Beloved Kroger store to be replaced by major rival after 47 years of serving shoppers

PUBLIX has announced it will take over a beloved Kroger location that was once dubbed 'Disco Kroger' for its iconic hanging disco ball.

After 47 years of serving Atlanta area shoppers as Kroger, the space will now be taken over by one of the grocer's closest competitors.

The building is set to be completely demolished and then rebuilt as a brand-new Publix store, according to Atlanta Eater.

The owners of the shopping complex have announced their plans to redevelop the entire property and bring in new businesses in the next couple of years.

Currently, the property boasts a Starbucks, Urban Wu Chinese restaurant, Piu Bello pizzeria, as well as the Kroger building.

Once the former Kroger store is torn down, the developers plan to prop up a 55,000-square-foot Publix store.

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Construction should wrap up at some point next year.

The transition from Kroger to Publix may be bittersweet for some locals who are deeply attached to the former retailer.

Many Kroger stores receive nicknames from locals, which was a trend supposedly inspired by the legendary 'Disco Kroger.'

Back in the 1980s, the supermarket was known to draw in shoppers that had strolled over from the next-door Limelight discotheque.

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Supposedly, many of the disco club patrons paid a visit to the grocery store in search of sustenance after a night of dancing.

The nickname 'Disco Kroger' stuck around even after the Limelight discotheque closed in 1987.

Many customers have admired the tribute to the discotheque left by Kroger - a colorful disco-themed mural painted on the side of the store.

According to Eater, it is unlikely that the new Publix store will receive the same adoration as their retail rival once did.

Publix has not announced an opening date for their new store yet.

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