Kroger May Shutter 4 Acquired Marsh Stores

Kroger may soon shutter several Indianapolis-area stores it purchased from Marsh Supermarkets during the now-defunct grocer’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case, according to The Indianapolis Star.

The Cincinnati-based grocery giant finished its acquisition of 11 closed Marsh locations this week, but is leaving the fates of four locations up in the air, including 1435 W. 86th St, Indianapolis; 12520 E. 116th St., Fishers; 2904 S. Ind. 135, Greenwood; and 123 S. Kingston Dr., Bloomington, the newspaper reported. While a task force studying the buildings hasn’t yet decided what to do with the locations, Kroger has the option of keeping them permanently closed and selling the buildings.

The Star said last month that some of the Marsh stores sold are “extremely close” to existing Kroger locations, citing an industry consultant, which could give them little reason to exist. The Cincinnati-based grocer has yet to give a time when it plans to reopen the former Marsh stores.

Kroger reportedly paid $16 million for the 11 locations. At the time of the purchase announcement, Generative Growth II LLC, an entity of Fresh Encounter, agreed to buy 15 locations for $8 million.