Kroger will open its 16th store in the Richmond region on Dec. 10 when the Atlee Kroger store welcomes shoppers at the new Rutland Commons.

The store has created 200 new jobs, with total employment reaching 225. 

The Atlee store will be among the largest in Kroger’s Mid-Atlantic Division, with 75,000 square feet, including a drive-thru pharmacy.

A Kroger Fuel Center also is on the property with plans to open sometime in December.

Kroger is the first store to open in the Rutland Commons Shopping Center, a development of Crosland Company. 

The Center also includes approximately 25,000 square feet of space for shops.

Jeff Malcomb, a 29-year Kroger veteran, is manager of the store.  He is being transferred from a Kroger store in Virginia Beach. 

“We are working long hours to get the store ready for the opening,” said Malcomb. “Our associates are excited about working in a store that has been designed for customers to find items easily and to work in an environmentally friendly atmosphere.”

Many local shoppers will recognize Ted Garrett, the pharmacist-in-charge, who is transferring from the Mechanicsville store.

The store will have its own Bistro, with three chefs on staff.

Customers can place their orders for prepared meals and eat in the store while checking e-mails through the free Wi-Fi system. 
Customers also can call in their orders for convenient pick-up.

With its size, the store offers a variety of new and expanded merchandise, including:

—Expanded produce and organics.

—Natures Market stocked with natural foods, including dairy, frozen, cereals, chips and snacks.

—Large frozen food section.

—Wine Shoppe and wine consultant to serve all your needs.

—Gourmet Cheese Shoppe.

—Sushi Bar.

—International food section.

—Cosmetic section with health and beauty aids.

—Hallmark greeting card section with large selection of magazines, and reading area.

—Kitchen Place section with a wide array of decorative houseware items and small appliances.

Everyday items such as milk and eggs are located at the front of the store so shoppers needing only a few basic items can shop quickly.

Kroger entered the Richmond region in 2000 by buying 10 former Hannaford stores. Since then, Kroger has opened an average of one new store a year.

With the Atlee Kroger store, Kroger will operate 127 stores in its Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and the eastern portions of Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.