Trader Joe’s will officially open its long-awaited Germantown store at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 14, the company announced Friday, Aug. 31. 

7. Kroger to Phase Out Plastic Bags at All Stores - Friday, August 24, 2018

CINCINNATI (AP) — The nation's largest grocery chain has begun to phase out the use of plastic bags as more Americans grow uncomfortable with their impact on the environment.

Kroger Co. will start Thursday at its QFC stores in and around Seattle, with the goal of using no plastic bags at those stores at some point next year. The company said it will be plastic-bag free at all of its nearly 2,800 stores by 2025.

8. Man Accused of Hitting Ex-Girlfriend with Biscuit - Thursday, August 23, 2018

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man is accused of throwing a biscuit at his ex-girlfriend's face and threatening to kill her and her new boyfriend.

News outlets report 45-year-old Jeffrey Tomerlin was arrested on charges including assault and public intoxication. Metro Nashville Police officers responded Sunday to a report of a domestic disturbance near a Nashville Kroger.

9. Kroger Rolls Out Driverless Cars For Grocery Deliveries - Monday, August 20, 2018

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — At a time when big-box retailers are trying to offer the same conveniences as their online competitors, the biggest U.S. grocery chain is testing the use of driverless cars to deliver groceries in a Phoenix suburb.

10. Trader Joe’s Moves Closer To Germantown Opening - Saturday, August 18, 2018

After years of waiting, anticipation and uncertainty over reports of Trader Joe’s arrival in the area, the California-based business is on the verge of opening its Germantown location.

The red-lettered Trader Joe’s sign recently was erected above the entrance to the former Kroger location at 2130 Exeter Road. The store is one of the main tenants in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center undergoing a makeover near the northeast corner of Exeter and Poplar Avenue.

11. Last Word: Southgate Signs, Suburban Deadline and Kingsbury Allegations - Thursday, August 16, 2018

Seven months after it closed, the Kroger supermarket at the Southgate shopping center reopened Wednesday as a CashSaver grocery store in what has to be a blueprint for future efforts but is also nonetheless something that is not easily replicated. Showing the way on this has been The Works Inc. at its store at the South Memphis Farmers Market. We wrote about this earlier this year just as the Southgate solution began to take shape.

12. Trader Joe’s Moves Closer To Germantown Opening - Thursday, August 16, 2018

After years of waiting, anticipation and uncertainty over reports of Trader Joe’s arrival in the area, the California-based business is on the verge of opening its Germantown location.

The red-lettered Trader Joe’s sign recently was erected above the entrance to the former Kroger location at 2130 Exeter Road. The store is one of the main tenants in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center undergoing a makeover near the northeast corner of Exeter and Poplar Avenue.

13. Trader Joe’s Moves Closer to Opening in Germantown - Tuesday, August 14, 2018

After years of waiting, anticipation and uncertainty over reports of Trader Joe’s arrival in the area, the California-based business is on the verge of opening its Germantown location.

The red-lettered Trader Joe’s sign recently was erected above the entrance to the former Kroger location at 2130 Exeter. The store is one of the main tenants in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center undergoing a makeover near the northeast corner of Exeter and Poplar. 

14. Hale Named Principal Owner At Pickering Firm - Wednesday, August 1, 2018

After 17 years with Pickering Firm Inc., James Hale has been tapped as one of the architecture and engineering firm’s principal owners. As director of finance and administration, Hale is responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the firm and the day-to-day fiscal management of the company. Hale, who is based in Pickering’s Memphis office, also oversees all accounting and administrative staff, including human resources and IT.

15. Last Word: Sunflowers, Poplar-Ridgeway TIF and Meet The Developer of The Bucc - Thursday, July 26, 2018

You wait for it all year but it always comes as a surprise when you see them by the side of the road beckoning with their bright colors and their solid stance on the horizon as early voters head for Agricenter in search of a bit of scenery before making their choices. The sunflowers – What did you think I was talking about? -- began blooming on Walnut Grove Tuesday, the first of two phases from more than 78,000 sunflower seeds planted at Agricenter. They last a few weeks and with the staggered plantings, the new crop should be in its full glory about a month from now. Please don’t pick the sunflowers. Agricenter has designated parking areas after you enter on Timber Creek Drive. Just follow the signs.

