The Kroger grocery store at 4100 Barksdale Boulevard in south Bossier has been a fixture in that community since the mid-1980s. It originally opened as a Best yet before becoming Kroger.
The story recently advised employees that it will close in approximately two months. The store's employees have been offered jobs at other Kroger’s.
The closure is part of an announced company-wide plan to close 60 Korger stores over the next 18 months to improve overall chain profitability. Evidently this store has experienced declining profits. This is probably due, in part, to increased competition from a nearby Walmart Neighborhood Market which is much newer. more modern and more convenient.
So, what does this say about national chains and decision-making on locations in Shreveport Bossier?
Many conclusions can be drawn, including the following:
1. Long-time loyal customers and long-standing stores do not offset bottom line profits.
2. New storefronts and store interiors are important to consumers.
3. Population increases in a store's proximity do not necessarily mean more customers and larger customer purchases.
4. In-home delivery of groceries along with customer pickup services at stores convenient to work places negatively affect instore purchases of neighborhood stores.
These factors, along with others, will likely translate into more closings of chain grocery stores in the Shreveport Bossier area in the coming years. Corporate headquarters are not concerned with the impact of store closings on neighborhoods.
Both Shreveport and Bossier have some so-called food deserts. This term applies to geographic areas, often low-income, where residents have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. These areas lack supermarkets or other sources of fresh, healthy food, forcing residents to rely on convenience stores or other options with limited healthy choices.
It is unlikely that regional/national chains will open stores in these areas due to several factors. The first is the annual household income as reflected in the most recent national census within a certain geographical area. Secondly, the proximity of competing stores to a selected area is also a deciding factor in store-openings.
These are hard facts, but they are the reality in corporate decision-making. It’s a national challenge that has no easy answers and it affects our area.