Fred Meyer's store at the James Centre in Tacoma, Washington state, will close at the end of January next year, as parent company The Kroger Co continues to shut down dozens of its outlets. The closure marks another loss for the 104-year-old brand, which has been affected by Kroger's decision to close 60 stores across its brands by the end of 2026.
Closure announcement and reasons
A spokesperson for Fred Meyer told FOX 13: "Fred Meyer never takes the decision to close a store lightly, and after careful evaluation, we have made the difficult decision to close our Tacoma store located at 6901 South 19th Street."
Fred Meyer was a key player in popularising the one-stop-shop format of supermarkets in the US, according to The Street.
Union reaction and job losses
The move has angered union officials, as 100 unionised staff are set to lose their jobs. Bosses slammed the decision, claiming it will create an 'immediate food desert' in west Tacoma, a city 30 miles south of Seattle.
Kroger's broader strategy
Closures were announced in the first part of 2025 by Kroger chair Ron Sargent. During an earnings call, he said: "We're simplifying our business and reviewing areas that will not be meaningful to our future growth. Unfortunately, today, not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need."
The company remains confident in its long-term success as sales rose by 2.2 percent last year, despite having fewer shops. Kroger chief executive Greg Foran said at the start of 2026: "Kroger expects to continue to generate strong free cash flow and remain committed to investing in the business to drive long-term sustainable net earnings growth."
