Look, I did this to myself waiting until today to go grab some Thanksgiving stuff - so I had no choice to go to here. It's the closest grocery store to my house and was too lazy to drive to 365 or HEB.

The question is: What - the hell - is the science behind this 43rd Street location where the concentration of older customers is like 94%? What am I missing here??

It's real life rage bait. Everything from the bordering streets on the block, into the parking lot, into the store itself, and my goodness - the self-checkout section. I'll refrain from harsher comments, but gahdamn, bro.

Wife used to work the pharmacy there. Only racism or hostility she ever faced was from the Acres Homes and Independence Heights residents on medicaid who would call her "chinese" and worse when their copay would go up by $1-2. But yes, it's also an older crowd as well. I think many young families used to shop there but now just bite the bullet and make the further trip to HEB.

We lived a 2 min drive from there up until a few yrs ago. As soon as the HEB went in on Shepherd, that became our store, even though it was probably 10 min further. Only went to Kroger for one off thinigs just for convenience.

It was my closest store before I moved. Terrible store that clearly is not equipped the now changed area. But it was, sadly, better than the stores on 19th Street and Shepherd and 11th. It became worth it to shop at the much better store on Studemont and I10.

Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

TXAG 05 said:

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Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

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This would change my life.

I've been to that location twice and the last time I went the produce section was a complete disaster. I'll never go back.

TXAG 05 said:

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Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

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Is that where Ella turns into Wheatley? Could be a pretty thoed HEB if they do decide to enter that market. Lots of 'racist' carts locking up lol.

El Gallo Blanco said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

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Is that where Ella turns into Wheatley? Could be a pretty thoed HEB if they do decide to enter that market. Lots of 'racist' carts locking up lol.

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Yes, that big lot where the strip center used to be. There is the new gas station on the Ella side, and the Hartz chicken is still holding on.

TexasAggie81 said:

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It was my closest store before I moved. Terrible store that clearly is not equipped the now changed area. But it was, sadly, better than the stores on 19th Street and Shepherd and 11th. It became worth it to shop at the much better store on Studemont and I10.

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is the one at 11th considered bad? Yall know they have a beer & wine bar, right?

TXAG 05 said:

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El Gallo Blanco said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

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Is that where Ella turns into Wheatley? Could be a pretty thoed HEB if they do decide to enter that market. Lots of 'racist' carts locking up lol.

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Yes, that big lot where the strip center used to be. There is the new gas station on the Ella side, and the Hartz chicken is still holding on.

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Hopefully that gangster ass mortuary on the NE corner of Pinemont and Ella ain't goin anywhere.

Aggie__11 said:

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I shop regularly at Meyerland Kroger y'all wouldn't last 2 seconds in there after reading this thread

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I do not especially care for that one.

drumboy said:

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TexasAggie81 said:

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It was my closest store before I moved. Terrible store that clearly is not equipped the now changed area. But it was, sadly, better than the stores on 19th Street and Shepherd and 11th. It became worth it to shop at the much better store on Studemont and I10.

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is the one at 11th considered bad? Yall know they have a beer & wine bar, right?

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No kidding. I love that Kroger. Never too over crowded, can easily find parking, and that bar is so money. Amazing beer selection as well

I remember that Kroger when I would visit my grandparents over in the Candle Light area. It was trash back in the 90s before and after the remodel. Grandparents use to go to the Food Town on 43rd and Rosslyn Rd till they closed. Last time I was in that Kroger, I was glad I was packing, rather shop in Humble, it's safer.

Same. That 11th St Kroger is great and the employees give a damn too, all very nice and helpful and the guy who makes store announcements is a trip (he may actually be from Acres Homes). I go there over the clusterF known as the Shepherd/23rd St HEB any day. My dad loves going there when they come to visit just so he can get a beer to drink in the grocery store while my mom takes her sweet time..

Lots of older people in that area. My grandparents are finally moving to an assisted living type place further north towards my parents. My grandma frequented that Kroger. They have been in Candlelight for decades. Should clear over a $600k profit on their home from original purchase price lol.

strohag said:

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Lots of older people in that area. My grandparents are finally moving to an assisted living type place further north towards my parents. My grandma frequented that Kroger. They have been in Candlelight for decades. Should clear over a $600k profit on their home from original purchase price lol.

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Sounds about right. Sold my grandparents home for 500k, it was purchased in 1975 for 16k. Wish I could back in time and buy several homes in that neighborhood. That whole area is booming.

My grandmother sold the house they built in GOOF in the 50s for under $100K in 2004ish. My uncle kinda trashed it and there were termites, but my broke @ss should've bought it.

TXAG 05 said:

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Supposedly HEB bought the big property at Ella/Pinemont, would love it if they actually built a store there, not that the Heights location is that far.

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This is true, and they've acknowledged it. it doesn't mean one 100% will get built, but it's more than likely.

