Kroger Buys Ohio Food Town Stores from Spartan
CINCINNATI - The Kroger Co. on Thursday announced it is buying three Food Town stores from Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Spartan Stores. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Spartan Stores has struggled to make the Food Town grocery chain profitable since it bought the Ohio stores in 2000, according to published reports. The Food Town chain now has just 16 stores left in northwest Ohio. Spartan has said it will sell or close the remaining 16, except for those it converts to its Pharm discount drug store format.
Kroger said it plans to convert the three stores -- two in Toledo and one in Fremont -- to its new name by next week and reopen on Wednesday. However, the company wouldn't say whether it plans to buy more Food Towns.
Spartan Stores has struggled to make the Food Town grocery chain profitable since it bought the Ohio stores in 2000, according to published reports. The Food Town chain now has just 16 stores left in northwest Ohio. Spartan has said it will sell or close the remaining 16, except for those it converts to its Pharm discount drug store format.
Kroger said it plans to convert the three stores -- two in Toledo and one in Fremont -- to its new name by next week and reopen on Wednesday. However, the company wouldn't say whether it plans to buy more Food Towns.