In a recent statement, Kroger made it clear that the King Soopers slated to be in the Eastbridge Town Center would not be completed until all of the surrounding shops and restaurants were up and running. “At this point in time, it just doesn’t make sense for us to finish the project,” said Soopers spokesperson Kaela Gordon. “To get the kind of foot traffic we need for a grocery store, we simply need all of the restaurants and shops completely open for us to make a commitment to finish this thing.” The statement appears to be a drastic turn from perceptions of many that Forest City needed a grocery store there before any shops would commit. “I am really confused by the whole thing,” said Eastbridge resident Kevin Lembeck. “We have waited 10 years for something to happen to that area, and everything we heard was that we were waiting on a grocery store. Now, the grocery store tells us they are waiting on stores? Who’s in charge of this thing?” Resident Becky Carney is also confused by the new development. “I was pretty sure this was supposed to be the other way around,” quipped Carney. “They have been telling us for years that the store was the driving force for the foot traffic, but Soopers apparently has a different story.”
Soopers denies they were ever involved in any such rhetoric. “Why would we say that,” asked Gordon. “The traditional model is that smaller shops and restaurants come into an area, then the grocery store comes in after a successful footprint has been made. We’ve been doing this a long time.” Residents were not originally excited about a Soopers going in, but have come to grips with it and are anxious for a grocery store to open. “I just want a grocery store other than the Quebec Soopers,” said Adam Vogel. “I don’t care that it’s a Soopers, at least it won’t be the same one and I won’t have to drive to it.” Resident Nicole Gibbs is cautiously optimistic the new store will be better than the one in the 29th Ave. Town Center. “I would think they would make an effort to tailor it to Stapleton customers,” said Gibbs. “But, the fact that they are jerking us around right now isn’t a good sign.” According to Gordon, the new Soopers will be completed when they feel there is enough traffic being driven to the area by the smaller stores. “Their success is our success,” said Gordon. “If they do their part, we will do ours.”