16. Amazon, Container Store Eye New Locations in Memphis - Monday, July 16, 2018

5155 Citation Dr.

Memphis, TN 38118

Permit Amount: $10 million

Application Date: July 10 

Owner: Exeter Property Group

Tenant: Amazon

17. Summer Center Sells For $13 Million - Saturday, July 14, 2018

A Kroger-anchored shopping center near the intersection of Summer Avenue and Waring Road has sold for $13 million.

FREP IV – Summer Center LLC, an entity affiliated with Tampa, Florida-based Forge Capital Partners, bought the 136,425-square-foot center from private Atlanta real estate firm BDB Summer Center LLC in a June 27 warranty deed.

18. Cash Saver Secures $100K Loan From EDGE - Saturday, July 14, 2018

The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County has awarded a $100,000 low-interest loan to Castle Retail Group for its new Cash Saver location in South Memphis.

The EDGE Economic Development Finance Committee on Wednesday, July 11, approved the seven-year loan at a 2 percent interest rate in order to complete the financing on the $1.1 million supermarket.

19. The Container Store Planning G’town Location - Saturday, July 14, 2018

The Container Store, a national retail brand that specializes in storage and organizational products, is planning a Germantown location near Trader Joe’s.

The Texas-based chain applied for a sign variance from the Germantown Design Review Commission for a store that will be located at 2130 Exeter Road in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center. The commission was scheduled to consider the request Thursday night, July 12.

20. Cash Saver Secures $100K Loan From EDGE - Friday, July 13, 2018

The Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County has awarded a $100,000 low-interest loan to Castle Retail Group for its new Cash Saver location in South Memphis.

The EDGE Economic Development Finance Committee on Wednesday, July 11, approved the seven-year loan at a 2 percent interest rate in order to complete the financing on the $1.1 million supermarket.

21. The Container Store Planning G’town Location - Thursday, July 12, 2018

The Container Store, a national retail brand that specializes in storage and organizational products, is planning a Germantown location near Trader Joe’s.

The Texas-based chain is seeking a sign variance from the Germantown Design Review Commission for a store that will be located at 2130 Exeter Road in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center.

22. The Container Store Planning Germantown Location - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

The Container Store, a national retail brand that specializes in storage and organizational products, is planning a Germanton location near Trader Joe’s.

The Texas-based chain is seeking a sign variance from the Germantown Design Review Commission for a store that will be located at 2130 Exeter Rd. in the Germantown Collection Shopping Center.

23. Summer Center Sells For $13 Million - Wednesday, July 11, 2018

A Kroger-anchored shopping center near the intersection of Summer Avenue and Waring Road has sold for $13 million.

FREP IV – Summer Center LLC, an entity affiliated with Tampa, Florida-based Forge Capital Partners, bought the 136,425-square-foot center from private Atlanta real estate firm BDB Summer Center LLC in a June 27 warranty deed.

24. Beale Hotel, South Main Mixed-Use Top Busy Week In Development - Tuesday, July 10, 2018

It’s a busy week for the city of Memphis when it comes to economic development. The Downtown Memphis Commission has two of its affiliate boards, the Center City Revenue Finance Corp. and the Design Review Board, in action this week, while the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County is holding a meeting for its Economic Development Finance Committee.

25. Last Word: Early Voting Guess, V Live Memphis Closed and Grit and Grind Redux - Friday, June 29, 2018

The Shelby County Election Commission meets Friday afternoon to talk about early voting locations for the Aug. 2 ballot – the county general election and state and federal primary elections as well as a special Memphis City council race. And if I had to guess, I would say the odds are pretty good that the commission will vote to open all 26 early voting sites on July 13, the start of the 14-day early voting period. That would be a change from the original plan of having just the Agricenter location open for the first four days of the voting period.

26. Grocery Veteran Bringing Cash Saver Store to Former Kroger Southgate Site - Friday, June 29, 2018

Rick James got his start in the grocery store industry at 15 when he, like a lot of teenagers, got his first job bagging groceries at a small independent retailer outside Union, Missouri.

