Harris Teeter plans new East Arlington Jacksonville store, marking its first city expansion in two decades
A confirmed return to the Jacksonville market
Harris Teeter, the supermarket chain owned by Kroger, has confirmed plans to open a new grocery store in Jacksonville, signaling a return to the city after a long absence. The project is centered in East Arlington, where filings and site planning activity have identified Harris Teeter as the incoming anchor grocer for a developing retail center.
Where the store is planned
The store is planned for the Atlantic North area along Atlantic Boulevard in East Arlington. Published development materials and local permitting activity have described a full-size grocery footprint of roughly 61,000 square feet and have associated the project with a Harris Teeter-branded store. The location has also been presented as part of a broader retail buildout that includes additional outparcel uses.
Area: East Arlington / Atlantic Boulevard corridor
Format: Full-size supermarket footprint (about 61,000 square feet as described in development reporting and plans)
Site features under discussion: fuel component and pharmacy-related drive-thru elements have been included in descriptions tied to the project
Timeline: construction and opening expectations
Harris Teeter’s corporate expansion materials have placed the Jacksonville project on a schedule that anticipates construction beginning in the winter 2025–2026 period. Separate local reporting around the East Arlington site has described an expected customer-ready target in spring 2026, while also noting that exact opening timing can shift as construction and site coordination progress.
The company has publicly positioned the Jacksonville store as part of a multi-store growth plan across key Southeastern markets, with Jacksonville listed as one of the identified expansion targets.
Context: Harris Teeter’s footprint in Northeast Florida
Harris Teeter’s current Northeast Florida presence has been anchored by its store on Amelia Island in Fernandina Beach. The planned East Arlington location would expand that regional presence and reintroduce the banner into Jacksonville proper, where earlier Harris Teeter locations operated in prior decades before exiting the market.
How this fits into Kroger’s broader strategy
The Jacksonville store announcement arrives alongside wider business changes at Kroger tied to e-commerce operations and fulfillment logistics. Industry reporting has documented Kroger’s decisions to close certain automated fulfillment facilities and adjust how online orders are supported in some regions. While those operational moves are separate from the East Arlington retail project, they form part of the corporate backdrop as Kroger grows selected brick-and-mortar banners, including Harris Teeter, in targeted markets.
What remains unknown
Key details have not been finalized publicly, including the store’s definitive opening date, final tenant lineup around the grocery anchor, and the full scope of on-site services. As with most ground-up retail developments, the public timeline will depend on construction sequencing, permitting milestones, and final site delivery.