Kroger has closed at least 39 stores across nine of its grocery banners since announcing a plan last year to shutter 60 underperforming locations by the end of 2026, according to local reports and online listings compiled from company announcements. The Cincinnati-based grocery giant said the closures are part of a broader effort to “run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business,” a statement echoed in reports from FOX 26 Houston.
The closures span 17 states and include locations under the Kroger, Fred Meyer, Fry’s Food and Drug, Harris Teeter, Jay C Food Stores, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Pick ’n Save, and QFC banners. At least three of the shuttered stores are being consolidated into larger Kroger Marketplace locations, which offer expanded non-grocery merchandise such as clothing, toys, home goods, and furniture.
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What’s driving the store closures?
Kroger’s decision to close 60 stores was first announced in 2025, with the company citing the need to optimize its real estate footprint and focus on locations that can deliver sustainable sales growth. The company did not release a full list of closures, but local news outlets and community reports have confirmed many of the affected addresses.
As of January 2026, Kroger operated 2,697 supermarkets across 35 states under roughly 20 banners, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The closures represent about 2% of its total store base, a relatively modest reduction aimed at improving overall portfolio performance.
Among the notable closures:
- Three Houston-area locations — on West 20th Street, Katy Freeway, and Gessner Road — were slated to close in April, according to FOX 26 Houston.
- Two West Virginia stores in South Charleston and Dunbar were consolidated last June into a new Kroger Marketplace at 3060 Ray Park Blvd.
- At least six Harris Teeter locations have closed, including stores in Arlington, Virginia, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Five Pick ’n Save locations in the Milwaukee area have shut their doors.
The full list of confirmed closures includes:
| Banner | City, State | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Kroger | Atlanta, Georgia | 2452 Morosgo Way NE |
| Kroger | Brookhaven, Georgia | 3855 Buford Hwy. NE |
| Kroger | Decatur, Georgia | 3479 Memorial Dr. |
| Kroger | Alpharetta, Georgia | 11877 Douglas Rd. |
| Kroger | Peoria, Illinois | 3311 N Sterling Ave. |
| Kroger | South Bend, Indiana | 4526 W Western Ave. |
| Kroger | Elkhart, Indiana | 901 Johnson St. |
| Kroger | Louisville, Kentucky | 4211 S 3rd St. |
| Kroger | Bossier City, Louisiana | 4100 Barksdale Blvd |
| Kroger | Kingsport, Tennessee | 1664 E Stone Dr. |
| Kroger | Houston, Texas | 239 W 20th St. |
| Kroger | Houston, Texas | 9325 Katy Fwy. |
| Kroger | Houston, Texas | 2300 Gessner Rd. |
| Kroger | McKinney, Texas | 2901 Lake Forest Drive |
| Kroger | Spring, Texas | 6060 Farm to Market 2920 |
| Kroger | Charlottesville, Virginia | 1904 Emmet St. N |
| Kroger | Abingdon, Virginia | 466 Cummings St. |
| Kroger | Gassaway, West Virginia | 2908 State St. |
| Kroger | South Charleston, West Virginia | 5 River Walk Mall |
| Kroger | Dunbar, West Virginia | 981 Dunbar Village |
| Fred Meyer | Tacoma, Washington | 7250 Pacific Ave. |
| Fry’s Food and Drug | Mesa, Arizona | 1915 S Power Rd. |
| Harris Teeter | Arlington, Virginia | 950 S George Mason Dr. |
| Harris Teeter | Arlington, Virginia | 3600 S Glebe Rd. W100 |
| Harris Teeter | McLean, Virginia | 8200 Crestwood Heights Dr. |
| Harris Teeter | Rockville, Maryland | 11845 Old Georgetown Rd. |
| Harris Teeter | Raleigh, North Carolina | 5563 Western Blvd., Suite 6A |
| Harris Teeter | Charlotte, North Carolina | 5706 Wyalong Dr. |
| Jay C Food Stores | Shoals, Indiana | 201 High St. |
| King Soopers | Centennial, Colorado | 5050 E Arapahoe Rd. |
| Mariano’s | Buffalo Grove, Illinois | 450 W Half Day Rd. |
| Mariano’s | Northbrook, Illinois | 2323 Capital Dr. |
| Mariano’s | Bloomingdale, Illinois | 144 S Gary Ave. |
| Pick ’n Save | Glendale, Wisconsin | 1735 W Silver Spring Dr. |
| Pick ’n Save | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 3701 S 27th St. |
| Pick ’n Save | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 2355 N 35th St. |
| Pick ’n Save | Oak Creek, Wisconsin | 2320 W Ryan Rd. |
| Pick ’n Save | South Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 2931 S Chicago Ave. |
| QFC | Mill Creek, Washington | 926 164th St. SE |
Some of these closures have already taken place, while others are expected to be completed over the coming months. The McKinney, Texas location, for example, is set to be replaced by a new store nearby in 2027.
What this means for Kroger’s growth strategy
The store closures come as Kroger pivots toward larger-format locations and strategic acquisitions. Last month, the company announced a $1.65 billion deal to acquire Giant Eagle, a regional grocery chain operating about 197 supermarkets and 11 standalone pharmacies across northern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Indiana. The acquisition is expected to strengthen Kroger’s presence in several Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic markets.
The move mirrors a broader industry trend: grocers are closing smaller, underperforming stores while investing in larger-format locations that can carry more merchandise and serve as fulfillment hubs for online orders. Kroger’s focus on Kroger Marketplace stores — which combine groceries with general merchandise — is a direct response to competition from Walmart, Target, and Amazon.
For shoppers, the closures mean longer drives to the nearest Kroger banner in some communities, particularly in rural areas like Gassaway, West Virginia, and Shoals, Indiana. In other cases, such as South Charleston and Dunbar, West Virginia, customers are being redirected to a new, larger Kroger Marketplace location just a few miles away.
Kroger’s stock (KR) traded at $56.06 on Wednesday, down 0.34% on the day. The company has not yet announced whether any additional closures will be added to the current list, but the original plan called for 60 total closures by the end of 2026. With 39 already confirmed, the remaining 21 could be announced in the coming months.
FOX Business reached out to Kroger for additional comment on the closures and the timeline for the remaining store reductions. The company has not yet responded.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Grocery retail stocks and the broader market are subject to volatility and uncertainty. Readers should conduct their own research before making investment decisions.
