Make wishtv.com your home page

New Franklin Kroger Marketplace brings hundreds of jobs, charitable donations

FRANKLIN, Ind. (WISH) — A new Kroger store opened in Franklin. The store is a $19 million investment in Johnson County by the grocery store chain.

The Kroger store, further north on U.S. 31, closed its doors Wednesday night at 10 p.m. for the final time. The new store, just south on U.S. 31, opens Thursday at 8 a.m. It is not only more than twice the size of the other store, but is also a Kroger Marketplace, meaning they have household items, clothes, toys, etc.

The Franklin location will be the fourth of eight Marketplace locations Kroger plans to open through 2018. About a year and a half ago, Kroger announced plans to build 11 new Indy area stores and add nearly 4,000 jobs. In all, it’s a half-billion dollar investment.

Kroger spokespeople said in a release this store triples its staff size, compared to it’s predecessor.

Along with a big economic impact, shoppers will notice a difference to their shopping experience at this store. There is a Starbucks and a bistro inside, a nurse practitioner-staffed Little Clinic, and a natural and organic section of the store that is the first of its kind.

Starting next week, shoppers will also be able to use ClickList, which allows customers to order online and then pick up their items at the store at a later date. That will compete with the curbside service the Walmart store in Franklin recently began offering.

As part of its opening celebrations, Kroger donated more than $22,000 to community organizations, including the Humane Society of Johnson County, the Franklin Fire Department, and the United Service Organization (USO).