[Maumelle]

Last I heard A+ is negotiating the purchase of land adjacent to their current location in order to build.

[Maumelle]

Actually, that's not in Maumelle at all. And although the location appears to be in North Little Rock (it will be in with Firehouse Subs, etc.), recent scuttlebutt says that the shopping center is actually in unincorporated Pulaski County.

I imagine not for long.

[Maumelle]

School Board member Pam Roberts will be one of the guests at the Maumelle Citizens Association meeting April 22 at the Maumelle library. As you probably know, she led the charge to relocate the high school to Maumelle proper. She is supposed to talk about the new school and bring some artist renderings of the building and grounds. The meeting starts at 6:30 PM.

Thanks for the info.

[Maumelle]

I had also been hearing the old Kroger location but the tract D spot would be much more likely considering all the new construction. The only reason I had hoped it would go in where the old Kroger is was because I didn't want an abandoned building of that size and visibility but I would assume that land will sell and be developed rather quickly because of its location.

Did the city not have plans for the old Kroger location? Offices?

[Maumelle]

Yep, this is what I've been told as well.

On a side note, does anyone know if the new police and fire station at Murphy and Union will replace the current sites or are these additional?

Replace. They may have even sold the current building and land.

[Maumelle]

Really? Where did Maumelle suggest? I heard Wal-Mart wanted to build where Kroger is going but Maumelle does not allow access to Maumelle Blvd from store parking lots and they didnt want them there because of traffic concerns. I never noticed that until I heard this. The only access to Maumelle Blvd is by side roads.

I thought it was land along I-40.

[Maumelle]

The city wouldn't let Wal-Mart build in Maumelle so they bought the land just on the NLR side of the line. I

Wal-Mart didn't like the location that Maumelle was suggesting. I

[Maumelle]

From what I recall reading in the Maumelle newspaper the Kroger development is their response to Wal-Mart. This Kroger store is going to be the largest one in the state I believe there are only a few currently in operation or being built that compare nationwide. They will have more dry goods and other products that people are not accustomed to seeing at a Kroger. Maybe someone with more information can elaborate because I cannot find any links about it in the Maumelle Monitor.

From what I recall they were just talking an expansion of the current store until Wal-Mart began looking in the area.

[Maumelle]

I will certainly be shopping at Kroger. I appreciate them committing to an 80,000 sqft store IN the community in which I live.

[Maumelle]

The hiring center for the Maumelle Boulevard Wal-Mart Supercenter will open on January 2, so it shouldn't be too long after that date until the store opens. No idea on when the hiring process kicks in for the Neighborhood Market inside the city, but I wouldn't be surprised to see hiring conducted at the Supercenter, once it's operational.

Speaking of grocery developments, what was the latest estimate on the new Kroger that will be in between the Wal-Mart properties?

There are a large number of dirt moving vehicles at the Kroger site so I'm guessing construction will not be to far.

[Maumelle]

Harvest Foods is closing this Saturday. They are clearing their shelves.

I have been told Wal-Mart has purchased it.

Also word has it that Walgreens is looking at the (soon to be) old Kroger site.

Wow. That is fast. It was just a matter of time before that store was going to fold. I did enjoy their selection and prices of beer.

[Maumelle]

I bet they locate near the new Wal Mart Supercenter that is going up on Maumelle Blvd.

The Maumelle city limits begin right around the curve from the Supercenter site, perhaps Maumelle will get one or two of those projects. I am still a little bummed that Wal-Mart chose the spot they did. They want the Maumelle shoppers with little benefit (ie sales tax) to the actual community they hope to serve. I will have a hard time shopping there knowing the sales tax dollars will be going to fund city projects in downtown NLR. Kroger will be the first option for me, especially since they have decided to build a larger store.

[Maumelle]

Does anyone know the exact location of the land donated for the new high school? None of the news reports had the same location and some were nonsense.

[Maumelle]

They are finally getting started on the Starbucks site.

Any word on the Kroger?