27. Midtown Getting Denser, North Main Getting New Coffee Shop - Monday, June 25, 2018

2542 Broad Ave.
Memphis, TN 38112

PILOT Length: 15 years

Project Cost: $51 million

28. US stocks skid as industrial and energy companies fall - Friday, June 22, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are lower Thursday as investors again worry about the potential effects of the U.S.-China trade dispute. German automaker Daimler lowered its annual profit forecast, partly because of higher import taxes on U.S. vehicles in China. Industrial companies are taking more losses. Energy companies are falling along with oil prices and online retailers are skidding after the Supreme Court ruled that states can force online shoppers to pay sales tax.

29. Binghampton Apartments, Parkside TIF Get EDGE Greenlight - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Several hundred new apartments, a South Memphis grocery store and a new TIF district were all given the green light by the Economic Development Growth Engine for Memphis and Shelby County during a busy Wednesday, June 20, board meeting. 

30. Council Approves 13-Year Contract with MRPP - Thursday, June 21, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

31. Council Approves 13-Year Contract with MRPP, Makes End of Fiscal Year Moves - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

32. Council Approves 13-Year Contract With MRPP, Makes End of Fiscal Year Moves - Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Memphis City Council members gave the Memphis River Parks Partnership a 13-year contract to manage and operate the city’s riverside parks Tuesday, June 19, with a 10-year renewal option.

The MRPP, which until earlier this year was the Riverfront Development Corp., sought a 10-year contract with the city in order to promote the stability of the organization in drawing private and philanthropic funding for the city’s riverfront plan.

33. Lifeline for Debt - Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Student loans are a big topic these days with an even bigger and growing price tag for most families in America. Thanks to a young engineer with a financial mind, there may be a place for students and their families to go before they find themselves drowning in debt.

34. Bittersweet Memories - Friday, June 15, 2018

DOWN HOME UP THERE. We drove to Syracuse recently to visit our daughter and son-in-law. She’s taken a marketing and communications job with the university and he’s moving his sales career up there as well.

35. Corky’s BBQ to Partner with Dobbs Equity to Fund Expansion - Friday, June 8, 2018

Longtime Memphis mainstay Corky’s BBQ has announced a partnership with Dobbs Equity Partners LLC, a company founded by local businessman John H. Dobbs Jr., to further accelerate the worldwide growth of the hometown barbecue brand.

36. Editorial: Buying Food in a Food City - Saturday, May 12, 2018

The business of food is in a cycle of change from farm to table – whether it’s blowing up the Memphis barbecue stereotype or how we get our groceries.

All parts of that chain are to be found in Memphis business and culture.

37. Grocery Wars - Saturday, May 12, 2018

For a typical consumer, a trip to the grocery store might mean little more than a quick run to pick up essentials like bread and milk. Cart filled. Self-checkout. Back out the sliding doors. So mundane, none of it is given a second thought once you’re back in the car with your purchases.

38. Kroger Spends Millions to Permanently Cut Prices in Memphis and Beyond - Thursday, April 12, 2018

Kroger has made a “multimillion-dollar investment” to permanently cut prices on more than 3,000 products in its grocery stores across Memphis and its multistate Delta Division.

Shoppers will be met with oversized signage announcing the price cuts almost anywhere they turn inside Memphis-area Kroger stores. That includes messaging that completely covers the entrances that shoppers walk through at locations like the Kroger at 1675 N. Germantown Parkway, where a bright yellow image of a few grocery items and the announcement “Say Hello To Lower Prices” covers the doors.

39. Sunday Wine, Liquor Sales Passes in Tenn. Senate - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

NASHVILLE – Buoyed by Bible verses and compromise giving liquor stores a head start on Sunday sales, legislation allowing grocery stores to sell wine on Sundays passed the Senate Wednesday on a 17-11 vote.

40. Kroger's Hiring Spree Goes On, Another 11K Jobs This Year - Wednesday, April 11, 2018

CINCINNATI (AP) – Kroger is hiring 11,000 workers, up about 1,000 from last year.

The nation's largest grocery chain by revenue is locked in a fierce completion with Amazon.com, which acquired Whole Foods last year, as well as Walmart and Target.

