Kroger, the Cincinnati-based grocery giant, has shuttered at least 39 stores across nine of its banners as part of a broader plan to close 60 underperforming locations by the end of 2026.

While the company has not released a complete official list, online tracking and local reports confirm the closures, including four in the Atlanta metro area that hit neighborhoods in Fulton and DeKalb counties particularly hard.

The moves stem from Kroger’s announcement last year that certain stores were not “delivering sustainable results.” Company statements emphasized the goal of running more efficiently and securing the long-term health of the business. Employees at the affected sites were offered opportunities to transfer to other Kroger locations.

Atlanta-area stores among the first to go

Metro Atlanta saw four Kroger-banner stores close in 2025 as the national plan took shape:

  • 2452 Morosgo Way NE, Atlanta (near Lindbergh MARTA station/Buckhead area) — closed in mid-July 2025.
  • 11877 Douglas Road, Alpharetta — closed in mid-August 2025.
  • 3479 Memorial Drive, Decatur — closed in mid-September 2025.
  • 3855 Buford Highway NE, Brookhaven — closed in mid-October 2025.

These were among the earlier confirmed closures in the company’s 18-month effort. Shoppers in surrounding apartment communities, residential neighborhoods, and along busy corridors like Buford Highway and Memorial Drive faced the inconvenience of longer trips to remaining Kroger stores or competitors such as Publix, Aldi, and Walmart. Local reports at the time noted community concerns about pharmacy access and everyday convenience, especially for seniors and residents relying on nearby options.

Georgia still maintains a strong Kroger presence, with roughly 164 stores statewide as of recent counts (including multiple locations in Atlanta and nearby suburbs), but the loss of these four reduced options in key northern and eastern metro spots.

What’s Next for the Atlanta Sites

As of January 2026, Kroger operated about 2,697 supermarkets across 35 states under roughly 20 banners (including Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Harris Teeter, King Soopers, Mariano’s, Pick ’n Save, QFC, and others). The 39 identified closures span 15 states and multiple banners, with additional shutdowns expected before year-end. Some locations elsewhere have been consolidated into larger Kroger Marketplace formats, which expand beyond groceries into clothing, toys, home goods, and furniture.

In the Atlanta region, updates on the former sites vary. The Brookhaven location on Buford Highway is slated for a new Compare Foods grocery store (focused on Hispanic and ethnic products) expected as soon as September 2026. Meanwhile, Kroger is advancing a major new Marketplace project in nearby Dunwoody—a roughly 166,000-square-foot store with drive-thru pharmacy and gas station planned for a former Walmart site at Perimeter Village, with local approvals moving forward in mid-2026.

The closures coincide with Kroger’s planned $1.65 billion acquisition of regional chain Giant Eagle, which would add nearly 200 stores primarily in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, helping expand its footprint in those markets even as it prunes underperformers elsewhere.

For Atlanta shoppers, the message is mixed: fewer neighborhood options in some pockets, but continued investment in larger-format stores and a still-substantial regional network. Kroger has not detailed further Georgia closures beyond the four already completed, and company officials have stressed that sales from shuttered locations are expected to shift to nearby remaining stores.

As the nationwide overhaul continues through the rest of 2026, metro Atlanta residents will be watching closely for any additional changes—and for how the empty storefronts on Morosgo, Douglas, Memorial, and Buford fill in.

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