Kroger To Close 2 More Houston Locations Amid 5% Store Reduction
Kroger is closing two Houston stores by the end of next month, in addition to stores in The Woodlands and Dickinson that closed earlier this year.
The supermarket chain will close its stores at 9325 Katy Freeway in the Hedwig Village area and 2300 Gessner Road in Spring Branch, a representative confirmed to Chron. These closures follow Kroger’s June announcement that it would close 60 stores over the next year and a half after its planned $25B merger with Albertsons fell apart.
This represents about 5% of the company’s 2,731-store portfolio, which also includes the Smith’s, Ralphs, King Soopers, Harris Teeter and Fred Meyer brands. The closings should produce “a modest financial benefit,” and Kroger plans to reinvest the savings “back into the customer experience,” its first-quarter earnings report says.
In the Houston area this year, Kroger closed locations at Sterling Ridge in The Woodlands and on the Gulf Freeway in Dickinson, Chron reported.
The Hedwig Village and Spring Branch stores are set to close permanently by Sept. 30. The stores are both in West Houston, just about 3 miles from each other.
A sign at the Spring Branch store directed customers to visit locations at 1801 S. Voss Road and 1505 Wirt Road. Kroger has 35 stores in Houston, including the two that are closing, and more in surrounding cities.
“These closures are part of a larger company-wide decision to run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business,” the spokesperson told Chron.
