Will Lexington grocery stores stay open during extreme winter weather?
Snow and dangerously low temperatures are expected to sweep into central Kentucky during an arctic front on Thursday night.
With winter weather expected to make traveling a challenge, the possibility of power loss and Gov. Andy Beshear declaring a state of emergency, will Lexington’s grocery stores stay open?
Some local retailers have already announced altered store hours or closures but most will likely stay open.
Good Foods Co-op on Southland Drive will close early on Thursday at 6 p.m. and will be closed all day Friday due to the extreme winter weather, Merrick Johnson, the store’s marketing manager said in an email.
Lexington’s Trader Joe’s store on Nicholasville Road will close at 8 p.m. on Thursday, an hour earlier than usual, said spokesperson Nakia Rohde. The store will open at 10 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday but those times could still change. The most up-to-date information for the store’s hours will be listed on their website.
Of the local big box retail stores, Meijer, which has two Lexington locations, has no plans to close either, company spokesperson Frank Guglielmi said.
Target, with three locations locally, also has no plans to close or alter store hours, spokesperson Brian Harper-Tibaldo said. The exact status of Target locations can be found online at their store locator.
Kroger and Walmart, which both have several Lexington locations, have yet to respond to requests for comment. Both stores kept their doors open during an ice storm in February.
A statement on Kroger’s website says that the availability of deliveries will be limited during the winter storm for the safety of its associates. Most Kroger locations will close at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Christmas Eve, and remain closed Sunday for Christmas.
Other stores in Lexington include Aldi, The Fresh Market, Save-A-Lot, Sam’s Club and Costco. Before you travel, check with individual stores to make sure they’re open.
Most major groceries plan for outages and are prepared to handle the weather. However, lack of store staff or shortages of items can occur as travel is impacted.
This story was originally published December 22, 2022 at 3:32 PM.