Home Care In Buckner, KY

When the first wave of customers enter the Buckner Kroger at the intersection of Commerce Parkway and 393 on its Nov. 1 grand opening date, store manager Layne Rummage believes they will see grocery shopping in a new light — not as a rote chore, but a total consumer experience.

The 106,000 square foot “prototype store,” as Rummage calls it, represents the first of its kind in a division spanning Kentucky, southern Indiana and southern Illinois.

“No other store in our division lays out like this,” Rummage said in a recent presentation to Oldham County Fiscal Court. “My manager and I had to fly to Arizona to see how one of these stores operates, shops and merchandizes.”

Unlike older Kroger models, which typically feature multiple entrances, the new Buckner location utilizes a fluid “one-in, one-out” flow that guides shoppers on a horseshoe trajectory throughout the store.

Wider aisles provide more breathability for shoppers while food and commodities are thoughtfully segmented with the goal of simplifying the experience.

“I’d call it a store within a store,” Rummage said. “It flows better so you’re not shopping for light bulbs beside spaghetti sauce.”

Rummage, who previously managed the Bardstown Kroger and boasts 17 years with the company, met the Era last week for a tour of the new space in advance of its grand opening.

The 20-pump fuel island went live last month and, as of this 9 a.m. Friday morning, the wine and spirits section also opened to the public.

The first design element shoppers will likely notice in the main entryway is a vibrant graphic-style mural featuring a fox wandering through a flowered meadow outside Yew Dell Botanical Garden’s iconic castle.

The spacious main entry foyer opens to fresh produce with a Starbucks kiosk to the immediate right, which also incorporates an outdoor patio seating area.

“The store is designed to be very fresh-focused and you’ll feel that all the way through,” Rummage said.

Adjacent to the Starbucks is also a spacious indoor seating area with nearby self-checkout lanes that shoppers can use to purchase items for dine-in before progressing through the rest of the store.

Surrounding the indoor seating area is the fresh bakery section, a large Murray’s cheese vending station and a far wall with sushi, sandwiches and chicken, which flows around the corner to the delicatessen and “fresh alley” with a large open-air seafood case and 20-foot butcher-meat shop that’s among the largest in the areal, Rummage said.

Shoppers then turn the corner of the “fresh alley” to enter a massive dairy department that stretches for many aisles.

“It’s one of the biggest dairy departments I’ve seen in my career,” Rummage said.

The sprawling dairy section empties into the commodities section of the store, starting with a pet food area that moves to cosmetics, hygienic products and then to the front of the store that includes the pharmacy, healthcare clinic and, finally, checkout area.

The exit foyer also includes “Buckner Kroger” in large lettering to see shoppers out.

Kroger purchased the plot for the new site nearly 20 years ago in 2005, but worked swiftly to finish the actual store from the time of its groundbreaking in May 2022.

Rummage expects the store to employ between 250-270 people, 85% of which are new hires.

During his presentation to Oldham fiscal court, Judge-Executive David Voegele asked Rummage if the new store posed any risk of closure to the La Grange location, to which he replied there is “no danger.”

Magistrate Kevin Jeffries asked about the prospect of charging stations for electric vehicles, which Rummage affirmed.

“We have the infrastructure in place for that and are working with LG&E to determine [when] to install them,” he said. “They have already run the infrastructure under and inside the store and there is a junction box out there to potentially plug and play.”

A “family entertainment center” complete with a brewery and drive-thru coffee shop is in the works for Buckner, its proposed site directly across from Oldham County High School on N. Hwy 393.

The Oldham County Technical Review Committee — an advisory body only — provided feedback during its Nov. 15 meeting on the application for a proposed zoning amendment to the two-acre property, part of which formerly belonged to the Clayton & Lambert industrial site.

La Grange Attorney Michael Swansburg delivered a short overview of the project on behalf of the applicant, JAMP Enterprises LLC.

Swansburg said the multi-use project includes two buildings, one dedicated to a brewery where customers can consume and purchase alcohol.

The other building would house the family entertainment center, which he likened to a smaller-scale version of Main Event in Louisville with features such as indoor bowling and arcade games.

“It really is a mixed use of a big entertainment center with bowling, [mini golf], [and possibly] ping pong, ring toss games,” he said. “The developer is [also] open to the idea of getting community input on what some of those concepts might be.”

Bridging both buildings would be a shared, open “garden-esque space” for patrons, Swansburg said. Another potential focal feature is a drive-thru coffee concept.

“There would be a roundabout or small turnaround on the north side of the building with a drive-thru window,” he said.

The proposed zoning change would amend the property from I2 (heavy industrial) to C3 (regional commercial).

County Engineer Jim Silliman said traffic trip numbers provided by the applicant exceeded 100 trips generated for a peak hour, which could trigger a traffic impact study from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC).

