Despite the swarm of complaints about unkempt conditions, Kroger’s Metropolitan Parkway store is set to keep selling alcohol, provided the mayor signs the permit. The Atlanta License Review Board has given a thumbs-up for the grocery giant to renew its booze permit after a wave of local backlash. Concerned local residents have been vocal about the store's cleanliness—or lack thereof—claiming it's a breeding ground for fruit flies and the bathrooms are less than appealing, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. The city's Department of Agriculture, however, seems to disagree, having given the store its seal of approval.

After scheduling snafus pushed the decision back, Victor Smith, Kroger Atlanta Division President, pledged to amp up the store's hygienic measures. Smith guaranteed more regular cleanings and fresher produce, although some issues might take longer to fix, in a letter to community members reported by Axios. Even so, when a cluster of customers decided to take an impromptu tour last Sunday, Kroger brass reportedly denied meeting with them.

The self-guided tour revealed items out of place, a suspect stain beneath the fresh meat display, and a forlorn pint of ice cream marooned in the doughnuts section, as Axios detailed. Resident Zach Adriaenssens lamented, "I don't know what the excuse was, but the store was just not in good condition on Sunday."

Following the uproar at the License Review Board's April meeting, a Kroger spokesperson told Axios the ensuing meeting had to be rescheduled due to "scheduling conflicts." This comes against a backdrop of larger systemic issues; a report by Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health highlighted a stark disparity in access to fresh produce in majority-Black and lower-income neighborhoods compared to wealthier, non-majority Black communities across Atlanta.