A new Kroger is expected to bring economic development to Oldham. Here's where it stands
A new Kroger under construction in Buckner will do more than bring the company's largest fuel station in Kentucky to Oldham County.
It's also expected to spark development in an area seeking to transform its image through new businesses.
Located just off Exit 18 on Interstate 71, the Kroger is tentatively scheduled to open this fall after breaking ground in May 2022.
The new store will include the first 20-pump Kroger fuel station in the state. And it will be the first store in 14 years to be built from the ground up in Kroger's Louisville region, which encompasses 114 locations across Kentucky, southern Indiana and southern Illinois.
David Bizianes, president of Oldham Chamber & Economic Development, said the Kroger is an exciting new development that will help keep commerce in Oldham County and attract other businesses to the area.
A McDonald's has already purchased property near Exit 18, he said, and more development is likely coming to large swaths of vacant land nearby.
"One of the really important parts of that project has been making sure we continue down the path we've been on, which is trying to add adequate infrastructure to provide access for business to grow here," Bizianes said.
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Oldham County has embarked on a number of road improvements in recent years in anticipation of new development, including widening Kentucky 393, where the Kroger is opening.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is also working to widen I-71, adding an extra lane to both sides of the highway between Exit 14 and the Interstate 265 interchange. Plans are also being made to widen I-71 between exits 14 and 18.
Bizianes said as Oldham transforms from a rural community, it is working hard to add high-quality jobs that will keep its well-educated residents from relocating to larger cities, such as Louisville.
Kroger spokeswoman Jessica Sharp said the company has made a $35 million investment in the new location and sees lots of opportunity in Buckner. It plans to hire 300 new associates for the store.
The company has owned the lot the new store is being built on since 2015. The nearest Kroger is in La Grange.
Reach reporter Kate Marijolovic at kmarijolovic@gannett.com or on Twitter @kmarijolovic.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kroger grocery store on track to open in Oldham County this fall