41. Council Gets First Look At MATA Route Changes - Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A task force looking to overhaul the city’s bus system presents a draft report Tuesday, April 10, to Memphis City Council members.

The Memphis 3.0 transit plan goes to the council at a 1 p.m. committee session for discussion.

42. Stock Market Grocery Spurs Interest In Lakeland’s Lake District Project - Saturday, March 31, 2018

After more than a decade of preparation, The Lake District multiuse development in Lakeland is seeing some concrete progress. In fact, the developer, Los Angeles-based Gilad Development Inc., has signed its first tenant to the location on the southeast corner of the intersection of I-40 and Canada Road.

43. Children’s Central - Thursday, March 22, 2018

The first career choice a child has in mind isn’t always the right one. Stephanie Butler, who today is the new executive director of the Children’s Museum of Memphis, thought she wanted to be a doctor.

44. Council OKs Financing For Convention Center Work - Saturday, March 10, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved $175 million in general obligation bond financing Tuesday, March 6, for the renovation of the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The dollar figure matches the total estimate of the renovation, which will include significant changes to the interior of the early 1970s facility and exterior changes that include a view of the Mississippi River.

45. Digest - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis Grizzlies Suffer 15th Consecutive Loss

The Grizzlies lost their 15th straight game, 119-110 at Chicago, on Wednesday, March 7.

The team has not won since defeating the Phoenix Suns at FedExForum on Jan. 29.

46. Kroger Q4 Profit Surges on Tax Reform, Outlook Disappoints - Friday, March 9, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Kroger Co. reported a surge in fourth-quarter profit Thursday, but the lackluster results and outlook sunk shares.

47. Council OKs Financing For Convention Center Work - Thursday, March 8, 2018

Memphis City Council members approved $175 million in general obligation bond financing Tuesday, March 6, for the renovation of the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The dollar figure matches the total estimate of the renovation, which will include significant changes to the interior of the early 1970s facility and exterior changes that include a view of the Mississippi River.

48. City Council Continues to Dabble In Art Issues - Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Memphis City Council members were told Tuesday, March 6, that removing a mural from a private business front on Lamar Avenue will be difficult despite a council call to do so.

The zombie-like mural by the artist Dustin Spagnola has drawn most of the ire of council members for several months. Some have called it “satanic.” Others on the council argue the imagery isn’t respectful of the surrounding community.

49. Council to Discuss Murals and Food Deserts, Vote on Convention Center Funding - Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Memphis City Council members talk about incentives to bring grocery stores to underserved areas of the city during Tuesday, March 6, committee sessions and review a resolution that would direct the city to again paint over “offensive and objectionable” murals.

50. Kroger Joins Other Big Retailers, Tightens Gun Restrictions - Friday, March 2, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Kroger will no longer sell guns to anyone under 21 at the stores it owns, becoming the third major retailer this week to put restrictions in place that are stronger than federal laws.

51. Sweet Spot - Friday, February 23, 2018

They nearly gave up, almost put away their pastry bags, their icing pens, their cake molds and shut down operations at home. Short of funds, the family’s prospects looked grim. “It started out really slow,” said Bill Kloos, who was a chef at the time, helping his parents rustle up clients. “There was no capital. No money. They came close to giving up a lot of times.”

52. Corky’s BBQ Expanding, Headed To Texas - Thursday, February 15, 2018

Corky’s BBQ is expanding its brand of pulled pork to the Lone Star State.

The company has secured an expansion and franchise agreement for multiple locations in the Houston and Dallas metro areas.

53. Corky’s BBQ Expanding, Headed to Houston and Dallas - Wednesday, February 14, 2018

Corky’s BBQ is expanding its brand of pulled pork to the Lone Star State.

The company has secured an expansion and franchise agreement for multiple locations in the Houston and Dallas metro areas. Franchisees and operators Andria Cain and Bruce Gingrich of Squealing Pigs LLC are planning to open up to three Corky’s locations in the Houston area this year, with the first set to arrive by September.

54. Kale to Go: Amazon to Roll Out Delivery at Whole Foods - Friday, February 9, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – Amazon is bringing its speedy delivery to Whole Foods. The online retail giant plans to roll out two-hour delivery at the organic grocer this year to those who pay for Amazon's $99-a-year Prime membership. It is the company's biggest move since it bought the organic grocer last year.

