Community group holding events to keep Kroger store from closing

CINCINNATI - Members of the Walnut Hills Redevelopment Foundation are taking part in an ongoing effort to keep the Kroger store on East McMillan from closing.

Kevin Wright is the Executive Director of the organization currently working to revitalize the Peebles Corner business district. He sat down with the store manager along with other community members to come with an idea called "Buy 25 Tuesdays" to raise more revenue for the store since Wright says it is currently not making a profit.

"The idea is to essentially create a community event on Tuesdays, the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month, from 4 to 8 p.m., where people can come and shop," said Wright. "We have extra people in the parking lot, citizens on patrol, to help make it feel safer. They come in, spend $25, and tell the manager who is on duty during the events what they want to see improved about the store and Kroger will turn around and make the improvements we want to see."

Wright says two previous events have generated more than $6,000.

"Our goal is $10,000 a month which generates $120,000 a year for Kroger and they told us that would make them profitable," said Wright. "So if we could get 200 new people coming to our events to spend $25 on staple items; milk, eggs, then it can make a difference."

The next event is being held on Aug. 14.

"If we can get everyone of all races and incomes and ages to shop in one store and it be a successful store, then we can get all of those people to shop at other stores in the community and be a successful, diverse neighborhood," said Wright.