https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2002&dat=19840315&id=SlsuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZNoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1306,2698866&hl=en
Warren apparently either closed as part of the 45 stores mentioned, or it just closed on its own. The second seems more likely as Warren is the furthest city to the north- with at one time having a Kroger presence- away from Pittsburgh. I do plan on doing another post or two on PA Krogers, but it may be a while before I do.
This store, now split between a Salvation Army thrift store and a Tractor Supply, was a shadow anchor of the now dead Warren Mall. Although I have no idea when this store opened or closed, I do know it was a greenhouse style of store.1 Going in I didn't have much of an idea of what I was looking for so I kind of looked for anything that seemed out of place for a Tractor Supply:
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| These greenhouse windows is what give this building's days a Kroger away. At least Tractor Supply kept them intact. Nowadays it seems Tractor Supply does actually do exterior work for at least some of the newer locations. |
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| Some miscellaneous views from under the greenhouse windows. |
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| First sights upon entering. |
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| Original Kroger doors have been blockaded off, but there still here! |
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| Newer doors in place. |
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| Greenhouse windows as viewed from the inside. |
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| Open back wall. |
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| Different ceiling heights. The higher ceiling is actually a hallway that leads to the restrooms here. |
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| Peeking into the stockroom at the end of the mentioned hallway. |
I would like to thank Flickr user Mjhale for bringing my attention to the google newspaper link in this article. He has a picture of the former Grove City and Clearfield Kroger locations on his photostream. I plan to eventually visit Clearfield myself.
Footnotes:
1. Thanks to multiple Flickr users (you know who you are) and Mid-South Retail Blog's series of post about Kroger decors.
Awesome pictures of the greenhouse windows!! For leaving the exterior alone, however, it appears they pretty much removed any Kroger stuff from the inside, at least from what I can tell. I doubt the back wall was open like that in the Kroger days, for example. But those greenhouse windows trump everything else :P
ReplyDeleteI bet they made a lot of enemies when they left the region over union disputes like that. I hate that they had to resort to that instead of resolving the conflict; then again, I'm not familiar with how long the conflict went on and whether the demands were reasonable or not. Still, the result seems a little unfavorable.
Also, thanks for the shout-out/link :)
Thanks and your welcome. I kind of figured most interior details were taken away. I think Tractor Supply likes making open back walls because the Tractor Supply over in Wellsville does the same exact thing.
DeleteI would imagine Kroger probably found the demands unreasonable and rather than except them, they found it would be cheaper to just leave all together sadly. I don't know how long the dispute lasted either.