Kroger, the parent company of Fred Meyer, announced Monday it will close two Puget Sound locations this fall as part of a broader cost-cutting strategy following the collapse of its proposed merger with Albertsons.
The company said its Fred Meyer stores in Everett (8530 Evergreen Way) and Kent (10201 S.E. 240th St.) will shut down in mid-October. Both closures were confirmed by the union representing affected workers.
“Unfortunately, due to a steady rise in theft and a challenging regulatory environment that adds significant costs, we can no longer make these stores financially viable,” a Fred Meyer spokesperson told The Seattle Times.
The decision comes as Cincinnati-based Kroger works to shutter underperforming stores nationwide. The company, which operates 59 Fred Meyer and 55 QFC locations in Washington, announced in June that it plans to close 60 stores across the U.S. over the next 18 months.
“Unfortunately, today, not all of our stores are delivering the sustainable results we need,” interim CEO Ronald Sargent said during a June 20 earnings call. He added that the company paused its normal review-and-closure process for several years while pursuing the Albertsons merger, which was ultimately blocked in December after Washington state was the first to file suit against the deal.
The Kent and Everett closures follow other recent shutdowns in the region. According to Fox 13, in July, Kroger said it would close a Fred Meyer in Tacoma and a QFC in Mill Creek, with both locations set to close this September.
Kroger has argued that closures allow the company to reinvest savings into stronger-performing stores. Still, critics say the loss of neighborhood groceries highlights broader issues of retail theft, rising costs, and state regulatory hurdles.
