Some changes in life are bigger than others. I recently experienced a huge change. The Kroger where I’ve shopped for more than 25 years closed.

I don’t get out much. Many believe going to the grocery is old-fashioned. Ordering groceries for delivery or pickup doesn’t work for me. I need to see stuff. Getting out of the house is good for me too.

Even so, grocery shopping is not my favorite activity. Getting in and out as fast as possible is the goal. No bouncing from store to store for the best deals. I do nearly all my grocery shopping at Kroger because I know where everything is.

Talk of replacing the old store with a Kroger Marketplace started in 2012 when a K-Mart at the opposite end of the parking lot closed. Eventually, the plan for a totally redesigned shopping center came out. Groundbreaking wasn’t until January 2024.

Early last month, a cashier told me they’d stay open until 6 p.m. on April 29 to open the new store on the 30th. Even then, they were out of several things on my list. When I popped in for a prescription a few days later, most of the shelves were empty.

In the meantime, I shopped at the Publix in an adjacent shopping center. I’ve shopped there before, but have a hard time finding what I want. It’s a lovely store with spacious aisles, friendly staff, and a dangerously good bakery. I hear it’s more expensive, but have never checked.

I grew up shopping at Kroger. Even with its tiny, overly-cluttered aisles and so-so bakery, I prefered the old Kroger. They have a lot of store brand products I like and I’m a fan of the gasoline discount.

I waited a day after the opening to visit the new store. The layout confused me. I thought it would be more like Walmart or Target, with groceries on one side and everything else on the other.

Mostly, I was overwhelmed. The layout and dramatically increased selection were a lot to take in. I didn’t visit every aisle, but had learned the layout by the time I left. I went back the next day for stuff I missed the first time.

My next trip to the store was nearly two weeks later. Since getting in and out in 15 minutes or less is no longer possible, I put off going as long as I could. Took me nearly 90 minutes to finish shopping.

The new store has two kinds of self-checkout. One looked like the kind I was familiar with, but I learned my first trip that it lacks room for more than four bags. The other kind has a conveyor belt, but is tricky to use. Groceries pile up at the end of the belt and the belt reverses when something doesn’t scan.

I’m glad the new store has finally opened. It’s vastly superior to the old one in pretty much every way. Now I just need to get used to it.

As always, thanks for stopping by.