“Depending on what trip number you use, it appears to be over the 100 trips generated for a peak hour, which is the threshold for KYTC needing a traffic impact study,” he said. “With the realignment of Hwy 393, we need to see what your peak hours are. If they are weekends and evenings, that won’t impact bus traffic.”

The next vote for the zoning map amendment rests with the Oldham County Planning Commission. If approved, it goes to the Oldham County Fiscal Court for a final vote.

Beloved convenience store chain Wawa is coming to Kentucky a bit sooner than expected, with plans for rapid expansion.

“We want people to, going from point A to point B, to have a Wawa intercept them and be an easy stop for whatever they need, whether it's services, food, fuel, something quick, dinner to take home," Wawa CEO Chris Gheysens told the Courier Journal. "It means we’re going to be here for the long term.”

Gheysens and other Wawa leaders were in Louisville on Tuesday to unveil additional details on their company's expansion into Kentucky.

Here's what we know.

What is Wawa?

Part traditional convenience store, part gas station, part fresh-food source, Pennsylvania-based Wawa operates more than 1,000 locations across Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Fans of the chain will be familiar with not only the stores' fuel stations and convenience store staples but also the custom-made hoagies, hot breakfast sandwiches and dinner menu.

Where is Wawa planning on opening in Kentucky?

Wawa has about 15 sites under contract in Boone, Bullitt, Fayette, Hardin, Jefferson, Jessamine, Oldham, Scott, Shelby and Warren counties. A handful of locations are in the Louisville area. They are:

How many stores will Wawa open in Kentucky?

The company plans to open some 40 stores across Kentucky over the next eight to 10 years.

“It’ll be much more than that over the longer term," Gheysens said. "We’re not about coming in and opening up just a few stores. Our model is really predicated on, in a lot of ways, critical mass of stores.”

The company invests about $7 million on each store opening, officials said.

When will Wawa open?

When Wawa announced in late 2022 that it would enter the Louisville market, the company said it was targeting store launches after 2025.

Now, the company is planning to open its first stores by mid-2025. Ten stores are set to open that year, with five to follow in subsequent years. Wawa officials said they're actively looking into new sites in Kentucky.

Groundbreaking on the company's first Kentucky locations is set for mid-2024.

Gheysens said Wawa tends to look for 1.5- to 2-acre sites for its approximately 6,000-square-foot store, gas pumps and parking spaces.

"We’ll really look for traffic, high traffic corridors with good access on side main streets, good access and flow," he said.

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Why is Wawa coming to Kentucky?

The growth into Kentucky is part of a wider Midwest expansion that also includes Ohio and Indiana. The privately owned company is also expanding to North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

"We’re compelled to continue to grow even as a private company," Gheysens said.

Wawa began as a New Jersey iron foundry company in the early 1800s, later transforming into a dairy farming and milk delivery business by the 20th century before opening its first food-focused store in 1964.

Having expanded to Florida 11 years ago from its base in the Mid-Atlantic region, Gheysens said the company is now looking to expand westward as part of a larger plan to grow in the southeast.

“Making a leap this way allows us to build out a strategy and network in the Midwest that eventually will go south and sort of connect, almost in a 'U' pattern, continuing through Tennessee, Alabama, down to the coast," he said.

Growth & development reporter Matthew Glowicki can be reached at [email protected], 502-582-4000 or on Twitter @mattglo.

A once-vacant lot in Buckner has recently become a gathering place for several food trucks and other mobile eateries. Owner Jason Greer began offering spots to local vendors as a way to generate income while he figures out what to do with the lot on a permanent level.

“But it’s really taken off, and from what I hear, all the vendors are doing really well,” he says.

The lot is just beside Finely Crafted Realty on Ky. 146, which Greer’s realtor wife, Sam, owns. Each vendor who sets up in the lot manages their hours of operation. And, especially on weekends, Greer says it’s awesome to see the groups of families and friends gathered around picnic tables after buying from local vendors.

He says it all really started with Fitz Freeze Frozen Treats, which put up a small structure on the lot about three years ago. “Then, at some point, Elevate Coffee Company came to me, they had a coffee trailer and wanted to put it on the lot,” which he says he was all for because it gave the local business an opportunity to grow.

“Business went well, so they put up a small building with a drive-through and walk-up window.”

Then, “the taco guy,” or Taqueria reached out, he says. “They’ve got a brand-new trailer, built it from the ground-up, stainless steel equipment … then the hot dog people reached out …”

Sizzle Dog also had a new trailer.

“Let me tell you …” Greer says. “Both of these trailers – they’re better than a lot of kitchens in restaurants you see. All brand-new equipment, fryers, griddles, ovens … It was really amazing how much money they put into them.”

Greer has owned the land for a long time. He says when he first purchased it, “it was a junky place with an old house, stuff grown up around it.” He cleaned it up first, then had the area rezoned – which was a nine-month process.

