Kroger West Center Sold To Local Businessman

Rome businessman Randolph Oswalt completed a real estate transaction on Tuesday, July 27 to purchase the Kroger West shopping center at 2448 Shorter Ave.  The center was developed by R.H. Ledbetter Properties in the late 1980s for Kroger, with the largest space, 49,314 square feet, occupied by the grocery store.  After Kroger West closed five years ago, the center struggled to maintain occupancy in the remaining six store spaces at the center.

“I feel strongly that I can take this center over and offer a real local flavor to its development and management,” states Oswalt. “I’ve been working on this deal for months and am excited to finally get the project under local control.”

The center contains at total of 58,114 square feet and will be leased and managed locally by Howard Realty of Rome.  According to Howard Alexander, “We want to turn this center back into a neighborhood center that will serve the people of West Rome and become an asset to residents in the largest residential area of Rome.”

There are three tenants at the center, K Cleaners, Sunny Nails and Great China Restaurant.  These tenants will remain open at the center, continuing business as usual.

Randolph Oswalt plans to rename the center “Ozzie’s Plaza.”  This name is a tribute to his father who owned a business for 25 years (in the 1950 and 1960s) called “Ozzie’s Steak House” on Martha Berry Boulevard.

Besides operating Warehouse Beverage for over 30 years, Oswalt was in the grocery business for many years as owner of the Red Diamond neighborhood grocery stores.  At one point, he operated six of these stores throughout Floyd County.  He sold the last of these grocery stores in 1982.