55. Trader Joe’s Seeking First Official Approval from Germantown - Wednesday, February 7, 2018

The saga of Trader Joe’s in Germantown has had more than its fair share of ups and downs over the last several years, but those all appear to be in the rear view mirror, as the first tangible plans listing the highly sought-after grocer have surfaced.

56. Kroger Selling Its Convenience Store Unit for $2.15 Billion - Tuesday, February 6, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) – British convenience store operator EG Group is buying Kroger's convenience store unit for $2.15 billion as it expands into the U.S.

Kroger and other grocery store operators have been facing tougher competition from companies including Walmart and Amazon. The Cincinnati company has been considering a sale of its convenience store operations since October.

57. Take Steps To Find Reputable Locksmith - Tuesday, February 6, 2018

The Better Business Bureau recommends that consumers and businesses line up a reputable locksmith before they need one. In an emergency, or even non-emergency, they won’t be at the mercy of an unqualified technician or out-and-out scammer.

58. Target Launching Same-Day Delivery in Memphis - Friday, February 2, 2018

Shoppers in Memphis will be able to get same-day delivery on orders they make from Target starting Friday, Feb. 8, thanks to Target’s $550 million purchase last year of the Internet-based delivery service Shipt.

59. The Week Ahead: Jan. 29-Feb. 4 - Monday, January 29, 2018

Good morning, Memphis! Proceedings related to the city’s removal of Confederate statues from two parks get underway, just one of many events on a busy Monday. Check our rundown of all the happenings you need to know about in The Week Ahead…

60. State Voters Have More to Fear Than Russian Meddling - Thursday, January 25, 2018

About 30 years ago, my wife and I were hanging out with another couple and decided to make a big night of it. We’d go out for Mexican food and then rent a movie.

After we had some Mexican grub, we went to Kroger to find a flick. As we perused the selections, my friend said, “What about a Russian spy movie?” To which his girlfriend (future wife, now ex-wife) whined, “John, you know I don’t speak Russian.” (His name is changed to protect the innocent.)

61. Editorial: Kroger’s Bottom Line Isn’t Ours - Saturday, January 20, 2018

The decision by Kroger’s Delta Division to close stores in Southgate shopping center and on Lamar Avenue west of Airways next month is probably based on dollars and cents – millions of dollars in losses at each store.

62. Last Word: A New Majority, A Plan After Kroger and Cold Cases - Friday, January 12, 2018

Shelby County elections administrator Linda Phillips has been watching the ebb and flow of petitions for the 2018 elections and has found what she believes is a link to the weather. “Apparently when the dreaded ‘snow’ word is mentioned in the forecast, not only do people go out and clear the shelves of milk, bread and eggs. They also decide to pick up a petition,” she wrote in an email with the list of who has pulled and who has filed in the last two days.

63. Exit Strategy - Friday, January 12, 2018

When Kroger’s Delta Division announced last week it would shutter its stores at 1977 S. Third St. in the Southgate shopping center and 2267 Lamar Ave. near Airways Boulevard, there was already a considerable history of what might follow the Feb. 2 closing.

64. Last Word: Soccer Returns, Confederate Reprisals and Megasite Politics - Tuesday, January 9, 2018

So much going on off the field and on parts of the field in Atlanta Monday evening as Alabama beat Georgia – a clothesline, a punch thrown on the field and an attempt to throw another punch on the sidelines at an Alabama coach and all of that from a single Alabama player. So a lot of speculation after the College Football Playoff National Championship about how that will be resolved. Alabama over Georgia 26-23 in overtime.

65. City Council to Consider Ideas to Mitigate Kroger Closures - Tuesday, January 9, 2018

Memphis City Council members will talk Tuesday, Jan. 9, about the decision of Kroger’s Delta Division to close two of its Memphis stores in 3 1/2 weeks.

The sudden announcement could create food deserts in those areas of the city and make it difficult of recruit replacement stores.

