A new Kroger at Memorial Boulevard and Tillanook Lane cleared its last public vote with the city on Sept. 16, 2026. That night, the Murfreesboro Planning Commission approved the site plan for a 99,982-square-foot grocery store with a fuel center on 13.4 acres at the southwest corner of the intersection, according to the commission's draft minutes.
The store, identified in city records as Kroger U-839, went through more than seven months of public meetings, including a City Council deferral in May over drainage and how close the building would sit to nearby homes.
Where Is the New Kroger Being Built?
The site is about 13.4 acres at the southwest corner of Memorial Boulevard (U.S. 231) and Tillanook Lane on Murfreesboro's north side. City records list the developer as Kroger Limited Partnership I, with engineering firm Goodwyn Mills Cawood as the applicant.
The rezoning pattern book describes Memorial Boulevard there as a five-lane major arterial with a continuous turn lane. Tillanook Lane is a two-lane street that was still under construction when the plans were filed. Primary access will be from both roads, and Kroger is to add a right-turn lane on Memorial Boulevard and on Tillanook Lane, as recommended by the City Traffic Engineer and the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
What Will the Store Include?
The Sept. 16 staff comments and the plans filed with the city describe:
- A 99,982-square-foot grocery store, about 37 feet 8 inches tall, built of brick, stone, glass and architectural metal panels
- A fuel center with a 242-square-foot kiosk
- Dedicated Kroger pickup spaces with their own signage and circulation, plus a pharmacy drive-thru shown on the site plan
- 342 parking spaces, down from 402 in the first plan
- Formal open space along the front of the building and in a park-like setting south of the parking lot
The rezoning allows the grocery store and gasoline sales as principal uses. Accessory uses allowed inside the building include a retail bakery, a bank or credit union with drive-up, packaged beer, a coffee or food kiosk, a florist, and garden and lawn supplies, among others.
Why Did the City Council Pause the Kroger?
Kroger needed the land rezoned from a mix of highway commercial, fringe commercial and single-family residential (about 10 of the 13.4 acres were zoned RS-15) to a Planned Commercial Development. A neighborhood meeting was held Feb. 10, 2026, and the Planning Commission recommended the rezoning after a public hearing on March 11.
At the City Council public hearing on May 7, two people spoke against the rezoning, one of them on behalf of neighbors. Council deferred the first reading. The June 4 staff memo says the concerns were "primarily related to drainage and the proximity of the building to the existing residences to the west."
What Changed in the Revised Plan?
In a May 29 letter to the Planning Department, Goodwyn Mills Cawood said Kroger agreed to an internal parking variance so the store could be moved away from the homes:
- 60 fewer parking spaces (402 to 342). The city requires one space per 300 square feet, while Kroger's own standard is one per 250.
- The building and pavement were moved to about 170 feet from the west property line. The June 4 minutes describe that as about 30 feet farther than before.
- Green space rose from 32% to 36% of the site.
- Drainage: a grassed swale along the west property line, two surface detention ponds designed to stay dry except in storms, an underground detention system under the pickup area, and permeable pavers in the parking lot. The engineers said the ponds hold more than the code requires, and the minutes note the site currently has no stormwater storage at all.
- Existing trees along the western property line, between the store and the Palmer Heights neighborhood, are to be preserved.
At a June 4 public comment meeting, a resident of Archer Avenue spoke in support of the revisions.
Kroger Approval Timeline
- Feb. 10, 2026: neighborhood meeting
- March 11: Planning Commission public hearing; recommended approval of the rezoning
- May 7: City Council public hearing; first reading deferred
- June 4: Ordinance 26-OZ-12 passed first reading, 7-0
- June 18: passed second and final reading, 7-0
- Sept. 16: Planning Commission approved the site plan (SP26-0070), 7-0, subject to staff comments and the addition of permeable pavers
When Will the New Kroger Open?
None of the city records reviewed for this article give an opening date. The rezoning application said construction was scheduled to begin sometime between June and August 2026, but the site plan was not approved until mid-September. Building plans and signs are reviewed separately by the city's Building and Codes Department.
The city's records do not say what will happen to Kroger's existing Memorial Boulevard store.
Also Approved the Same Night
On Sept. 16, the Planning Commission also approved the master plan and preliminary plat for Metalmax Business Park: 7 lots on 53.66 acres zoned heavy industrial along South Rutherford Boulevard, developed by B&H Capital Developers.
For where to shop now, see our Murfreesboro grocery store guide and shopping guide. Other recent City Council coverage includes the Broad Street signal designs and Rogers Park playground and Murfreesboro's Flock license plate cameras. The Sprouts opening in Smyrna and ALDI's ready-made meals round out recent grocery news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the new Kroger in Murfreesboro?
It is planned for about 13.4 acres at the southwest corner of Memorial Boulevard and Tillanook Lane on Murfreesboro's north side.
How big is the new Murfreesboro Kroger?
The approved site plan shows a 99,982-square-foot grocery store with a fuel center and a 242-square-foot kiosk, 342 parking spaces and dedicated Kroger pickup.
Is the new Kroger on Memorial Boulevard approved?
Yes. The City Council approved the rezoning 7-0 on June 18, 2026, and the Planning Commission approved the site plan 7-0 on Sept. 16, 2026.
When will the Memorial Boulevard Kroger open?
Neither Kroger nor the city has published an opening date in the records reviewed. The rezoning application estimated that construction would start between June and August 2026.
Will the new Kroger have a gas station?
Yes. The plans include a fuel center with a 242-square-foot kiosk.
Sources: City of Murfreesboro City Council minutes for May 7, June 4 and June 18, 2026; June 4, 2026 Council agenda packet (staff memo, Goodwyn Mills Cawood letter and Kroger U-839 PCD pattern book); June 4 public comment minutes; Sept. 16, 2026 Planning Commission agenda packet (staff comments and site plan); and the Sept. 16 draft minutes in the Sept. 30, 2026 Planning Commission agenda.
*Illustration: AI-generated image; not the actual store or site.*