Sadly, the rest of the department signage in the front left corner is even more basic -- just extremely plain letters stuck on the wall. It really feels like the decor designers just ran out of ideas when they got to this part of the store.
Speaking of Kroger properties stuck in the 1990s, do you know what the story is with this decor package at this Kentucky (Cincinnati area) Kroger? It looks like it's from the 1990s, or maybe even the late 1980s, but it's still up it seems. I was thinking that maybe this is either experimental decor Kroger tried in the Cincinnati area or maybe it was acquired decor, but the exterior of the store looks rather Kroger-ish. I don't know. Whatever it is, it's strange! It's kind of proto-Millennium in a way. Link: https://goo.gl/maps/UJw7Px5UEiNPS3bo7
Here's another Cincinnati area Kroger with the same decor: https://goo.gl/maps/4Wdaz4bT6o9KvpWN8
Given Kroger's usual rapid pace of renovations in modern times, it's strange that these 1990s decor Kroger/Fred Meyer are still around!
Retail Retell can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is what people over on Discord were calling "Greek Revival". Personally, I think it looks a lot like Albertsons' Grocery Palace decor! It sounds like it was fairly common for a time in that area, though I'm not sure whether it ever existed elsewhere. (Kroger has always had some regional variation in their decor packages, it feels like -- they're a little more standard these days, but there are still things like Fresh Fare 3.0 (Ralph's), Remix (a few Kroger divisions), and Cheap Urban Mix (QFC) that aren't used chainwide.)
It feels like pretty much every grocery store chain out there has some surprises still hanging around! And again, with Kroger, the pace of remodels varies quite a bit across regions/brands. QFC is really dragging their feet when it comes to remodels, for example. (Though that being said, the oldest remaining QFC decor -- except for that weird one-off in Sequim -- is QFC Fresh Fare; there are just a ton of stores that still have that decor package.)
I can't say I love this 'Greek Revival' decor, but I don't hate it either. I would be disappointed if this decor was used to replace Kroger Neon decor, obviously, but it's not too bad. In some ways, it might have aged better than the slightly comical looking Millennium decor, but it's hard to say.
I'd be curious to know when this 'Greek Revival' decor was first used. It looks older than Millennium, it even looks like it could be from the late 1980s, but it's hard to say. I reckon it can't be too old or else I'm sure Kroger would have renovated the stores which still use it, but then again, who knows! Like you say, there are always surprises out there.
Not much to add to what Northwest Retail said except that it definitely does seem to hail from the 80s or 90s. Not sure exactly when, though. It may have been before, after, or concurrent with neon -- who knows!
Speaking of Kroger properties stuck in the 1990s, do you know what the story is with this decor package at this Kentucky (Cincinnati area) Kroger? It looks like it's from the 1990s, or maybe even the late 1980s, but it's still up it seems. I was thinking that maybe this is either experimental decor Kroger tried in the Cincinnati area or maybe it was acquired decor, but the exterior of the store looks rather Kroger-ish. I don't know. Whatever it is, it's strange! It's kind of proto-Millennium in a way. Link: https://goo.gl/maps/UJw7Px5UEiNPS3bo7
ReplyDeleteHere's another Cincinnati area Kroger with the same decor: https://goo.gl/maps/4Wdaz4bT6o9KvpWN8
Given Kroger's usual rapid pace of renovations in modern times, it's strange that these 1990s decor Kroger/Fred Meyer are still around!
Retail Retell can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe this is what people over on Discord were calling "Greek Revival". Personally, I think it looks a lot like Albertsons' Grocery Palace decor! It sounds like it was fairly common for a time in that area, though I'm not sure whether it ever existed elsewhere. (Kroger has always had some regional variation in their decor packages, it feels like -- they're a little more standard these days, but there are still things like Fresh Fare 3.0 (Ralph's), Remix (a few Kroger divisions), and Cheap Urban Mix (QFC) that aren't used chainwide.)
DeleteIt feels like pretty much every grocery store chain out there has some surprises still hanging around! And again, with Kroger, the pace of remodels varies quite a bit across regions/brands. QFC is really dragging their feet when it comes to remodels, for example. (Though that being said, the oldest remaining QFC decor -- except for that weird one-off in Sequim -- is QFC Fresh Fare; there are just a ton of stores that still have that decor package.)
I can't say I love this 'Greek Revival' decor, but I don't hate it either. I would be disappointed if this decor was used to replace Kroger Neon decor, obviously, but it's not too bad. In some ways, it might have aged better than the slightly comical looking Millennium decor, but it's hard to say.
DeleteI'd be curious to know when this 'Greek Revival' decor was first used. It looks older than Millennium, it even looks like it could be from the late 1980s, but it's hard to say. I reckon it can't be too old or else I'm sure Kroger would have renovated the stores which still use it, but then again, who knows! Like you say, there are always surprises out there.
Not much to add to what Northwest Retail said except that it definitely does seem to hail from the 80s or 90s. Not sure exactly when, though. It may have been before, after, or concurrent with neon -- who knows!
Delete