Kroger Shuts 36+ Stores Across 9 Banners — See Full List
Kroger Closes Dozens of Stores While Buying Giant Eagle: What You Need to Know
The Big Picture
Kroger, one of America’s biggest grocery companies, is making two major moves at the same time:
- Closing stores that aren’t making enough money
- Buying another grocery chain to grow in new areas
Think of it like cleaning out your closet to make room for new clothes — except these "clothes" are grocery stores worth billions of dollars.
Why Is Kroger Closing Stores?
The Plan
Last year, Kroger announced it would close 60 stores by the end of 2026. These stores weren’t "delivering sustainable results" — in plain English, they weren’t making enough profit to justify keeping them open.
The Goal
Important Point: Kroger says these closures will help the company "run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business."
How Many So Far?
As of now, at least 39 stores across 9 different store brands (banners) have closed or are closing. Kroger hasn’t released an official master list, but news reports and online searches have identified these locations.
Which Stores Are Closing?
Here’s the breakdown by store brand (banner). All addresses are from the original report.
Kroger Brand Stores (19 locations)
- Georgia: Atlanta (2452 Morosgo Way NE), Brookhaven (3855 Buford Hwy NE), Decatur (3479 Memorial Dr), Alpharetta (11877 Douglas Rd)
- Illinois: Peoria (3311 N Sterling Ave)
- Indiana: South Bend (4526 W Western Ave), Elkhart (901 Johnson St)
- Kentucky: Louisville (4211 S 3rd St)
- Louisiana: Bossier City (4100 Barksdale Blvd)
- Tennessee: Kingsport (1664 E Stone Dr)
- Texas: Houston (239 W 20th St, 9325 Katy Fwy, 2300 Gessner Rd), McKinney (2901 Lake Forest Dr — replacement planned for 2027), Spring (6060 Farm to Market 2920)
- Virginia: Charlottesville (1904 Emmet St N), Abingdon (466 Cummings St)
- West Virginia: Gassaway (2908 State St), South Charleston (5 River Walk Mall — consolidated into new Kroger Marketplace), Dunbar (981 Dunbar Village — consolidated into new Kroger Marketplace)
Fred Meyer (1 location)
- Washington: Tacoma (7250 Pacific Ave)
Fry’s Food and Drug (1 location)
- Arizona: Mesa (1915 S Power Rd)
Harris Teeter (6 locations)
- Virginia: Arlington (950 S George Mason Dr, 3600 S Glebe Rd W100), McLean (8200 Crestwood Heights Dr)
- Maryland: Rockville (11845 Old Georgetown Rd)
- North Carolina: Raleigh (5563 Western Blvd Suite 6A), Charlotte (5706 Wyalong Dr)
Jay C Food Stores (1 location)
- Indiana: Shoals (201 High St)
King Soopers (1 location)
- Colorado: Centennial (5050 E Arapahoe Rd)
Mariano’s (3 locations)
- Illinois: Buffalo Grove (450 W Half Day Rd), Northbrook (2323 Capital Dr), Bloomingdale (144 S Gary Ave)
Pick ‘n Save (5 locations)
- Wisconsin: Glendale (1735 W Silver Spring Dr), Milwaukee (3701 S 27th St, 2355 N 35th St), Oak Creek (2320 W Ryan Rd), South Milwaukee (2931 S Chicago Ave)
QFC (1 location)
- Washington: Mill Creek (926 164th St SE)
What Are Kroger Marketplace Stores?
Important Point: At least 3 closing locations are being replaced by Kroger Marketplace stores — larger stores that sell more than just groceries.
What’s different about them?
- Bigger buildings
- Expanded selection of non-grocery items: clothing, toys, home goods, furniture
- Think of them as a grocery store + department store combined
Example: Two West Virginia locations (South Charleston and Dunbar) were consolidated into one new Kroger Marketplace at 3060 Ray Park Blvd.
The Giant Eagle Acquisition: Growing While Shrinking
While closing stores, Kroger announced a $1.65 billion deal to buy Giant Eagle — a regional grocery chain.
What Giant Eagle Brings
- 197 supermarkets
- 11 standalone pharmacies
- Stores across 5 states: northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana
Why This Matters
This purchase would strengthen Kroger’s presence in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic — areas where they want to grow.
By the Numbers: Kroger’s Current Footprint
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Supermarkets | 2,697 (as of January 2026) |
| States Operated In | 35 |
| Store Banners | ~20 (including Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Pick ‘n Save, QFC, Ralphs, and more) |
| Stock Ticker | KR (NYSE) |
| Recent Stock Price | $56.06 (-0.34%) |
Summary
- Kroger is closing ~60 underperforming stores by end of 2026
- 39+ locations identified so far across 9 store brands
- Some closures make room for larger "Kroger Marketplace" stores
- At the same time, Kroger is buying Giant Eagle for $1.65 billion
- This adds 197 stores in the Midwest/Mid-Atlantic
- Overall strategy: trim the fat, grow in key markets
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will my local Kroger close?
The article lists 39+ specific addresses that have closed or are closing. If your store isn’t on this list, it’s likely staying open — but Kroger hasn’t released a complete official list of all 60 planned closures.
2. What happens to employees at closing stores?
The article doesn’t specify, but typically companies try to transfer workers to nearby locations. Check with your store manager for details.
3. What is a "banner"?
A banner is the brand name on the store sign. Kroger owns many regional chains (like Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Fry’s) that keep their local names but are part of the Kroger company.
4. When will the Giant Eagle purchase be finalized?
The article says the deal was "announced last month" but doesn’t give a closing date. These deals typically take several months to get regulatory approval.
5. Why close stores AND buy a chain at the same time?
It’s about location strategy. Kroger is shutting stores that lose money in certain areas, while buying stores in areas where they want to grow (Midwest/Mid-Atlantic). It’s not contradictory — it’s targeted restructuring.
Source: Fox Business reporting based on SEC filings, local news reports, and company statements.