Kroger’s Atlanta Division celebrated the grand opening of its new Marketplace store in Oakwood, Georgia, on Aug. 21. The store, located at 4085 Mundy Mill Road in Hall County, represents a $49.2 million investment, spans more than 123,000 square feet and brings more than 300 jobs to the region.
The ribbon cutting and community celebration featured the West Hall High School marching band, cheerleaders and chorus, along with Kroger’s Kroji mascots. Hall County Fire Rescue presented the colors. Kroger also honored its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste partner, the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, as well as the store’s Partners in Education: Everwood Elementary School, Martin Technology Academy, World Language Academy, West Hall Middle School and West Hall High School.
“At Kroger, our purpose is simple but powerful: to Feed the Human Spirit,” said Monica Garnes, president of Kroger’s Atlanta Division. “We are thrilled to bring this beautiful new Marketplace to the Oakwood community. We know that every time a customer walks through our doors, they are looking for something that makes life a little easier, brighter and more enjoyable. For us, that means offering quality and value, making shopping easy and having friendly, helpful associates who are here for our customers every day.”
In keeping with the company’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan, Kroger contractors and partners recycled more than 95 percent of construction waste, diverting it from landfills. The company said it will work alongside local partners such as the Georgia Mountain Food Bank to support hunger-relief programs in the region.
Inside the store
In addition to Kroger’s floral, bakery, deli, meat and fresh produce departments, the store includes a Starbucks, Murray’s Cheese shop, Culinary Kiosk, Kitchen Place, Grocery Pickup, a pharmacy with a drive-thru and an adjacent fuel center. Customers are greeted by a mural created by Katie Ellison Brannen, a project manager and designer with UGA’s Color the World Bright team.
The Shelby Report attended the grand opening and toured the store, which showcases the breadth of the Marketplace concept: expanded fresh departments, apparel and home goods, a wide selection of local products and an extensive checkout area with traditional and self-checkout lanes. Technology is woven throughout, from digital shelf tags and in-store retail media displays to Tally, Simbe Robotics’ autonomous inventory-scanning robot, which travels the aisles monitoring stock levels and pricing.
Kroger Marketplace, Oakwood, Georgia
Vendors, officials and shoppers turn out
The opening drew a strong turnout, with the parking lot nearly full by 9 a.m. Sampling tables and special pricing ran throughout the store, including Kroger’s Delightful Discoveries sample cart offering coffee in a variety of flavors.
Vendor participation was equally strong, with dozens of brands sampling and showcasing products inside and outside the store. Among the highlights: King’s Hawaiian, which operates a bakery facility in Oakwood, brought its Bites truck, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile made an appearance and food and beverage brands from national names to Georgia-based suppliers such as Springer Mountain Farms and Sunset Farm Foods lined the aisles with sampling stations. Costumed brand mascots, Kroger’s Krojis and a live DJ rounded out the celebration. Local officials, Kroger executives, category managers and vendor representatives joined shoppers from around the area.
The Marketplace format
Kroger introduced the Marketplace format in 2004, building on the food and general merchandise hybrid concept of its Fred Meyer banner. Marketplace stores generally occupy between 99,000 and 130,000 square feet, compared to about 44,000 square feet for the average U.S. grocery store, according to FMI, The Food Industry Association. The larger footprint makes room for expanded general merchandise, including home goods, apparel and toys, alongside a full grocery assortment.
The company has leaned into the large-format banner as a growth driver, and the Atlanta Division has been among the most active. The division opened Marketplace stores in Athens and Hoschton, Georgia, in 2025, followed by a $34.5 million Marketplace in Bethlehem, Georgia, in December. A Locust Grove, Georgia, Marketplace representing a $41 million investment is expected to open this fall, and a $45.7 million Marketplace in Statesboro, Georgia, is slated for fall 2027.
Kroger’s Atlanta Division is made up of 27,000 associates serving customers in Georgia, eastern Alabama and South Carolina.
Related: The Kroger Co. Breaks Ground On Marketplace In Oakwood, GA
That store is beautiful. I wish they would do something about our store in Garden City Beach, SC
It’s so jammed you can hardly move through the store.