HOUSTON – (Realty News Report) – The so-called “Disco Kroger” store in the Montrose area has been sold to a Georgia-based real estate developer that will demolish the empty grocery and build something new.
The Kroger store, located in the heart of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, was operated 24 hours a day at one time. After the Montrose area clubs closed for the night, the grocery store would often have a steady stream of late-night shoppers, including cross-dressed customers in the early morning hours.
Disco Kroger closed earlier this year. The windows are boarded up. Graffiti grows quickly. The wrecking ball arrives soon. Kroger headquarters says the store did not generate enough profit.
The old grocery store, which operated for more than 40 years, is located at 3300 Montrose Boulevard, one block south of Westheimer.
About 800 miles away, by coincidence, another store called the “Disco Kroger” exists at 3330 Piedmont Road in Atlanta’s Buckhead district. It is expected to be demolished soon, according to news reports.
The Houston Disco Kroger site, which covers about 2 acres, is bordered by Lovett Boulevard, Yoakum, Hawthorne and Montrose Boulevard.
The property was acquired by the Southeastern Real Estate Group, which is based in Augusta, Ga. Southeastern representatives did not return messages left Tuesday afternoon.
However the firm is expected to develop retail and multifamily on the site.
Southeastern, which does development and brokerage, has completed other transactions involving Kroger stores.
The Southeastern property is across the street (Lovett) from the Westheimer strip center that was recently acquired by Skanska. Tenants are moving out of the center. Skanska paid a $27 million for the 2.86-acre tract at the southwest corner of Westheimer and Montrose Boulevard. A 44,000-SF retail center there, which had included a Spec’s liquor store, will be demolished shortly. Skanska is planning a major mixed-use development on the Montrose at Westheimer site.
Before Southeastern made its move, the Kroger property would have been a logical extension of Skanska’s holdings.
The Kroger site is one block from the former Chinese Consulate building, which was shut down last year by the order of the U.S. State Department amid allegations of espionage.
Also a block south of Kroger’s site, Hines is completing its 34-story residential tower and the redeveloped La Colombe d’Or hotel.
Feb. 3, 2021 Realty News Report Copyright 2021
File: Disco Kroger Site Sold
Caption: Former Kroger store at 3300 Montrose in Houston. Photo by Ralph Bivins. Copyright 2021
File: (2) Montrose. Lower Westheimer. Disco Kroger Site Sold in Houston. Southeastern. 2-3-21