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The 39,000 square foot grocery store dubbed "Kro-Ghetto" by many Ohio State students has seen better days. Officials say there are more good days to come.
The aging Kroger store located at 1350 N. High St., near King Avenue, is being replaced by a larger store that will edge into the parking lot of the existing property. One of the closest grocery stores to OSU's campus, the revamped store aims to address concerns from some students, said Beth Wilkin, a Kroger spokeswoman.
Some students have complained about problems with meat at the store. Others said fruits and vegetables are poorly maintained.
"The produce department is awful," said Heather Williams, a second-year law student at OSU. "There are fruit flies around all of the produce."
Wilkin said the new store will be larger, an estimated 59,000 square feet, and will include "advancements in refrigeration and lighting."
"Obviously we want a better shopping facility to offer specialty products and a much larger and expanded variety of items for our customers," she said.
Still, some said they aren't likely to visit the new Kroger, complaining about its location.
It's "a sketchy area to begin with," said Byron Broussard, a fourth-year in political science. He called it "the worst Kroger I've ever been to."
He, too, complained about the produce department and said that "the meat department is deplorable. I won't buy meat from that store unless it's prepackaged and vacuum-sealed."
Other students are OK with the store as it stands.
"I love this store," said Nick Johnson, a doctoral student studying musicology. "It's right by my house."
Wilkin declined comment about how much the new Kroger's will cost.
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