66. Last Word: Saturday In The Parks, The Citizen and Kroger Backlash - Friday, January 5, 2018

No protest or march permits applied for at City Hall as of Thursday morning in anticipation of a Saturday Confederate monuments protest, according to city chief legal officer Bruce McMullen at Thursday’s taping of “Behind The Headlines.” Our discussion included lots about the city’s move toward taking down the monuments Dec. 20 and what could happen next. Also, McMullen tells us there were some other nonprofits that talked with the city about Health Sciences and Memphis Parks before Memphis Greenspace. The show airs Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on WKNO TV.

67. Kroger to Close 3 Memphis-Area Stores - Saturday, January 6, 2018

Kroger is adding to and shrinking its presence in the Memphis area.

Kroger is closing three area stores – two in Memphis, at 1977 S. Third St. and 2269 Lamar Ave., and one in Clarksdale, Mississippi, at 870 S. State St. – on Feb. 3.

68. Kroger Will Close 3 Stores In Memphis Area Losing Money - Friday, January 5, 2018

Kroger is adding to and shrinking its presence in the Memphis area.

Kroger is closing three area stores – two in Memphis, at 1977 S. Third St. and 2269 Lamar Ave., and one in Clarksdale, Mississippi, at 870 S. State St. – on Feb. 3.

69. Last Word: The Stay Away Plan, Kroger and the Lamar Gateway and Silo Square - Thursday, January 4, 2018

City Hall says ignore and avoid the two parks that used to have Confederate monuments and the Tennessee Welcome Center Saturday. All could be the scene of gatherings Saturday by groups opposed to the removal of the monuments including white nationalist groups. If this sounds familiar it’s because this was the city’s strategy in 1998 when a Klan group from Indiana rallied on the courthouse steps and there was a marked departure from that in 2013 when another Klan group – also from Indiana also rallied at the courthouse – different set of steps though. More on the history behind all of this when next we meet.

70. Lankford to Manage Agricenter’s New Organic Center - Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Chris Lankford has been named farm manager for Agricenter International’s newly created Organic Resource Center, which is designed to be a resource for Mid-South growers in the basics of the organic certification process. Lankford will be responsible for the operation of the new organic farm, developing peri-urban agriculture projects, and promoting organic agricultural practices. He also will assist the director of research in additional research as well as the operation of Agricenter’s farm as a whole.

71. Possible Trader Joe’s Update, New $35M Airport Facility - Monday, December 18, 2017

In this week’s Real Estate Recap, a new development in the saga of Germantown’s Trader Joe’s, Memphis International Airport begins work on a new $35 million facility, and Central BBQ announces a new a location...

72. Trader Joe’s Still Mystery As Developers Buy Old Kroger - Thursday, December 14, 2017

Developers planning to renovate the old Kroger location at 2130 Exeter Road in Germantown have bought out the property’s previous owners in a multimillion-dollar deal.

73. Last Word: Grizz Troubles Deepen, Germantown Kroger Enigma and The Strikers - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Tigers over Great Danes Tuesday at the Forum 67 – 58. The Grizz are in Washington Wednesday to play the Wizards and some of the attention around the Grizz is shifting away from what happens on the court. What would you call the place that the Grizz are at this mile marker past Grit & Grind? It is more than a losing streak, says Don Wade in his Press Box column.

74. Developers of Old Kroger Site Buy Property for $8M - Wednesday, December 13, 2017

The developers planning the renovations of the old Kroger location at 2130 Exeter Road have bought out the property’s previous owners in a multimillion-dollar deal.

Savannah, Georgia-based Wicker Park Capital Management, doing business as 2130 Exeter Road Holdings, has acquired the site from previous owner Robert H. Schwab for $8.1 million, according to warranty deed filed with the Shelby County Register on Dec. 11.

75. Spikner Plans Shipping-Container Apartment Complex - Monday, December 4, 2017

126 N Bellevue Blvd.,
Memphis, TN 38104 

Application Date: Dec. 20, 2017

76. Construction to Begin On Old Kroger Site - Saturday, December 2, 2017

A $90,000 building permit application has been filed to remove the facade of the old Kroger building at 2130 Exeter Road in Germantown.

77. Kroger Beats Earnings Estimate in Fiscal 3Q - Friday, December 1, 2017

Kroger reported better-than-expected earnings of $397 million, or 44 cents per share, for its fiscal third quarter on Thursday morning, Nov. 30, soundly beating estimates.

