The Kroger store at 532 W. Interstate 30 in Garland closed in early July 2025, marking the end of more than four decades of grocery service on a site with a much longer history. While most shoppers knew it as a neighborhood staple, the land beneath it once hosted one of the region’s largest drive-in theaters: the Belt Line–67 Drive-In.
From farmland to freeway to drive-in
Long before the shopping center and Kroger were built, this part of Garland was a patch of terraced farmland. By the 1950s, construction of U.S. Highway 67—later designated as Interstate 30—cut through the area, setting the stage for commercial development.
In March 1965, the Belt Line–67 Drive-In opened on the same property. Operated by Leon Theatres, the venue accommodated up to 1,000 cars, making it one of the largest drive-ins in the area. Positioned between Guthrie Road, Broadway Boulevard, and the interstate, the theater quickly became a popular destination for weekend entertainment.
Demolition, redevelopment, and the Kroger era
The drive-in closed in October 1973, and within a few years, the site was cleared for retail use. By the early 1980s, a new shopping center took its place—anchored by the Kroger store that would serve the community for the next 40-plus years.
Kroger eventually decided to shut down the location in 2025 as part of a broader national plan to close underperforming stores and focus on higher-volume areas and e-commerce. The store’s pharmacy closed at the end of June, followed by the full closure in early July after all inventory was cleared and employees were reassigned…