The grand opening of the Kroger Marketplace in Oak Ridge was Sunday morning. The new 124,000-square-foot store is the largest in Tennessee in the Knoxville and Nashville area. Pictured at center is Store Manager Marty Irwin. To the right of her is Ed Westcott, the official U.S. government photographer in Oak Ridge during the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II. The new shopping center is named the Westcott Center in honor of him.
The Kroger Marketplace that opened in Oak Ridge on Sunday is the company’s largest store in the Knoxville and Nashville area, executives said. It’s the third Kroger Marketplace in the Knoxville area.
The 124,000-square-foot store is at the corner of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Illinois Avenue. It’s the company’s fifth store in Oak Ridge, and it’s in a new shopping center named the Westcott Center in honor of Ed Westcott, the official U.S. government photographer here during the top-secret Manhattan Project in World War II.
Kroger said the new store created 270 jobs and will employ a total of 375 workers, including those moving from the previous store on South Illinois Avenue.
The new grocery store features larger bakery, dairy, deli, meat, and seafood sections, as well as a produce section that includes organic and local produce. There are 22 check-out registers and more than 46 aisles.
There’s also a Baby World, bistro, floral shop, Fred Meyer Jewelers, fresh sushi, Little Clinic, Murray’s Cheese Shoppe, a pharmacy with two drive-through windows, a Starbucks, and SunTrust Bank. There are also home and kitchen, bed and bath, and office and school supply sections, as well as apparel—a first for Kroger Marketplace.
There is also a Kroger Fuel Center.
Sunday’s grand opening included a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Former University of Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phillip Fulmer took part in that, and he signed autographs afterward. During the ceremony, Kroger donated $5,000 to the Emory Valley Center for their capital campaign to build a new facility.
Kroger is one of the nation’s largest retail grocery chains. The company operates 90 stores and 74 Fuel Centers in the Nashville Division of Kroger, which includes the Knoxville and Oak Ridge area.
The grand opening included a ribbon-cutting that featured federal, state, county, and city officials, as well as Kroger employees, local business leaders, the Ed Westcott family, and former University of Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phil Fulmer.
Former University of Tennessee Volunteers football coach Phil Fulmer, right, signs autographs during Sunday’s grand opening ceremony. At left is Jim Kitchin, an Oak Ridge resident and 49-year UT ticket holder.
Pictured above from left in the produce section at the new Kroger Marketplace are Rick Going, president of Kroger’s Nashville division; Irwin; and Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson.
The new store features large bakery and deli sections, as well as a Murray’s Cheese Shoppe and a Starbucks. At right is Oak Ridge Wildcats Football Coach Joe Gaddis.
The Kroger Marketplace features more than 46 aisles.
Jeanne Powers says
Kudos to the enormous amount of cooperative leadership that made this happen! It is a great accomplishment and a “thumbs up” for OR! No more trips to Farragut or to Cedar Bluff 🙂
johnhuotari says
Phil,
Kroger representatives said the Oak Ridge store is the largest in the Knoxville and Nashville area, but they weren’t sure if it is larger than all stores in the Memphis area.
I hope that helps.
Thank you.
John