thursday, adding nearly 200 jobs to the city on Cincinnati’s West Side.

The 128,000-square-foot store, located at 10477 Harrison Ave., opens to the public at 7 a.m. It’s the Cincinnati-headquartered grocer’s 114th regional store and its eighth Marketplace. It replaces a much smaller store at 10515 Harrison Avenue with 160 employees. All those employees will work at the new store.

Kroger’s Marketplace concept combines a traditional grocery store with furniture, storage, home decor and kitchen appliance offerings.

It also offers a wider selection of prepared foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, seafood and sushi. This store also has a Fred Meyer jewelry store, a Starbuck’s kiosk, full service drug store, drive-thru pharmacy, custom sandwich bar, fuel center and Murray’s Cheese counter.

Leading the store as manager is Doug Griffin, a 32-year Kroger veteran.

An 8 a.m. ribbon cutting will feature a performance by the William Henry Harrison High School choir. WLW radio personality Jim Scott will be on-site from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. to greet customers.

Kroger will also soon open a Marketplace in Mount Orab in Brown County, doubling the size of the grocer’s existing 60,000-square-foot store in the town.