Kroger Marketplace in the Village of Coventry will open to customers just after 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 4.

The $16 million store in southwest Fort Wayne is part of Cincinnati-based Kroger’s ongoing $100 million investment in the community after it acquired the Scott’s Food & Pharmacy chain.

This is the grocery chain’s second marketplace store in Fort Wayne. Kroger’s first Indiana store using the expanded format opened at 601 E. Dupont Road in October 2011. In addition to typical grocery offerings, the stores sell linens, furniture, jewelry, toys and other items.

The new store employs about 330 full- and part-time workers. It replaces a Scott’s store that was razed in summer 2011. After the 125,000-square-foot store opens, Kroger’s grocery on the south side of U.S. 24 will close and those workers will transfer.

Two area employers land defense contracts

Two area employers received multimillion-dollar defense contracts Tuesday.

Raytheon Co. won a $305 million contract to make and service multimode aviation radio system components for the Army. The work, which modifies an existing contract, will be performed in Fort Wayne. The estimated completion date is Dec. 30, 2015.

DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., now called the DePuy Synthes Cos., was given a contract for up to $18.9 million in various medical and surgical products by Sept. 24, 2013. Federal officials are exercising the first-year option on an existing contract.

The Warsaw manufacturer makes replacement joints and other items. The products will be used by the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.

Airlines set record for bag fee revenue

U.S. airlines collected more than $1.7 billion in baggage fees during the first half of the year, the largest amount ever collected in that six-month period.

Delta Air Lines Inc. once again claimed the title as the airline collecting the most in baggage fees: nearly $430 million from January through June. The slightly larger United Airlines – part of United Continental Holdings Inc. – followed with $351 million in bag fees, according to a report from the Bureau of Transportation statistics released Tuesday.

Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags.

Ohio counties see unemployment dip

Unemployment rates in the four Ohio counties bordering northeast Indiana declined in August, compared with a month earlier, data released Tuesday showed.

Williams County’s rate declined to 7.5 percent from 7.9 percent in July; Defiance and Van Wert each had 6.8 percent jobless, compared with 7.6 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively; and Paulding County dropped to 6.4 percent from 6.9 percent.

Staples will speed up closure of 15 US stores

Staples is speeding up the closure of 15 of its U.S. stores and plans to close 45 stores and some delivery businesses in Europe.

The office products company also says it will invest more in its online and mobile efforts and will expand the product assortment that it offers to its business customers.