The consensus earnings per share forecast of 11 analysts was 40 cents, according to Zacks Investment Research. The grocery company earned 41 cents in the third quarter of 2016.

78. Last Word: Veto Override, Vince Carter on Fizdale and Corker on Tax Reform - Thursday, November 30, 2017

Signs of life at the old Kroger store on Exeter in Germantown. The new developers for a project that was supposed to be a Trader Joe’s have pulled a $90,000 building permit to remove the façade of the building. But no word on who the new tenant may be and some interesting remarks about recruiting tenants in general who won’t have as many trucks making deliveries in a retail center that borders a residential area.

79. Construction to Begin On Old Kroger Site - Thursday, November 30, 2017

A $90,000 building permit application has been filed to remove the facade of the old Kroger building at 2130 Exeter Road in Germantown.

80. Real Men Wear Pink Raises $145K in Memphis - Saturday, November 18, 2017

The American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign, which selected 27 prominent Memphis men to raise funds for breast cancer awareness in October, garnered $145,000 for the society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative.

81. Real Men Wear Pink Campaign Raises $145K in Memphis - Tuesday, November 14, 2017

The American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign, which selected 27 prominent Memphis men to raise funds for breast cancer awareness in October, garnered $145,000 for the society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer initiative.

82. Shelby Farms Draws $142 Million, 71-Acre Development - Monday, November 13, 2017

Elmington Capital Group has submitted plans for a 71-acre senior housing, apartment and single-family development next to Shelby Farms Park. Dwell at Shelby Farms is a new $142 million development to be located on the north side of Raleigh-LaGrange Road near the intersections of Trinity and Fischer Steel roads.

83. FedEx Services Available In 7,500 Walgreens Stores - Saturday, November 11, 2017

FedEx package pickup and drop-off services are now available at more than 7,500 Walgreens locations across all 50 states, 10 months after the Memphis-based shipping giant announced a long-term agreement with Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreen Co.

84. Germantown Panel OKs Plan for Old Kroger Site - Saturday, November 11, 2017

At its Tuesday, Nov. 7, meeting, the Germantown Planning Commission advanced a trio of developments that included a revised final site plan for the Germantown Collection Shopping Center, a 310-unit multifamily development, and Germantown’s new elementary school.

85. Germantown Planning Board OKs Plan for Old Kroger Site - Thursday, November 9, 2017

At its Tuesday, Nov. 7, meeting, the Germantown Planning Commission advanced a trio of developments that included a revised final site plan for the Germantown Collection Shopping Center, a 310-unit multifamily development, and Germantown’s new elementary school.

86. G’town Planning Commission Approves Plans for Old Kroger Site, New Multifamily - Wednesday, November 8, 2017

At its Tuesday, Nov. 7 meeting, The Germantown Planning Commission advanced a trio of developments that included a revised final site plan for the Germantown Collection Shopping Center, a 310-unit multifamily development, and Germantown’s new elementary school.

87. FedEx Services Now Available in 7,500 Walgreens Stores - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

FedEx package pickup and drop-off services are now available at more than 7,500 Walgreens locations across all 50 states, 10 months after the Memphis-based shipping giant announced a long-term agreement with Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreen Co.

88. Tennessee State Park System is First to Offer Gift Cards - Tuesday, November 7, 2017

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee's state park system has become the first in the nation to offer gift cards.

The Tennessean reported Monday the gift cards will range from $20-$500 and hit online vendors and all Kroger stores in Tennessee in mid-November. The deputy commissioner for the Bureau of Parks and Conservation, Brock Hill, says the system intends on keeping admission to its 56 parks free.

89. Kroger to Sell Own Line of Clothing Aimed at the Family - Monday, November 6, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Kroger is launching its own fashion line starting next fall.

The nation's largest supermarket chain said Friday that the brand will first make its debut at Fred Meyer and Kroger Marketplace stores, totaling 300 locations across the country. The casual collection will span from children to teens to adults.

90. Kroger Opens New Fuel Center, Another on Way - Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Kroger Delta Division has opened its largest fuel center in Memphis and announced it will open a Midtown fuel center in early 2018.

