Is your local Kroger on the closure list? Here’s what to know
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If you’re a regular Kroger shopper, you may want to double-check your local store’s status.
The grocery chain, which has been a community fixture for over 100 years, is preparing to close dozens of locations nationwide.
The company says the decision comes after rising costs, shifting shopping habits, and tough competition from both discount retailers and online grocery services.
For many communities, these closures will mean longer drives, fewer options, and the loss of a familiar neighborhood gathering place.
With the first wave of shutdowns starting this August, shoppers and employees alike are bracing for big changes.
In its first-quarter 2025 earnings report, Kroger announced it would close 60 underperforming stores over the next 18 months.
Interim CEO Ron Sargent explained that “not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need,” making closures a necessary step.
Rising costs of goods, labor, and operations have placed additional pressure on the chain.
At the same time, Kroger says it will use savings from closures to invest in store upgrades, fresher products, and overall improvements for customers at surviving locations.
The first stores are scheduled to close this August in Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Locations include Alpharetta, GA (Douglas Road), Bloomingdale and Northbrook, IL (Mariano’s stores), Charlottesville, VA, and Gassaway, WV.
Additional shutdowns are set for September and October, with closures already announced in Decatur and Brookhaven, GA; Kingsport, TN; and Abingdon, VA.
Kroger has warned that more communities may be affected as further reviews are completed.
Kroger employs about 410,000 people nationwide, and the closures will hit workers hard.
The company has pledged to offer jobs at other locations to employees at closing stores, though in smaller towns, alternative placements may be limited.
For shoppers, the closures may mean traveling farther for groceries or adjusting to a new store layout elsewhere.
Kroger is also investing between $3.6 and $3.8 billion in new stores, remodels, and expansions this year, hoping to improve the shopping experience at its best-performing sites.
Kroger’s strategy reflects broader changes across the grocery industry.
With more shoppers turning to online orders and delivery, traditional chains are being forced to streamline.
Rising costs for essentials and wages have also pushed grocers to rethink their models.
Even as Kroger reported $45.1 billion in sales for the first quarter of 2025—nearly matching last year’s numbers—the company says profitability depends on focusing resources where stores can thrive.
Other chains like Walmart and Albertsons are making similar adjustments.
As Kroger reshapes its business, communities are left to adapt to the loss of familiar stores.
Whether you’re directly affected or simply watching the shifts in grocery retail, it’s clear the industry is changing quickly.
Read next: Don’t eat that: Meals sold at Walmart, Kroger linked to 3 deaths and 17 illnesses
Has your local Kroger been listed for closure, and how would it impact your routine? Share your thoughts—we’d love to hear how these changes are affecting shoppers in your area.
The grocery chain, which has been a community fixture for over 100 years, is preparing to close dozens of locations nationwide.
The company says the decision comes after rising costs, shifting shopping habits, and tough competition from both discount retailers and online grocery services.
For many communities, these closures will mean longer drives, fewer options, and the loss of a familiar neighborhood gathering place.
With the first wave of shutdowns starting this August, shoppers and employees alike are bracing for big changes.
Several Kroger locations across the US are scheduled to close as part of the company’s restructuring plan. Image Source: YouTube / WLWT.
Why Kroger is closing stores
In its first-quarter 2025 earnings report, Kroger announced it would close 60 underperforming stores over the next 18 months.
Interim CEO Ron Sargent explained that “not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need,” making closures a necessary step.
Rising costs of goods, labor, and operations have placed additional pressure on the chain.
At the same time, Kroger says it will use savings from closures to invest in store upgrades, fresher products, and overall improvements for customers at surviving locations.
Also read: Changes may be coming to your local Kroger—here’s what we know so far
The first round of closures
The first stores are scheduled to close this August in Georgia, Illinois, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Locations include Alpharetta, GA (Douglas Road), Bloomingdale and Northbrook, IL (Mariano’s stores), Charlottesville, VA, and Gassaway, WV.
- Alpharetta, GA: 11877 Douglas Road – August 16
- Bloomingdale, IL (Mariano’s): 144 S Gary Ave – August 15
- Northbrook, IL (Mariano’s): 2323 Capital Dr – August 22
- Charlottesville, VA: 1904 Emmett Street – August 22
- Gassaway, WV: 2908 State St – August 22
Additional shutdowns are set for September and October, with closures already announced in Decatur and Brookhaven, GA; Kingsport, TN; and Abingdon, VA.
Kroger has warned that more communities may be affected as further reviews are completed.
Also read: Some Kroger deliveries are going away—Here’s what to know
Impact on employees and shoppers
Kroger employs about 410,000 people nationwide, and the closures will hit workers hard.
The company has pledged to offer jobs at other locations to employees at closing stores, though in smaller towns, alternative placements may be limited.
For shoppers, the closures may mean traveling farther for groceries or adjusting to a new store layout elsewhere.
Kroger is also investing between $3.6 and $3.8 billion in new stores, remodels, and expansions this year, hoping to improve the shopping experience at its best-performing sites.
Also read: Kroger shares five rules for the ideal sandwich—here’s what you might want to tweak
A bigger shift in grocery retail
Kroger’s strategy reflects broader changes across the grocery industry.
With more shoppers turning to online orders and delivery, traditional chains are being forced to streamline.
Rising costs for essentials and wages have also pushed grocers to rethink their models.
Even as Kroger reported $45.1 billion in sales for the first quarter of 2025—nearly matching last year’s numbers—the company says profitability depends on focusing resources where stores can thrive.
Other chains like Walmart and Albertsons are making similar adjustments.
As Kroger reshapes its business, communities are left to adapt to the loss of familiar stores.
Whether you’re directly affected or simply watching the shifts in grocery retail, it’s clear the industry is changing quickly.
Read next: Don’t eat that: Meals sold at Walmart, Kroger linked to 3 deaths and 17 illnesses
Has your local Kroger been listed for closure, and how would it impact your routine? Share your thoughts—we’d love to hear how these changes are affecting shoppers in your area.
