If you’ve driven past Perimeter Village lately and noticed a gaping hole where the massive blue sign used to be, you aren't alone. Honestly, it's still a bit of a shock to the system for locals. The Walmart in Ashford Dunwoody—officially Store #2360—wasn't just a place to grab a cheap gallon of milk or a last-minute birthday card. It was a landmark.
But as of July 12, 2024, that chapter officially closed.
It wasn't a quiet exit, either. The closure of the Walmart Ashford Dunwoody Road location sent ripples through the Dunwoody community, leaving roughly 400 employees looking for transfers and thousands of shoppers wondering where they were supposed to go for their late-night grocery runs. If you’re looking for the store today, you’re basically looking at a ghost.
What Actually Happened to the Walmart on Ashford Dunwoody Road?
The news hit like a ton of bricks in June 2024. Walmart corporate confirmed that this specific Supercenter, along with a Neighborhood Market on Roswell Road in Marietta, simply wasn't "meeting business expectations." That’s corporate-speak for they weren't making enough money to justify the rent in one of the most expensive zip codes in Georgia.
But there’s more to it than just spreadsheets.
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Retail insiders and local reports from outlets like Rough Draft Atlanta and ToneToATL pointed to a massive problem with "shrink"—which is just a fancy way of saying shoplifting. One Walmart leader reportedly mentioned that this location was losing millions of dollars annually to theft. It became one of the highest-theft stores in the entire Southeast. To fight this, the store started locking up everything from deodorant to baby formula.
You’ve probably been there. You just wanted a stick of Old Spice, but you had to press a button and wait fifteen minutes for an employee who may or may not ever show up with a key. It was frustrating. That friction between security and convenience eventually drove shoppers away to the Target across the street or the Costco down the road.
The Numbers That Mattered
- Closed Date: July 12, 2024.
- Total Jobs Affected: Nearly 400 employees (though most were offered transfers to Chamblee or East Point).
- The Size: A massive 183,500 square feet of retail space.
The Kroger Takeover: What’s Next for the Site?
The biggest question everyone has now is: what happens to that giant empty box?
Well, the wait is over. In late 2025, reports surfaced that Kroger signed a lease to take over the majority of the old Walmart footprint. This isn't going to be your average neighborhood Kroger, either. It’s expected to be a Kroger Marketplace, which is their large-format store that sells everything from sushi and Starbucks to home decor and apparel.
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Kroger is taking about 116,824 square feet of the space. That’s roughly 64% of the original Walmart footprint. It’s a smart move. The Ashford Dunwoody corridor is affluent, and while the "Supercenter" vibe might have struggled with the local demographic, a high-end Kroger Marketplace fits the Perimeter Village aesthetic perfectly.
Where to Shop Now: Closest Walmart Alternatives
If you are a die-hard Walmart shopper and your Walmart+ membership is still active, you have a few options. You just have to drive a bit further now.
- Walmart Supercenter Chamblee (Store #3621): This is the most logical "next best" option. It’s located at 1871 Chamblee Tucker Rd. It’s usually busy, but it has a full pharmacy, vision center, and a liquor store.
- Dunwoody Neighborhood Market (Store #3070): Located at 5025 Winters Chapel Rd. It’s much smaller. Great for groceries, but don't expect to find a new TV or a pair of tires here.
- Walmart Supercenter Roswell (Store #5390): Located at 970 Mansell Rd. It’s a bit of a haul if you’re coming from the heart of Dunwoody, but it’s a clean, well-managed location.
Comparison: Walmart Ashford Dunwoody vs. Chamblee
The Ashford Dunwoody store was unique because of its proximity to Perimeter Mall. You could hit the Apple Store and then grab a 24-pack of toilet paper in one loop. The Chamblee location is much more "neighborhood-focused" and, frankly, the parking lot is a bit of a nightmare during rush hour.
The Logistics of the Closure
When the Walmart in Ashford Dunwoody shut down, it wasn't just the shoppers who were displaced. The pharmacy was a huge hub for the community. If you had prescriptions there, they didn't just vanish. Walmart worked to automatically transfer most records to the Chamblee location or allowed patients to pick any other pharmacy in the area.
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If you still have a lingering issue with a return or a warranty from an item bought at the Ashford Dunwoody location, you have to handle it at another store. Your receipts are still valid at any Walmart nationwide.
Actionable Next Steps for Perimeter Shoppers
Since the Ashford Dunwoody location is officially a thing of the past, here is how you should pivot your shopping strategy:
- Update Your App: Open your Walmart app and change your "Preferred Store" to Chamblee (#3621) or Winters Chapel (#3070). This ensures your grocery pickup and delivery orders actually go to an open building.
- Check Your Prescriptions: If you haven't filled a script since July 2024, call the Chamblee Walmart Pharmacy at (770) 455-4699 to verify your records moved over correctly.
- Watch the Kroger Timeline: Keep an eye on Perimeter Village construction. The new Kroger Marketplace is expected to bring a lot of foot traffic back to the center, which might mean more new restaurants and shops filling the remaining 36% of the old Walmart space.
- Use Delivery: If you hate the drive to Chamblee, use your Walmart+ membership for free delivery. Most orders for the 30338 or 30346 zip codes are now fulfilled by the Chamblee Supercenter or the Howell Mill Road location.
The loss of the Walmart on Ashford Dunwoody Road marks the end of an era for the Perimeter area. It was one of the few places where the ultra-wealthy and the budget-conscious shopped in the same aisles. While it's sad to see the jobs move and the shelves go bare, the arrival of a massive Kroger Marketplace suggests that this corner of Dunwoody isn't slowing down—it's just changing its stripes.