Who's Your Grocer?

A revamped, defiant Disco Kroger is ready to fight the new Whole Foods andH-E-B's advance

Along with the face lift, Kroger supplemented the produce section with morelocal and organic options.
Photo by Whitney Radley
Disco Kroger's expanded beer and wine selection comes with an on-siteconsultant.
Photo by Whitney Radley
The new mezzanine lounge space is above the deli.
Photo by Whitney Radley
Interfaith Ministries accepted a $5,000 donation from Kroger.
Photo by Whitney Radley
Kroger President Bill Breetz and store manager Michael Marino cut the ribbon.
Photo by Whitney Radley

After nine long months, and with a collective sigh of relief, modernizations at the Kroger on Montrose Boulevard (Disco Kroger) have come to an end. Though it remained open throughout the renovation process — the store's third revamp since its initial opening in 1978 — allowing shoppers to watch the new look unfold, now you don't have to navigate buggies around the caution tape or dodge the floor buffer on the organic aisle.

Disco Kroger celebrated the completion in a demure fashion, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday morning. The grocery store presented Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston (non-profit neighbor and organizer of Meals on Wheels) with a $5,000 check and offered the crowd a full tour of the improved digs. And a few words of defiance for the new grocery giants in the neighborhood.

"We're part of this Montrose community," store manager Michael Marino said. "And we're here to stay, no matter who comes into town. Let's see where the future takes us!"

The defiant battle cry left no room for doubt. The new Whole Foods down the street and the H-E-B opening a few blocks away later this fall factored in to the company's decision to update the store. And the facelift was long overdue. Now featuring higher ceilings, softer light and stained concrete floors, the store feels significantly more modern, open, clean and customer friendly.

Rebecca King, consumer affairs manager for Kroger, explained that the redesign revolved around a "fresh fare" concept, which includes an expanded produce section, healthy prepared foods options and fresh meats. "We've paired up with Texas farmers for fresh and seasonal produce. We have more products and a broader selection tailored to healthier living."

Now featuring higher ceilings, softer light and stained concrete floors, the store feels significantly more modern, open, clean and customer friendly.

Kroger has also increased the beer and wine selection (1,300 different varieties of wine! Mix and match six packs of craft beer for just $8.99!), added a bulk section, and revamped the check-out process. Gone are the self check-out kiosks and the days when one might wait five to seven minutes in line: The new system allows customers to pay and go in as little as 40 seconds.

The most notable change, though, is the new mezzanine lounge, which offers a spot for customers to watch television or check their emails (Wi-Fi to come soon) while eating a sandwich or a quick meal from the deli below. Plus, the store plans to offer demos, wine tastings and cheese pairings in the space before holidays and during special occasions.

There's no in-store bar, but the changes do demonstrate a willingness to suit customers' changing needs — and to keep up in the grocery wars.

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Houston's smallest restaurant?

Michelin-recognized Houston sushi chef fires up 4-seat Japanese skewer spot

Courtesy of Sip & Skewer

Diners sit in front of chefs cooking on a grill.

The team behind one of Houston’s Michelin-recognized sushi restaurants is opening an intimate new izakaya. Sip & Skewer is the newest concept from Hidden Omakase owner Tuan Tran and chef Marcos Juarez.

Opening Friday, February 13, Sip & Skewer is a four-seat restaurant devoted to skewered meats that’s located within Sushi by Hidden, the group’s affordable omakase restaurant in Rice Village. At Sip & Skewer, diners sit across from the chefs as they cook a 10-course, $90 meal on a Japanese binchotan grill.

“Sip & Skewer is small, loud, and intentional. The kind of hidden experience you’d find in Tokyo,” Tran said. “And with Chef Marcos guiding the team at Sushi by Hidden, this space is getting new energy from every angle.”

A four-seat restaurant within a 10-seat restaurant might seem kind of superfluous, but Tran explains that it’s part of a larger plan for his group of restaurants, which also includes West U. hand roll restaurant Norigami. It also builds on the success of Hidden Omakase, the Galleria-area sushi counter that earned a Recommended designation in the Michelin Guide.

“Sip & Skewer is part of a larger vision. It’s designed as a stepping stone toward our next concept, Kōri, a new hand roll and craft cocktail bar opening in the Heights. Our plan is to open Sip & Skewer directly next to our hand roll spot, creating a small alley of Japanese concepts that feed into one another,” Tran explains.

“This allows us to build awareness, train our team in a new format, and introduce guests to Japanese charcoal grilling in a very personal way before we scale the idea into a larger setting with Kōri. The four-seat format keeps overhead extremely low while serving as a live test kitchen and brand builder for what’s coming next,” he adds.

On a related note, Juarez and the other chefs at Hidden Omakase are dividing their time between all three restaurants. Tuam explains that it’s a deliberate strategy to ensure a consistent customer experience.

“The same team that works Michelin-recognized omakase service also runs the grill here, which keeps quality and execution consistent while allowing the chefs a creative outlet in a very different format,” Tran said. “Because Sip & Skewer is only four seats and reservations only, it does not require a dedicated full-time staff. It’s an extension of the team rather than a separate operation.”