LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Community members in west Louisville neighborhoods are noticing their local Kroger grocery store has been closing earlier than its posted hours.
The store has apologized for closing up to 15 minutes earlier than usual, but customers are concerned since it's the only major grocery chain in the area.
Kroger, located on 28th and Broadway, is a staple for the Parkland, Russell and other neighborhoods but residents have noticed they cannot enter the store 15 minutes before it closes at 9 p.m.
Metro Councilmembers Jecorey Aurther (District 4) and Tammy Hawkins (District 1) gathered in the Kroger store's parking lot on Wednesday to address the concern.
"A lot of seniors can't get access to food," Hawkins said.
Among the speakers was Lamont Anthony, a senior citizen who lives in the Russell neighborhood and frequently shops at that particular store.
"We got six senior buildings within a half a mile to three mile radius that depend on Kroger," he said. "We got buses, TARC supplies buses to take them to Kroger shopping sometimes twice a week."
Anthony said this Kroger is the closest major grocery chain with reasonable prices. He shared an experience shopping at a smaller store in the area.
"A lady was just hysterical on what she had to pay for a gallon of milk," he said. "She didn't have it so I gave up the $5 to go ahead and get the milk for her kids."
Anthony said many seniors rely on TARC to get them around the city, including grocery shopping.
Eunice Johnson, another Russell neighborhood senior, said she's concerned with the early closing of her local Kroger as well.
"Kroger is very important to us to stay in this neighborhood," Johnson said. "A lot of us don't have no ride. A lot of us are disabled to even get to the store. That's why we need these buses to continue on in this area and keep the store open for us.
WHAS11 reached out to the grocery chain about the community's concerns. In a statement, a Kroger spokesperson apologized for the "service oversight."
"The Kroger Co. Louisville Division strives to serve every customer in Louisville with fresh food at affordable prices. We apologize for the service oversight that resulted in the entrance doors closing at approximately 8:45 p.m. instead of 9 p.m. at our West Broadway location. We have addressed with our team to welcome customers with open doors until 9 p.m. every night," the spokesperson said.
Metro Councilmembers said they have heard the community's concerns and hope to partner with the grocery store for more accessible hours and services.
"The mobile Kroger does not got to any of the senior buildings," Hawkins said. "We're going to be asking that they go to these senior facilities."
Hawkins also said she looked into the loss prevention stats and that numbers are high at this location. She's calling for the entire community to stop theft and for Kroger to be held accountable by sticking to their operating hours.
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