Hampton Road’s first supersize Kroger holds grand opening

The 124,000-square-foot Virginia Beach Kroger Marketplace store celebrated its grand opening Wednesday, giving many Hampton Roads shoppers their first look at Kroger’s new massive store model, which puts non grocery departments under the same roof as the supermarket.

The Virginia Beach store at 3901 Holland Road is the largest store in the company’s mid-Atlantic region and only the second Marketplace concept store to open along the East Coast. The first store opened in Chesterfield County at the former Cloverleaf Mall site in December 2012.

The Virginia Beach Kroger Marketplace offers shoppers a traditional grocery shopping experience along with 30,000 square feet of non-grocery offerings. Customers can expect:

·         Non-grocery departments with apparel, home décor, baby and infant gear, toys, mattress toppers, rugs and more.

·         An expansive natural foods department offering bulk dry goods, gluten-free items and other specialty, dietary-specific items.

·         Fred Meyer Jewelers. The third-largest fine jeweler in the nation and part of the Kroger Family of Stores, it offers fine jewelry, repairs and inspections.

·         A Deli Bistro that includes meals prepared to order, café seating, free Wi-Fi and flat-screen televisions.  Chefs are on hand to offer cooking and menu planning advice.

·         A drive-thru pharmacy.

·         A Starbucks kiosk, with a seating area and free Wi-Fi.

·         The Kroger Fuel Center, which opened in June, and is the largest in the region with nine fuel dispensers.

The new store employs nearly 350 full- and part-time staff.