Kroger in Frisco to sell food and dining table, too

(Frisco) - The newly opened Kroger Marketplace in Frisco not only sells food, but also the dining table it goes on, along with sofas, recliners, lamps and other home decor merchandise.

For the nation's second-largest grocery chain, the 123,000-sf hybrid supermarket and discount store at 12221 Custer Rd. is an answer to competition from Walmart Supercenters and Target's expansion into groceries.

Kroger Marketplace stores are more expensive to build — $17 million vs. $13 million for a traditional store.

Along with the Fred Meyer Jewelers in the front of the store, bed and bath, window coverings and a wall of decorative pillows contribute to the effort to be a one-stop shopping experience. Vacuum cleaners and home storage aisles can also be found, reminiscent of a discount store.

Kroger is planning three more Marketplace stores in North Texas this year and next in Little Elm, Fort Worth's Alliance Town Center and Mansfield.

Kroger is also introducing its Fresh Fare concept to the area in a former Albertson's location in Fort Worth, near Texas Christian University. Fresh Fare sells more fresh foods and prepared meals than a traditional supermarket. It's designed for people who shop almost daily for their meals.

Early next year, Kroger plans to open a Fresh Fare store near downtown Dallas on the site of the former Loews Cityplace movie theater, across from a Target.