Kroger — Local services in Norwood

I normally don't shop at this location, but my husband insisted on coming to this one since we were out running errands and were close. I was extremely annoyed because I already knew that this would not be a good experience. My cart was barely half full when I realized that I needed soap, and hair spray. I went to the aisle, put the items in my cart, and proceeded to push my cart in the direction I was already facing. This is when I realized that I could not continue down the aisle because there was some sort of door blocking it. So I turned my cart around and proceeded to leave the way I came in. As I was trying to find my way around the large group of people who I assumed were also shopping, the cashier then tells me that I have to pay for my soap and hair spray before I leave the aisle. I was VERY confused why I could not continue to shop and pay for everything at once. The cashier tells me "well we have alot of people that steal". Am I aware that this location has a huge problem with theft? Yes I am, but after working at Kroger myself in a "rich" neighborhood I was once told to not address a customer for stealing because It would embarrass them. It's nice to know that Kroger has no problem with their employees forcing "some people" in particular neighborhoods to pay for their items before they are done shopping because "we have people that steal", but are afraid of offending the higher class when they steal. I dont know how anybody with a car, and self respect would ever shop here. I rather walk 20 miles to another Krogers before I ever shop here again. Also for those that don't know any better because I'm sure Kroger is aware of this, but probably believe that people who shop here dont know this, but it is not considered theft until you walk out of the building. If you would like, you can walk around the store with your products and there is nothing security can do about it except watch you. Plus I'm pretty sure Kroger frowns upon their employees touching their customers to retrieve merchandise. As long as you pay for your products before you leave the store, it is not considered theft even if you chose to walk past the cashier who tells you that you can't leave without paying them first. You absolutely can, and there is nothing the cashier, security, or the police can do about it unless you walk out of that building without paying. Just fyi for those who may have been told it's stealing because it definitely is not. Ask your local police department, I'm sure they will tell...

I've been shopping at this Kroger for 37 years. I raised my family on their groceries. At an average of around $200.00 every week for that long, I'm well over a quarter of a million dollars spent at this one location. As it is already, I have to shop at two grocery stores now because this location refuses to carry items now that they carried for decades prior, even when I ask about them, I get no answers. That's one strike. I've been putting up with it for two reasons and two reasons only. I like the peanut butter, and the cheese. That's it. That's the only reason I still shop at Krogers at all anymore.

Now, I'm finished completely with them. Due to a extremely busy schedule lately, I found myself at the Kroger store at 6:30am, doing my weekly shopping. I got to the checkout line at exactly 6:55am, where I noticed not one checkout lane was open, so I went up to the service desk and requested that a checkout lane be opened. I was rudely told, by a manager walking by who didn't even take the time to stop and actually engage with me that they don't open until 7am, 4 minutes away. I replied that unless they opened a lane, all the groceries I had just spent a half hour gathering up would be left where they stood, and I would leave. By that time the head cash register had joined in with glee by yelling from 30 feet away that they were not going to do a thing, and they were quite unconcerned about my groceries sitting there. They seemed to only be able to say one thing, and that without actually looking at me. "have a nice day sir".

This display of ignorance is just one in a long line over the years at this location that me and others I have known have had to deal with. If you aren't being accosted by several homeless people between the parking lot and the door, you are greeted with empty shelves, rude employees, and a generally dirty store.

Meijers is looking real good...

Some of the people who work at this Kroger seem to be good, I've met some nice people behind the Deli counter, but by and large the store is just a mess. Whoever the evil manager is that makes everyone want to quit needs to be fired lol.

For instance, why does the fried chicken counter seem to stop... producing food, after like, 5PM? I've come by at 6 to pick up some meals for dinner and there was just nothing there---it was totally closed down and you couldn't get anything fresh. The sides were also nowhere to be seen... okay. What, do people not eat dinner later than 5? What is this? A worker behind the deli counter, when asked about where the food was, told me that she had spoken to coworkers and told them it shouldn't be like this. I've been back to the store several times since then and only seen the fried chicken out once.

The store has kind of an odd selection where a lot of alcohol is segregated off inside of a store-within-a-store in a "liquor store" area with a surprisingly poor selection. The actual store itself is pretty big for a Kroger and is busy nearly 24/7. The store is usually fairly clean and staffing is okay. It seems like it was recently remodeled.

Would be great if they kept serving the take home meals past 5:00pm? I've been here several times and only once did I see a selection of fried chicken available. Why? Kroger fried chicken is pretty great! At least there's a KFC in the same parking lot. The store doesn't seem to be kept in the best state of restocked either, things are just kind of all over the place---particularly in the breads section. I'm not sure if it's lingering covid problems but other stores don't seem to really...