Project partners said during a groundbreaking ceremony Friday that a new Dillons grocery store to be built on the University of Kansas west campus will promote economic growth in Lawrence.
Representatives from Dillons, KU Endowment, the City of Lawrence, Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, and The Law Company, Inc. were onsite to share early details. Nearly 60 people were in attendance.
“The anticipation for our new store has been growing for quite some time, and we are pleased to commemorate the start of construction today,” said Steve Dreher, Dillons division president. “We are so very proud to be a growing business in this very special community.”
The Dillons currently at 1015 W. 23rd St. will relocate to the northwest corner of 23rd and Iowa streets, about a mile away, in a field that currently has soccer goals set up in. Dillons announced its plans in May.
The new store, which is set to be 30,000 square feet larger, will be part of The Crossing At KU, the new mixed-use development in progress on west campus. It will include Murray’s Cheese, Starbucks, pickup for online shopping and delivery, and a pharmacy with a drive-thru lane.
Representing a more than $30 million capital investment, the store will fill 86,000 square feet of space, according to Dreher. He said the location will be the first in the division to have a refrigeration system that utilizes CO2 as the primary refrigerant, which “has the potential to reduce store emissions by more than 200 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.”
Additionally, sustainable materials will be used to build, and lighting and equipment will be energy efficient.
Dan Martin, KU Endowment president, expressed gratitude for collaborative efforts. He said he believes the new location will help grow the city economically.
“We believe this will be a resource — a live, work and play environment that will attract businesses and retain businesses in partnership to provide amenities for those individuals that are contiguous with this site,” Martin said.
The first Dillons in Lawrence opened in 1960.
“Dillons has been a trusted name in Lawrence for many years, and the investment in The Crossing represents a bold step forward, ensuring that this beloved grocery chain can continue to serve our residents in a dynamic, new setting,” Mayor Bart Littlejohn said. “Their presence here in the heart of this vibrant development will make our life more convenient for our students, families and visitors, while continuing to support our local economy.”
Sheila Regehr, Dillons corporate affairs manager, said a ribbon cutting ceremony at the site will take place in a few months. Details are soon to come.
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Maya Hodison (she/her), equity reporter, can be reached at mhodison@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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