Slightly more interesting than I expected:
https://www.groceteria.com/place/indiana/evasnville/
NEW: Evansville IN, 1925-2020
Moderator: Groceteria
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Groceteria
- Great Pumpkin
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BatteryMill
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Re: NEW: Evansville IN, 1925-2020
Is there any evidence of Kroger having operated at 2100 Boonville Hwy, 1713 E Spring St, and 220 E Indiana St? I have apparently also found a source that mentioned Kroger as opening at 2101 W Franklin St in 1950 (former Nurrenbern Furniture shop). The addresses make it a little confusing.
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Groceteria
- Great Pumpkin
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Re: NEW: Evansville IN, 1925-2020
2101 W Franklin shows for me as one of the Oakley stores Kroger took over in 1939. If I had to make a guess, it would be that 1950 was an expansion that might have included the furniture store space. I don't have time to check the newspapers now, but I'll try to later.
There is a 1713 NORTH Spring Street (I don't believe there is an EAST Spring Street in Evansville). It seems to be exactly the same location as 2040 West Morgan Avenue. I have nothing showing a Kroger on that site but there is currently a Ruler Foods there; it first shows as a Spalding Food Center by 1980. Could that be what's on your list?
I can't find any evidence of a Boonville Highway pre-1960 or recent. There is an OLD Boonville Highway, but it doesn't seem likely ever to have had a 2100 block.
220 East indiana is a parking lot now. I suspect that it could have been a Kroger warehouse at some point; it was a Sears warehouse in the 1940s.
I'll see if I can nail any of these down any further via newspapers when I have a chance.
There is a 1713 NORTH Spring Street (I don't believe there is an EAST Spring Street in Evansville). It seems to be exactly the same location as 2040 West Morgan Avenue. I have nothing showing a Kroger on that site but there is currently a Ruler Foods there; it first shows as a Spalding Food Center by 1980. Could that be what's on your list?
I can't find any evidence of a Boonville Highway pre-1960 or recent. There is an OLD Boonville Highway, but it doesn't seem likely ever to have had a 2100 block.
220 East indiana is a parking lot now. I suspect that it could have been a Kroger warehouse at some point; it was a Sears warehouse in the 1940s.
I'll see if I can nail any of these down any further via newspapers when I have a chance.
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Groceteria
- Great Pumpkin
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Re: NEW: Evansville IN, 1925-2020
I got curious and went ahead.
There was indeed a Kroger at 1713 North Spring (a/k/a 2040 East Morgan) from 1955 to 1970 (some ads mistakenly say East Spring). How it managed never to appear in a directory I do not know. It may have been outside the city limits at the time or something. 2100 Boonville is (was) apparently that exact same location.
And the 1950 "new store" on Franklin definitely seems to be an expansion within an existing building that probably housed Kroger and the furniture store originally (see attached "grand opening" photo from 1950). The building was originally Scherffius Department Store (with a bowling alley on the second floor) and burned down in 1957, after Kroger had been replaced by Jerry's Market.
95% sure East Indiana was a warehouse if anything. No evidence there was ever a store there.
There was indeed a Kroger at 1713 North Spring (a/k/a 2040 East Morgan) from 1955 to 1970 (some ads mistakenly say East Spring). How it managed never to appear in a directory I do not know. It may have been outside the city limits at the time or something. 2100 Boonville is (was) apparently that exact same location.
And the 1950 "new store" on Franklin definitely seems to be an expansion within an existing building that probably housed Kroger and the furniture store originally (see attached "grand opening" photo from 1950). The building was originally Scherffius Department Store (with a bowling alley on the second floor) and burned down in 1957, after Kroger had been replaced by Jerry's Market.
95% sure East Indiana was a warehouse if anything. No evidence there was ever a store there.