JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Grocer Kroger Co. has abandoned its plans to build up to 80 Harris Teeter stores across Florida, but it may keep the Jacksonville store that is under construction in East Arlington, as reported by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Real estate sources, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the situation, told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that Cincinnati-based Kroger had walked away from plans for up to 80 stores throughout the Sunshine State.
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The company had big real estate ambitions in the state, with plans to build at least five 65,000-square-foot, high-end stores that would have added a major competitor to the Florida grocery landscape.
One source said the company may keep the store that is under construction in the Jacksonville area; others said that all Florida locations were being scrapped.
For years, the only Harris Teeter in Florida was in Fernandina Beach, which was a legacy store that existed prior to Kroger’s 2014 acquisition of Harris Teeter.
Back in January, Kroger ended its delivery service in Jacksonville and closed its automated fulfillment centers.
News4JAX reached out to Kroger and is waiting for a response.
Click here to read the full story on the Jacksonville Business Journal website.