Etymology of ‘Murder Kroger’
November 11, 2009 at 2:27 pm by Andisheh Nouraee in Randomly Noted
Several of my Facebook friends are members of a “Murder Kroger” fan group; the marketing-unfriendly unofficial nickname for the Kroger on Ponce DeLeon Avenue next to City Hall East.
I’ve heard people refer that Kroger as “Murder Kroger” since I moved to Atlanta in 1997, but cannot recall any notable violent crimes at the store.
Does anyone here know the origin of the name? Is it called “Murder Kroger” because of a specific crime? Is the name a grim comic riff on Buckhead’s so-called Disco Kroger?
Anyone?
(Photo Courtesy Flickr)
November 11th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Funny, I always called that one the Homeless Kroger. I called the Kroger down on Moreland – south toward 285 – the Murder Kroger. Guess I was out of the know.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
i think i remember there being a shooting in the parking lot of the ford factory in the mid to late 90s. but it could very well have gotten its name from being seen as a “scary” place during early downtown gentrification.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
@mr. t – the kroger on moreland (south of ERD) is the ghetto kroger.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I remember seeing someone get taken down in the Ford Factory lofts parking lot on an episode of COPS about six years ago. The segment looked like it was ten years old then.
I’ve always preferred the alliteration of “Killer Kroger” over the somewhat sloppy sounding “Murder Kroger”.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Good read: http://www.theplug.net/44/murderkroger.htm
November 11th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Fittingly, younger intowners now refer to it as “Hipster Kroger.” Murder is so ironic.
November 11th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
“Crack Kroger” is the preferred nomenclature of those in the neighborhood.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I go to this Kroger all the time. I always called it the “Ghetto Kroger”
Bums everywhere, even in the store.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Kroghetto is a good, generic name that we could apply here.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
there’s already a “ghetto kroger,” it’s the one further down moreland. although when i lived near the one on ponce we called it “ghetto kroger” but i was corrected when i moved to eav.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Kroger’s are not franchised right? I do not understand how they can let that Kroger get so run down. When i lived on ponce i always went to the Publix instead.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
I’ve never understood this either. When a friend first said they she was at the Ghetto Kroger, I presumed she was on Headland Dr. I’ve referred to the Ponce location as Crack Kroger but don’t see the logic in the other names.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
There was a conversation on LiveJournal, over a year ago now, about which Kroger had which nickname.
The only two Krogers that had unanimous recognition were Disco Kroger and Krogay (the Kroger by Ansley Mall).
But there was a lot of back-and-forth about which Kroger was Murder Kroger, which was Crack Kroger and which was Ghetto Kroger.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
Sassysassy is correct, in my experience the Ghetto Kroger is the one down Moreland. When I lived on Confederate, my g-f refused to go there. It is contrasted with the New Kroger at Edgewood, where she would go. Personally, I loved the Ghetto Kroger.
I think the Murder Kroger name comes from the generally run-down character and the just overall sketch-fest of the parking lot. Green’s doesn’t help.
I’ve never heard of the Krogay, though, and I’ve lived in town for 27 years.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
The Kroger on Ponce is the one and only Murder Kroger. I believe it is called that because a murder occurred there (oddly enough). It was in 1997 or so. I remember because my daughter was in school in Wisconsin, was watching tv with friends, and the Murder Kroger was shown with police lights, etc. It was quite a surprise to her since we live just a few blocks away.
November 11th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Not so hard to figure out: the etymology of the Bendover Kroger on Monroe and the Kosher Kroger on N. Druid Hills.
November 11th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
When I first moved to Atlanta in 97 I was informed by my wife that it had been known as the Shoot Em Up Kroger in her college days in the early 90’s. Her only stint in jury duty was on an assault case that took place in that parking lot. Maybe that’s where she got it.
November 11th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I have always preferred “Freddy kroger”, just saying.
