Kroger needs a variance from the Dallas city council to sell beer and wine at a proposed 50,000-60,000-square-foot grocery store on the former site of Loews movie theater in the Cityplace development off Central Expressway, according to the DMN. The theater occupied a 12-acre site; Kroger proposes to use about four acres, with the balance planned for future (probably far in the future, given the economic climate for real estate development today) retail, condos, etc. Kroger needs a variance because DISD’s Alex Spence Middle School is within 300 feet of the proposed grocery store. Kroger doesn’t own the land yet, and it has told developers that if the variance isn’t granted, there will be no grocery store on the site.
An exciting bit of trivia for you: We saw movies at the Loews theater all of the time, since at one point it was the nicest theater in town. In addition to seeing lots of neighbors there in the theater’s heydey, I also got up and close with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at the popcorn stand right after his big bout with plastic surgery years ago. Truthfully, he looked pretty rough. His wife, Gene, was along for the ride; she looked better. Both Joneses were dressed as if they were on their way to a society party. I was not.
