Kroger has announced plans to close about 60 underperforming stores across the U.S. over an 18‑month period ending in late 2026, but it has not released a full, official list of which specific locations are closing yet. Some local news outlets and unions have identified individual stores in states like Illinois, Kentucky, Georgia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee, but these partial lists can change as plans are finalized.

What Kroger Has Announced

  • Kroger disclosed in its 2025 first‑quarter earnings that it plans to close around 60 underperforming stores by the end of 2026, recording a roughly $100 million impairment charge tied to these closures.
  • The company says the move should bring a “modest financial benefit” and that savings will be reinvested into improving the customer experience and remodeling or opening other locations.
  • These closures represent a small fraction (about 2.2%) of Kroger’s more than 2,700 supermarkets in 35 states and Washington, D.C.

Which Kroger Stores Are Closing?

Kroger has not published a master list of all 60 locations, which is why you may see conflicting or incomplete lists online. What is known so far:

  • Corporate spokespeople have confirmed that they will not release a full store list at this time, and that some closures will be Kroger‑branded stores while others may be under banners like Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Ralphs, Smith’s, Pick ’n Save, QFC, and others.
  • Local reporting and union statements have identified closures or expected closures in several states (for example some union‑represented stores in parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio), but these reports are piecemeal and may evolve as leases and negotiations play out.

Because there is no single, official public list, any article claiming to show “all 60” stores should be treated as provisional or speculative.

How to Check If Your Kroger Is Affected

Until Kroger publishes more detail, the most reliable ways to find out if a specific store is closing are:

  • Check store signage and printed notices: Confirmed closures typically come with posted signs weeks in advance, sometimes including clearance sales or pharmacy transfer information.
  • Look at local news and city or county business reports: Many closures are first reported by local TV stations or newspapers once a store informs employees or files required notices.
  • Contact the store directly: Calling the customer service desk or speaking with store management can often confirm whether a location has received a closure notice or timeline.
  • Watch union updates if your store is unionized: Local UFCW chapters have publicly announced when some of their represented Kroger locations are shutting down.

Why These Stores Are Closing

Kroger has framed the closures as part of a broader restructuring after its failed merger attempt with Albertsons and leadership changes in 2025.

Key reasons cited:

  • Underperformance and lack of “sustainable results” at certain locations, especially where sales and profitability lag other stores.
  • A desire to simplify operations and focus investment on higher‑traffic stores, remodels, and new openings planned for 2025–2026.
  • Macroeconomic uncertainty and cost pressures, even as overall company profits have remained positive.

Unions and community advocates, however, argue that:

  • Closures can turn lower‑income neighborhoods or rural areas into food deserts, cutting off access to full‑service groceries.
  • The company is prioritizing shareholder returns and efficiency over stable union jobs and local community needs.

What This Means Going Into 2026

For shoppers and employees, the big takeaways are:

  • The number of closures is significant but still a small share of Kroger’s total footprint, and Kroger is also planning new stores and “major store projects” during this same period.
  • Specific closure lists will likely emerge city by city as leases end and notices are filed, rather than all at once nationwide.
  • Employees at affected stores are expected to be offered roles at nearby locations where possible, though unions warn that overall local job opportunities can still shrink.

If you want to stay on top of the latest news and forum discussion around “which Kroger stores are closing,” it helps to:

  • Track local Reddit communities, neighborhood Facebook groups, and city subreddits, where employees and shoppers often share early info and photos of closure notices.
  • Pair that anecdotal chatter with confirmation from local news outlets or store management before assuming a closure is definite.

Bottom line: there is real closure activity across the Kroger network through late 2026, but there is no complete, official public list yet of exactly which 60 locations are affected, and details are emerging market by market.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.