November 11th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
I live around the corner, and I’ve always referred to it as the Crack Kroger, mostly because of the preponderance of crackheads, bums, beggars, etc. that mill around that stretch of Ponce.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:52 am
Without exception, we’ve always used these appellations:
Crack Kroger (Ponce)
Gay Kroger (Ansley)
Kosher Kroger (Toco Hills)
Disco Kroger (Piedmont/Buckhead–their old sales receipt used to contain the name “Disco Kroger”)
But I can’t tell you where we got them from originally.
November 12th, 2009 at 8:59 am
I’ve always called it Freddy Kroger (think Kruger). I get the feeling that parts of the parking lot will suddenly have a pudding substance under it and I will get stuck there and chopped up by a man with a gnarled face.
November 12th, 2009 at 9:03 am
It was Crack Kroger before Murder Kroger (which seems to have taken hold in the late 1990s early 2000s). The Kroger on Monroe is Krogay and of course Disco Kroger was on Piedmont in Buckhead. Not sure when the name Ghetto Kroger started up.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:33 am
From my experience living S of 20 and N of 20, Kroger on Moreland S of 20 is Boom Boom Kroger.
Kroger on Moreland in Edgewood is Hipster Kroger.
“Ghetto” Kroger is so ‘92.
November 12th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I enjoy that this post is getting more comments than the Mayor’s race. We’re definitely heading for 10-15 percent turnout.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I’ve always heard it referred to as “Crack Kroger” until I heard the Attractive Eighties Women (http://www.attractiveeightieswomen.com/) song, “Murder Kroger.”
(Check out the song if you haven’t heard it. Hilarious.)
November 12th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Disco Kroger got its name b/c the original LimeLight disco was in the same strip mall (next door) in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. The club was owned by Peter Gatian….
A reference from Wikipedia:
The club was located next to a 24-hour Kroger grocery store, which became known, affectionately, as “Disco Kroger.”[2]
November 12th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
def “murder kroger”.
or “murder krogers”.
don’t know of any actual murders that have taken place there but it seems to fit.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Disco Kroger used to actually be a disco right? And Kosher Kroger sometimes has prayers or something in Hebrew/ Yiddish/ not in english that this goyim can understand. I used to live on Somerset which is on the other side of the fence from Murder Kroger. I’d never heard it called that until recently and really had only known of it as Ghetto Kroger. Was anyone ever actually murdered there? Before my Junior Prom we had to stop to see about getting my friend a little sewing kit there (limo driver’s idea, not ours) and really I’ve not had much in the way of bad experiences there aside from having to wait in line FOREVER. they used to have license renewal there and it was one of the more smoothly run ones. as for the layout—-ie popcorn, etc—-it seems to be very much the classic layout with the old restaurant still nearly in tact. i know that the man who managed it at night as recently as 5 years ago (possibly still) who is a tall, thin black, gay man had some attitude!!! he was working with without doubt. my family is union so we weren’t allowed to shop at publix when they came to GA and that would explain this extensive bizarro kroger knowledge of mine. the kroger at moreland and confederate is odd and when it first opened it was super nice! that one makes me MAD because i feel like it services an area that is mostly lower income, mostly black folks and it’s as though they’re saying that constituency doesn’t deserve anything better. as for caroline street/ edgewood shopping center kroger—-i’m mad at them! seriously, have you ever been in there at night? why are they open 24 hours if they are going to block everything completely and totally ignore customers who try to navigate around the pallets? and if you complain to headquarters about them they send the complaint to the store manager who ignores you. once i had to have 5 separate pages done for someone to help get some condoms from the pharmacy where they were locked up and no one ever came. and god forbid you try to do the self check out and actually need the cashier to do something instead of just over ride the little SEE CASHIER FOR ASSISTANCE thingy that pops up on the screen. once i waited 25 minutes for a price verification (and wouldn’t have if i could have gone somewhere else to get the item). the incompetence infuriates me. oh and once i saw a kid—18 or 19 come out of the store followed by the security guards, one of whom was a police officer. they talked to the kid, and as he tried to walk off they tackled him to the ground and a plastic bottle of wine or something bounced out of his coat. they beat his head into the curb pretty good and when they saw i was fumbling with my phone they started over to me but i was able to drive off and called 911 to report the unnecessary use of force. i gave my friend a ride there the other day and while i waited in the car i noticed that 6 employees were standing out front between the entrance and exit doors smoking. it’s impossible to get help inside at night but they were all out there? personally, i drive over to decatur and do my krogering at the one at north decatur and dekalb industrial. i love that store and have always had a decent time there.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
