Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 17, 1993                   TAG: 9306170097
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

REMEMBER WHEN `GO FISH' WAS ONLY A GAME?

\ The Kroger Co. really is testing the waters these days.

A circular tank filled with live rainbow trout was installed in the seafood department during recent remodeling of the supermarket chain's store at Tanglewood Mall.

And the fresh-enough-to-swim food has been so successful the fish-tank display might be added at its other stores, the company said Wednesday.

Trout are supplied by Rainbow Connection, a fish hatchery in New Castle.

The company schedules remodeling at 10 percent of its stores each year but has been "more aggressive in Roanoke," said Larry La Croix, vice president for retail operations in Kroger's 114-store Mid-Atlantic Marketing Area, which has its headquarters in Roanoke.

More than $500,000 was spent on interiors at the Tanglewood and Hollins stores in the past couple of months, he said.

The fish tank was part of a $100,000 update for the 55,193-square-foot Tanglewood store, which was last expanded in 1988. This time, the floral and deli departments were enlarged and a meat case added in the butcher department.

A defined video rental department was created with its own in-store entrance and space where kids can watch cartoons while their parents shop. Previously, videos were displayed along an aisle, like grocery items.

La Croix said there also was considerable focus on the deli department, which is "leading the charge in sales increases."

A steam table was added for hot breakfast and lunch items, seating was expanded in the eating area and new self-service cases were installed for packaged deli foods so shoppers have access to deli offerings after the staff leaves in mid-evening.

Remodeling at the 36,698-square-foot Hollins store was more extensive and included new shelving and new meat and frozen food cases. It also included some changes similar to those at Tanglewood, including an expanded deli.

La Croix said the Ridgewood Farm store in Salem and the store on U.S. 460 East are tentatively scheduled for updating next year.

The company also is changing operators of its in-store banks, which had been Dominion Bank branches. Dominion closed the Kroger branches Friday. The National Bank of Commerce of Memphis, Tenn., will open its banks in the supermarkets in mid-July.