New Kroger Marketplace set to open

FORT WAYNE, (Ind.) - The second Kroger Marketplace in Fort Wayne and in the entire state opened Thursday in the Village of Coventry.

The Marketplace stores have more than groceries with furniture, jewelry, toys, music, books and more. The new location was a $13.7 million investment of completely tearing down and rebuilding where the old Scott's store was off of Jefferson Boulevard near I-69.

The Kroger across the street will close, but the new store will create 340 jobs.

"Employees will come from the former Scott's store here, all the Kroger associates from across the street, quite a few from the former North Anthony store and elsewhere in the city and we still created at least a hundred added jobs for this community," John Elliott, Kroger's spokesperson, said.

The Village of Coventry Marketplace opened Thursday after a short ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m.

At a grand opening party Wednesday, Kroger also announced expanded support for the Community Harvest Food Bank.

Kroger will support the food bank's building fund with $25,000 a year in both 2013 and 2014 and agreed to match customer and associate contributions up to $12,500 each year. That is in addition of more than $500,000 per year in food donations.