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Name That Kroger

Ace Readers like to name their Krogers. There’s even a category for “Best Kroger” in the 2009 Best of Lex Readers’ Poll.

Periodically, there are changes in the local Kroger and Lexington landscape, and the Readers get together and reach consensus on new names.
If you search “Disco Kroger” on this site, updates will be posted as they become available. (Or, as one reader asked yesterday, “Is there an App for that?” Not yet, but one day…. One day…)

Currently, Lexington really has nothing that can compete with Atlanta’s “Murder Kroger,” http://theplug.net/44/murderkroger.htm  but there’s always hope. As is the case here, Atlanta knows naming a Kroger is an organic, neighborhood, grass-roots process that just can’t be forced.

For example, there have been some shifts in nomenclature since the first Kroger blog-post in 08.

UPDATE Richmond Road Kroger: was Webb KrogRe (always under construction). Now that construction has been completed, “Growger” is the consensus.”
UPDATE Kroger on Alexandria is now Krogeria (rhymes with taqueria, and so named by a West Lex reader in honor of the wonderful taquerias across the street). It was formerly Metal Kroger, but…
UPDATE Kroger on Leestown is now Metalthorpe, because Matt (of Matt’s Metal Mortuary) is relocating from Alexandria to run this store.

The Original
Disco Kroger: an Etymology
As Legend has it (meaning it might or might not be true), Kroger on Euclid was the first Kroger in Lexington to be open 24 hours, circa 1970s, making it an after-hours mecca for Cruising when bars like the Bungalow closed for the night. Hence: Disco Kroger. That’s the story, as told to Ace, circa 1980s.

Writing about local mainstays like this inevitably provoke the most engaged Reader Response. In a 1990s Best of Lex issue, we wrote about Umbrella Guy – and we got dozens of stories from the readers – some contradictory (his predilection for Ramen noodles which he supposedly bought in bulk from Disco Kroger; his theoretical skin condition; and his alleged foreign travel to Japan, accounting for his prolonged disappearances from Lex streets).

Then there was Shouting, Pointing Guy who mostly sticks close to the Kenwick area around Richmond Road (the one without the shirt, who looked a little like Pauly Shore… as opposed to the one with the shirt, who you typically see downtown?)

We will re-visit more “Where are they now?” stories throughout our 20th anniversary. (See the August 27 issue for a look back at September 1995 and Craig Cornwell’s winning essay for the Worst Summer Job, “Hog Down!”)

The Existing List

Kroger on Euclid: (as aforementioned) Disco Kroger
Kroger on Romany: aka Krandalls (for the former Randalls, managed by Walt Barbour) and kRolex (for the Rolex-wearing shoppers). It remains “boutique” size.
Chinoe Kroger is League Kroger
Beaumont Kroger is known as DeathStar Kroger (for size, scope, ability to buy furniture and jewelry there).
Nicholasville Road Kroger: aka Wax Kroger (so named by Professor Kakie for the salon nearby where you can get a brow wax and then shop in peace with redface where no one knows you); also known as Dexter Kroger, for the guy there who looks like Showtime’s Dexter.
Tates Creek Kroger: no consensus. Nominations include “Last Ditch Kroger” and “Sidewalk Ends Kroger.”
Hartland Kroger: no consensus. Krogurbia has been nominated.

This is a democratic process and nominations are welcome.
Many of these discussions occur simultaneously on Facebook (“become a fan” at http://www.facebook.com/AceWeeklyFans—Fan Pages seems more geared to Britney Spears than newspapers, but who are we to argue with Facebook? It took three lawyers just to vet that sentence.)
Another ongoing Ace Reader series you can follow on Facebook and here is,  “You Know You’re From Lexington when…” (That’s also a category in the 2009 Best of Lexington.)