The new location is in front of the Kroger store at Poplar Avenue and Kirby Parkway. It offers 18 pumps, the most of any local Kroger fuel center, and its hours of operation are 6 a.m. until 11 p.m.

91. Gibson Plans to Sell Downtown Factory, Build a New One - Monday, October 30, 2017

145 Lt. George W. Lee Ave., Memphis, TN 38103: Nashville-based guitar maker Gibson Brands Inc. confirmed Friday, Oct. 20, it is putting its Downtown Memphis factory on the market and plans to build and lease a new facility nearby.

92. Trader Joe’s Not Mentioned In Germantown Site Review - Saturday, October 28, 2017

Plans for the renovation of the old Kroger building at 2130 Exeter Road were publicly reviewed by Germantown planning officials for the first time since the previous developer, Centennial American Properties, pulled out of the project in May.

93. Last Word: Weekend Plans, Leaving Home and the Clown Show Turns a Corner - Friday, October 27, 2017

Grizz win at the Forum 96 – 91 against the Mavericks Thursday, a night after losing to the Mavericks in Dallas. And off we go into a busy weekend starting with Friday’s University of Memphis football game at the Liberty Bowl against Tulane and into Saturday’s Race for the Cure through Downtown followed closely by day two of the River Arts Fest in South Main, which begins its three-day run Friday evening.

94. Men Rock Pink to Raise Awareness For Breast Cancer - Friday, October 27, 2017

Men don’t typically have a big voice in the fight against breast cancer, but the American Cancer Society is changing that by partnering with prominent local businessmen, health care professionals, and public servants.

95. No Mention of Trader Joe’s at Germantown Site Review - Thursday, October 26, 2017

Plans for the renovation of the old Kroger building at 2130 Exeter Road were publicly reviewed by Germantown planning officials for the first time since the previous developer, Centennial American Properties, pulled out of the project in May. 

96. Kroger Says It May Sell Its 780 Convenience Stores - Saturday, October 14, 2017

Supermarket operator Kroger says it is considering selling its gas station convenience stores, such as KwikShop, Loaf ‘N Jug and Turkey Hill Minit Markets.

Kroger Co. says the business, which has more than 780 stores and 11,000 employees, would be more valuable outside of the company.

97. Kroger Says It May Sell Its 780 Convenience Stores - Thursday, October 12, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – Supermarket operator Kroger says it is considering selling its gas station convenience stores, such as KwikShop, Loaf 'N Jug and Turkey Hill Minit Markets.

Kroger Co. says the business, which has more than 780 stores and 11,000 employees, would be more valuable outside of the company. A sale would leave Kroger with about 2,800 supermarkets.

98. I Recommend a New Novel - Friday, September 1, 2017

They read us like a book. When I was growing up, The Book Shelf was about where the northwest corner of the Kroger in Poplar Plaza is now. It smelled like books – not the library smell of tomes and the weight of knowledge, but the smell of brand-new information, shiny new possibilities, a world of discovery on a personal scale.

99. Now at Whole Foods: Cheaper Milk, 'Farm Fresh' Amazon Echo - Tuesday, August 29, 2017

NEW YORK (AP) – A half-gallon of milk was 50 cents cheaper at a Whole Foods in New York. Ground beef was down by $2 a pound. And an organic avocado cost a buck less.

Amazon kicked off its first day as the owner of Whole Foods by slashing prices, adding its logo on signs and setting up a stand of "farm fresh" Amazon Echo voice-assistant devices by store entrances. It's just the first taste of the moves the e-commerce giant will make at the organic grocer after it completed the $13.7 billion deal on Monday.

100. Memphis Hustle to Debut Nov. 4, Have 23 Home Games - Monday, August 28, 2017

The Grizzlies’ minor league team, the Memphis Hustle, will begin play in the NBA G League on Nov. 4 and have 23 home games.

The season starts with a weekend back-to-back, Nov. 4 and 5 to tip-off action at Landers Center in Southaven. The Hustle will make its franchise debut on Saturday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. against the Sioux Falls Skyforce, before returning to action the following night against the Salt Lake City Stars at 5 p.m.