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Planet Fitness moving into former Kroger building
A-Planet Fitness in old Kroger pic 1.JPG
Launch Trampoline Park will be moving into roughly 30,000 sq. ft. of the old Kroger building at the intersection of Ga. 400 and Hwy. 53. The building has been vacant since November 2016 when the grocery store moved to a new location further south on Ga. 400. - photo by Jessica Taylor

The shopping center that formerly housed the local Kroger for nearly two decades will soon see a new occupant as Planet Fitness has filed a permit to move into the empty building.

The gym will be located on the left side of the anchor space, where the pharmacy was previously located.

Planet Fitness will utilize 16,800 square feet of the building, leaving 54,000 square feet of retail space still available to other businesses.

Brice Scholz, marketing manager for Planet Fitness, confirmed the news on Monday.

“We are excited to be joining the Dawson County community,” Scholz said. “Additional information about construction, opening and joining the gym will be coming soon.”

A joint statement from the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce, Development Authority of Dawson County, Michael Walker of Brand Real Estate Services and the owners of the shopping center, Monarch at Dawson Village, stated the groups have been and continue to be committed to filling the anchor space in the Dawson Village shopping center, which is located in the northeast corner of the Ga. 400 and Hwy. 53 intersection.

“We are thrilled that Planet Fitness is investing in Dawson County and look forward to experiencing the positive impact that this investment will have on this center and community,” the statement reads.

 Kroger relocated to a new 125,000 square foot building in November 2016 as the anchor for the Dawson Marketplace shopping center.

The development authority issued a bond agreement with Kroger in 2015 to give the company some tax relief once the store opened. The arrangement also included a stipulation that Kroger would continue to maintain the old store and aid in finding a new tenant for the building.

Emilia Pearson, a representative of Monarch at Dawson Village, said that the group will be improving the center by upgrading the parking lot lights and resurfacing the parking lot.

“Along with Planet Fitness, we are pleased to announce that we will also have a new chiropractic office and tanning salon opening at the center in the next few months,” Pearson said.