after over a decade of living downtown and in edgewood, i’ve always called the ponce location “murder kroger” because someone was stabbed to death in the parking lot. sadly, i can’t find any website or verifiable source to confirm this, only the many stories from friends and neighbors who lived in the area for longer than i. the “ghetto kroger” is down moreland past ormewood park, although both of these kroger locations are ghetto, imo.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
I believe the “murder Kroger” name caught on after the incident below. From the AJC archives…
Slain woman loved Atlanta’s warmth, people
Date: April 3, 1991 Publication: The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution Page Number: C/1 Word Count: 423
Cynthia Prioleau, 25, left the crime and the cold weather of her native Jersey City, N.J., nearly four years ago for the gentler climate and the slower, seemingly friendlier pace of Atlanta.
But she died in the parking lot of a Ponce de Leon Avenue supermarket Monday evening, shot to death by an irate motorist she had sprayed with a can of Mace.
November 12th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
My wife, who grew up in Atlanta, told me the Kroger on Ponce was called “Scary Kroger,” and we called it that for years.
Then we began shopping at the Kroger on Moreland and watched that one go to hell pretty fast. “Stolen Car Kroger” is not a bad appelation for that one.
In re the Edgewood Kroger: How about “Crowded Kroger”?
November 12th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
It should also be known that DC has a system of describing it’s widespread plague-like grocery store brand: Safeway. http://catchupblog.typepad.com/catch_up_blog/2007/07/secret-safeways.html
Luckily, I don’t think we have any Soviet Krogers here.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
@Grant I’m a pretty big fan of Party Kroger for the Edgewood location, which of course is located in Adventure Plaza.
November 12th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Lived on Charles Allen from 92-95 and the Ponce Kroger was always “Scary Kroger.”
At that time, the one on Moreland just south of Custer was “Spanish Kroger.”
November 12th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
@Lady Rogue: “Party Kroger” works for me, too. How else to explain all those crowds?
November 12th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
I’ve always used “Emo Kroger” for the Edgewood one, and “Ghetto Kroger” for the Moreland one in So20.
November 12th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
CL should do whatever it takes to get lulu on the payroll.
November 13th, 2009 at 8:46 am
lulu,
If you’re going to venture out to N.Decatur/D.Industrial, you’re just a mile away from YDFM. You’ll save cash and get better material for your cooking. (I assume you’re an excellent cook.)
November 15th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
All they stock is death.
November 15th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Here’s the real skinny:
Disco Kroger and Krogay are well known.
The Ponce Kroger is Murder Kroger or Danger Kroger.
Edgewood Kroger is Hipster Kroger.
The Commerce Drive Kroger is Baby Kroger (because one day it will grow up and be a full-sized grocery store)
The Kroger on Memorial at Columbia is the Shitty-Center.
It’s interesting that Publix, etc. don’t get names. They’re just “East Lake Publix” or whatever.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:40 am
“Shitty-center” is right on the money, almost got in a fight there at 6 in the morning for stepping on someone’s shoes.
December 30th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
When I moved to L5P in 2001, I was informed by my neighbor that the Kroger on Ponce was the “Murder Kroger” because a body had been discovered in the parking lot.
Now, I live in Grant Park and the Kroger on Moreland is definitely the Ghetto Kroger. I’ve been calling it that for years without evening knowing that was its name!
I think at the very least, Murder Kroger is Murder Kroger because there is the very real possibilty that you may get shot in the parking lot.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Edgewood Kroger should be “Gentrifi-Kroger”
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:18 pm
“Hipster Kroger” is just too lazy.