I live a couple hundred yards from that Kroger. Our friends around the neighborhood called that the "Emergency Kroger" because you only go there if it's an emergency. As I understand it, it is the manager training Kroger for the Southwest or the whole US or something like that. Whatever it is, it's what I imagine stepping back in time to a grocery store in Soviet Russia would be like. Dirty, nothing to buy, dimly lit, and not a fun experience overall.

Correct. HEB owns a lot of land around town that they planned on developing at some point but changed their minds.

Sandman on Shepherd is another area that comes to mind.

Red Pear Realty said:

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I live a couple hundred yards from that Kroger. Our friends around the neighborhood called that the "Emergency Kroger" because you only go there if it's an emergency. As I understand it, it is the manager training Kroger for the Southwest or the whole US or something like that. Whatever it is, it's what I imagine stepping back in time to a grocery store in Soviet Russia would be like. Dirty, nothing to buy, dimly lit, and not a fun experience overall.

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I think that's just a Kroger thing....
Here in Nashville I refuse to step foot in one anymore.
They smell like piss, poorly lit, selection is poor, patrons are sketchy, and to top it off the self checkout is crap never correctly weighing the products and slowing me down.

Scruffy said:

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Red Pear Realty said:

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I live a couple hundred yards from that Kroger. Our friends around the neighborhood called that the "Emergency Kroger" because you only go there if it's an emergency. As I understand it, it is the manager training Kroger for the Southwest or the whole US or something like that. Whatever it is, it's what I imagine stepping back in time to a grocery store in Soviet Russia would be like. Dirty, nothing to buy, dimly lit, and not a fun experience overall.

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I think that's just a Kroger thing....
Here in Nashville I refuse to step foot in one anymore.
They smell like piss, poorly lit, selection is poor, patrons are sketchy, and to top it off the self checkout is crap never correctly weighing the products and slowing me down.

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Didn't realize every Kroger everywhere had standardized a piss smell for all of their stores. Hadn't ever noticed it but it's good to know.

Diggity said:

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Correct. HEB owns a lot of land around town that they planned on developing at some point but changed their minds.

Sandman on Shepherd is another area that comes to mind.

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I believe they bought the old Sears property on Shepherd too, but a Target is going to go there.

drumboy said:

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My grandmother sold the house they built in GOOF in the 50s for under $100K in 2004ish. My uncle kinda trashed it and there were termites, but my broke @ss should've bought it.

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This is one of my biggest regrets, not buying a home over there around 2008/2009. I was dumn, and content renting, and didn;t realize how freaking easy it was to buy a home back then. I just assumed you had to pay 20% down and there were no exceptions.

My buddy bought an old 1,000 SF 2/2 right behind Kroger for like $110k in 2009. He sold around 2012 and did ok, but bet he kicks himself for not renting it out and holding out longer.

ATM9000 said:

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Scruffy said:

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Red Pear Realty said:

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I live a couple hundred yards from that Kroger. Our friends around the neighborhood called that the "Emergency Kroger" because you only go there if it's an emergency. As I understand it, it is the manager training Kroger for the Southwest or the whole US or something like that. Whatever it is, it's what I imagine stepping back in time to a grocery store in Soviet Russia would be like. Dirty, nothing to buy, dimly lit, and not a fun experience overall.

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I think that's just a Kroger thing....
Here in Nashville I refuse to step foot in one anymore.
They smell like piss, poorly lit, selection is poor, patrons are sketchy, and to top it off the self checkout is crap never correctly weighing the products and slowing me down.

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Didn't realize every Kroger everywhere had standardized a piss smell for all of their stores. Hadn't ever noticed it but it's good to know.

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You didn't know that? It's like the "Target popcorn smell", only with bodily fluids. Psh...rook

El Gallo Blanco said:

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drumboy said:

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My grandmother sold the house they built in GOOF in the 50s for under $100K in 2004ish. My uncle kinda trashed it and there were termites, but my broke @ss should've bought it.

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This is one of my biggest regrets, not buying a home over there around 2008/2009. I was dumn, and content renting, and didn;t realize how freaking easy it was to buy a home back then. I just assumed you had to pay 20% down and there were no exceptions.

My buddy bought an old 1,000 SF 2/2 right behind Kroger for like $110k in 2009. He sold around 2012 and did ok, but bet he kicks himself for not renting it out and holding out longer.

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True 2004 - 2006 would be great, but we bought in Timbergrove in 2009 so can't complain too much. Just wish we thought about schools back then and bought on the west side.

My mom lives by the Kroger in the Heights at 11th and it's nothing like the Oak Forest one. Crazy.

11th Street Kroger is goated.

Head Ninja In Charge said:

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11th Street Kroger is goated.

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Only Kroger in the world I actually like.

Actually, I'll admit, I am a sucker for the 77079 location off Memorial, just for nostalgia's sake. Went to that store, and the Randalls' at Kirkwood and I-10 hundreds of times as a little BG from across the tracks.

I used to live right across from that big lot/Hartz chicken next to the church before moving to the burbs. Boy that area has changed.

We used to have every major brand of fried chicken within one mile of us.