SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A first-of-its-kind $40 million dollar Kroger store is coming to the Mountain State.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on a new 122,000 square foot Kroger Marketplace at the developing Park Place Plaza Shopping Center in South Charleston Wednesday.
Through a $40 million investment, this Kroger Marketplace will be the first of its kind to come to West Virginia and it will not only include groceries, but home goods, apparel, and other essentials which a regular Kroger store doesn’t offer.
Mid-Atlantic Kroger Division Corporate Affairs Manager James Menees says this is an exciting opportunity.
“The city’s excited, we’re excited, it all works out and we’re glad to get underway,” Menees said.
A Real Estate Manager for Kroger Max Harmon said this new store will be more than double the size of the existing Kroger at the shopping center across the street in South Charleston and will also include more modern amenities, wider aisles, and a Starbucks.
The existing Kroger is expected to merge with the new Kroger Marketplace and it’s on track to employ nearly 300 associates and representatives.
Harmon said it will provide an overall better shopping experience.
“We’re working with Interstate Development and the city of South Charleston to bring what will be a regional power center and create a regional draw for the area, the surrounding community as well as the city of South Charleston,” Harmon said.
South Charleston Mayor Frank Mullens said this further ensures Kroger is a mainstay in the community.
“It’s a great day, and as I mentioned, you love it when you have a new company come to your city, but man, when somebody reinvests, particularly a $40 million dollar reinvestment, you know, Kroger has been here for decades and this guarantees they’re going to be here for decades to come,” Mullens said.
He said this is set to be the big box, anchor store at the future Park Place Plaza which has been in the development process since 2019 with Starbucks and Chick-fil-a being the first tenants to occupy the space.
Mullens said and as the anchor store, Kroger Marketplace is already attracting more and more businesses to want to come in.
“What we’ve learned in dealing with this stuff is that any time you’re doing an open-air complex like this, all of the smaller outparcels will wait for that big box to get going,” he said. “The big box brings the people in and that helps everybody, so they’re all going to wait and see until this gets started and that kind of springboards from there.”
He said a Menards, Sketchers Outlet, and a Mission BBQ restaurant are some others already guaranteed to come in to the developing complex.
Mullens said the Kroger across the street from the developing complex in the existing Riverwalk Plaza opened in 1986 and it won’t be left vacant when this new store comes in as it’s already expected to be backfilled with two other retailers.
He said the future Kroger Marketplace is expected to draw in customers from not only Kanawha County, but across the region, and along with spring boarding the growth at the developing shopping center itself, it has also inspired development in surrounding areas of the city as well.
Mullens said they are already talking with developers along the new Jefferson Road, particularly between Kanawha Turnpike and MacCorkle Avenue.
He said this future store as well as WVU Medicine seems to be the main economic drivers inspiring others to come to the area.
“I don’t want to under-emphasize the importance of WVU Medicine coming to the area as well, this and that pinched in between, you’re going to see a whole different South Charleston between Riverwalk and Thomas Hospital in the next five to eight years,” Mullens said.
Harmon said this has been a complicated process in getting this store location, but good leadership made it work.
“I think without the collaboration from the city it could have fallen apart, but everybody has been instrumental in making it happen and I think it’s just a little bit of insight into this great community and what makes everyone so special here,” Harmon said.
Menees said the community has been asking for this for a longtime, so they’ve answered the request.
“We’re bringing the best that we have to offer, it’s going to be a great customer experience, our associates are excited for the new store and really just to be here for the community and meet the needs of the community,” Menees said.
Construction on the Kroger Marketplace is expected to be complete by June 2026.