Dry goods overload
Bring on the grocery wars: Heights Walmart and Kroger set the same opening date
The controversial Heights Walmart is almost ready to open.Photo by Whitney Radley
The nearby new Kroger is too — and the two chains have picked the same day.Photo by Whitney Radley
That controversial Walmart at the mouth of the Heights that has incited community opposition over the past two years, provoking lawsuits for misuse of funds and generally pissing area residents off, has set Oct. 26 as its opening day.
And, as "chance" would have it, the 79,000 square foot Signature Kroger on Studemont will open that same day, adjacent to Arne's and just a mile down the road.
Meanwhile, legitimate food deserts exist in the Third Ward and the East End.
These two are the latest in a series of grocers recently opening within 610: The Target that's another hop, skip and jump away, the Whole Foods Market on Waugh, the H-E-B Montrose Market and the new Trader Joe's are all situated in a five-mile radius of these two stores.
Meanwhile, legitimate food deserts exist in the Third Ward and the East End.
This is Houston's first urban Walmart store, and it aims to ease its inherent big-box eyesore with a "unique" design compatible with the surrounding neighborhood. Kroger has a few more stores up its sleeve between now and 2014, but thankfully none in the oversaturated inner-Loop — the new ones are slated for Katy, Kingwood, Cypress and Spring.
Let the grocery wars begin.
