Kroger is closing 60 locations by the end of 2026. Are any of those in Kentucky?
By the end of 2026, 60 Kroger locations will have closed or approximately 5% of the Cincinnati-based grocery retailer’s stores. At least one of them is in Kentucky.
The grocery chain said in its first quarter conference call with investors last week it would shutter underperforming locations as part of a larger effort to increase operational efficiency and ensure longevity.
“We are reassessing our capital allocation strategy to make sure we are spending our capital on projects that offer the highest returns,” said the company’s chairman and interim CEO Ron Sargent Friday. “We are reviewing our non-core assets, we’re aggressively looking for ways to reduce costs throughout the company, and we expect to reinvest those cost savings directly into lower prices and additional store hours for our associates so that they can better serve customers.”
Kroger Co. spokesperson Jessica Sharp told the Herald-Leader the chain did “not have details to share” Monday afternoon. She did not say whether Kroger’s locations in Lexington and Central Kentucky are on the list of closures.
Kroger closing 60 stores
Louisville Public Media reported Monday that the Kroger store on 4211 S. 3rd St. in Louisville will close by the end of July. The location’s 64 employees will have the option to work at a different store, LPM reported.
According to Kroger’s earnings report, the company expects to complete 30 store projects this year and anticipates speeding up its process to open new locations in 2026, even amid closures.
By closing about 60 stores, CFO David Kennerley said Friday, the company will see a “modest financial benefit” that it will put back into improving customer experiences at remaining locations. Kroger operates about 2,730 stores, according to its last annual report.
Kroger grocery stores in Lexington
Last August, work officially began at a new Kroger location on the city’s northside between the Amazon shipping facility and the end of Citation Boulevard just off Newtown Pike. The 123,000-square-foot store — with an anticipated opening of spring 2026 — will have 476 parking spaces, gas pumps, a pharmacy with a drive-thru, Little Clinic, an adjoining wine and liquor store and other components.
There are almost a dozen Kroger locations across Lexington already, with larger Marketplace locations at Beaumont Centre and on Richmond Road.
Also in Lexington are several other grocery chains including Meijer, Aldi, Target, Walmart, Sam’s, Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Fresh Market, and other independent stores.
The Florida-based grocery chain, Publix, opened its second store earlier this month in the Fountains of Palomar. It first joined the market by opening a store in the Citation Point development at Citation Boulevard and Georgetown Road and has plans to build its third store on Romany Road.
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