Kroger breaks ground on new location in Perry 

PERRY — If you are driving on Perry Parkway, you may notice a bunch of construction. That is the location of the new Kroger Marketplace. The Atlanta division held a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday to celebrate the arrival of a new and improved Kroger in Perry.

This new Kroger will replace the store on Sam Nunn Boulevard. It will remain open until the new Kroger opens by spring 2027 at the latest. The new store signifies a $36 million capital investment.

“We are more than a grocery store. We are an employer, food manufacturer, a retailer, a pharmacy and, more importantly, a neighbor,” President of the Kroger Atlanta division Monica Garnes said. “This is not just a financial investment. It is an investment in the people of Perry in the diversity, vitality and the long-term strength of this community.”

The new Kroger will feature Murray’s Cheese, a sushi section, household, baby, toy, and apparel departments, a pharmacy with a drive-thru, a nearby gas station, and online ordering for grocery pickup. 

“Most importantly, we will have the friendliest associates that will create an environment you will love to shop in,” she said. “The new store will also showcase our newest ‘fresh for everyone’ decor designed to create a welcoming and enjoyable shopping experience for every customer who walks through our doors.” 

Garnes also shared that Kroger will continue their initiative “Zero Hunger, Zero Waste”, a mission to help build more resilience and equitable food systems. She said Kroger has rescued over 528 million pounds of food while providing over 3 billion meals to families in need. 

“We are aiming to recycle more than 95% of construction waste of this project alone, keeping it out of landfills and contributing to a more sustainable future,” she said. 

Garnes and Kroger saw a need for a new and improved store and knew the City of Perry had been gradually growing over time. She felt excited as this project was coming to life. 

“Getting to a [groundbreaking ceremony] is really the hard work and collaboration between Kroger, the developers and the city,” she said.  

Engineering Services Manager for the City of Perry, Chad McMurrian, said this groundbreaking means a lot to the city. 

“This new Kroger Marketplace represents a strong vote of confidence in Perry’s future, and we’re proud they chose to invest here,” he said.  “Projects like this bring real benefits of construction activity, new jobs, more shopping options for our residents and stronger tax bays that help support city services and future growth.” 

McMurrian said Kroger came to the City of Perry and was interested in this site because of its size and location. 

“We have the traffic needed and the traffic counts from Perry Parkway and [Highway] 127, so it really fits into what the community needs,” he said. 

McMurrian thanked the Kroger leadership, elected officials, city staff and those who made this possible. 

“It truly takes a team effort to move the project forward,” he said. “We’re continuing the momentum of growth and investment in the City of Perry.”