At first, Greer was aiming to put a contractor storage building and a nine-unit retail building on the site about two years ago. That was until 2022 hit, with inflation affecting everything. “The steel went up by $180,000. Concrete costs doubled. That’s why I put the brakes on that, for now.”

Once he knew he wasn’t going this route, Greer says he decided to offer it to mobile vendors. He came up with the infrastructure. “I hooked them onto sewer, electric, water … so we share those expenses and they pay some rent.”

And he didn’t expect it to become the gathering place that it is now.

“As of right now, we do have a fireworks tent that will be opening up, but that’s temporary, for three weeks. ” Greer says. “We have room for more – a ton more …”

But if he decides to grow, he says his next step is to talk to the county. “And Judge-Executive (David) Voegele has been really helpful. So I would want to speak to him and get his blessing to grow first, then probably apply for a conditional-use permit through P&Z.”

If this happens, Greer says he’s thought about creating some type of common-area. “The guy who owns Sizzle Dog, Carlo (Turchiano), wants to put a fire pit in, and we thought about a playground. I’m all for it, if I know this is going to be a long-term thing and I’ve got the county’s support for it.”

He says a great thing about Voegele is his aim to create a more pedestrian-friendly Buckner. “He’s trying to make this more of a community where you can get around on walking paths. And where we’re located there’s a lot of new neighborhoods with a lot of foot-traffic and people riding golf carts.”

Greer says it’s also in front of a soccer complex, “and you have Oldham Middle, Buckner Elementary and Oldham High schools right there.”

Greer previously owned an auto service business, Kwik & Gweazy, for 24 years, but sold it in ‘22. “Right now I’m managing commercial real estate – I own a few, so helping to maintain those. I have some other projects I’m thinking about doing …” including another huge lot he owns where he may construct a building on. He’ll talk about that more when plans are concrete, he says.

Greer says what started as a way to make some extra income with the lot has really gained traction – but it’s not all about the money. He and Sam are Oldham County natives and parents of a 6-year-old, so having family-friendly locations that promote local businesses is important to them.

“Buckner is a great place,” Greer says, and having another option where people can gather and experience the community together is a huge deal to him.

“I went over there Saturday to check on some things, and there were tons of families sitting out. There’s umbrellas and a patio …”

As far as a name for the lot, Greer says, “We do have two names in mind, but we have to go through the proper procedures to make sure we can use either one, first.”

Three people, two of them firefighters, received minor injuries from a fire that started with a chicken coop at the Oldham County Family YMCA in Buckner Feb. 22.

Multiple Oldham and other area fire departments responded to the blaze that evening, one that firefighters and eyewitnesses said broke out in a chicken coop located directly behind the gym portion of the Oldham County Family YMCA in Buckner.

Roughly 80 people were inside when the fire started and were safely evacuated by YMCA staff before fire departments arrived.

Josh Ransdell, Executive Director of the Buckner YMCA, commended his staff for clearing the 43,000 square-foot building in a manner of minutes.

“I’m very proud of [them],” Ransdell said. “They acted swiftly and followed our fire training drills, which we run several times a year. They did an excellent job of corralling kids in the childcare area and using iPads to monitor their care and check them out with appropriate parents. [All of our] staff understood this was for real.”

One teenage YMCA guest, Sam, stood on the sidelines the night of the fire with others who had been evacuated, some still in their trunks from swimming team practice.

He said he was first to notice the fire by the chicken coop and alerted staff immediately. The flames burst through a window, causing heavy smoke to spread into the gym and other areas of the facility.

Firefighters eventually contained the fire and spent an extended period ventilating the structure at multiple access points.

Ransdell said the coop, along with its chickens, were part of the Buckner YMCA’s summer curriculum for day camps.

“It was a way to introduce nature and animals to kids,” he said. “Their daily responsibilities would be to care for the chickens, feed them, clean them.”

With bird flu and egg shortages, Ransdell said over time the YMCA decided to keep the chicken project going, with day camp kids collecting eggs and giving them out to staff and facility members.

Eight chickens were in the coop when the fire broke out. None of them made it, despite efforts by one member to save them.

“There was no way to get them out in time,” Ransdell said. “There was a member who tried to get them out [of the coop], but couldn’t even approach the chicken room because of the heat.”

That member, according to fire personnel, endured small burns on his arm but refused transport.

Two firefighters were transported after battling the fire, one with minor burns, and the other overheated.

The facility endured some fire damage, most of it contained to the cycling studio and the hallway leading to the upper wellness center. It also suffered extensive water damage that stretches from the gymnasium to the locker rooms, all the way up to front hallway by the check-in desk.

“[Certain areas] also have a lingering campfire smell,” Ransdell said. “We’re just evacuating as much of the humidity as we can. Hopefully we’re able to save the floors.”

In order to tackle clean up and repairs, YMCA personnel announced on social media that the facility will remain closed through March 7, with a partial reopening to certain areas of the building slated for March 8. The indoor arena and all corresponding programs held there remain open.