DELAWARE, Ohio -- The Delaware City Council meets Monday night to discuss potential incentives it can offer the Kroger Company to keep a downtown grocery store open. Kroger has said the 37-year-old store on South Sandusky Street is unprofitable and will close October 24.
It is the only grocery store in Downtown Delaware, meaning for some low-income residents and college students at Ohio Wesleyan, the store is the only option.
"It's going to be a hassle if it closes here because now I'm going to have to walk either to Houk Road or 23," said neighbor Brandon Forney. "If it's something I've got to do it's something I've got to do."
Forney is not looking forward to the two or three mile walk to the next closest grocery store. Roundtrip, his walk could take up to 90 minutes this winter.
Competition is intense in the grocery business, and some shoppers understand Kroger's thinking.
"It's a grocery store, it's a business. They're supposed to make money and if they're losing money they should just close," said shopper Olivia Garland.
Delaware city leaders point to 2001 when the grocery chain announced plans to close the same store on South Sandusky Street, only to reverse its decision after residents spoke out. City community affairs director Lee Yoakum said eight years later, the issue remains the same: serving low-income residents and college students that do not have vehicles.
"We understand Kroger is a business and businesses are there to make money. That's why we're working with them to see if there are some possible incentives that might be available," Yoakam said.
Kroger set a Friday deadline for the city to submit an incentive proposal, including possible property tax abatements. Kroger turned down NBC 4's request for an interview Monday. A company spokesperson said Kroger would consider any proposals submitted by the city, but when asked what the city would have to offer to convince the company to keep the store open, the spokesperson told NBC 4 they did not want to speculate.
The company is notifying customers at the South Sandusky Street store of the plans to close and employees have been asked if they would like to be transferred to another store.
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