Kroger Acquires Harris Teeter in $2.5B Merger

Written by Rachel Hatzipanagos and Jason Spencer

The Kroger Co. has purchased Harris Teeter in a $2.5 billion merger deal announced Tuesday, but don’t worry — your local store won't close any time soon.

Harris Teeter’s 29 stores in Virginia will continue to operate under the same brand name as a subsidiary of Kroger, according to a statement released by the company.

Following the merger, the Kroger Co. will operate 2,631 supermarkets and employ more than 368,300 employees across 34 states and Washington.

Kroger does not plan to close any stores.

The company called Harris Teeter an "exceptional brand." Harris Teeter's 212 stores "are located primarily in high-growth markets, vacation destinations and university communities," according to the statement.

Arlington is home to several Harris Teeter stores with locations in Ballston, Shirlington Village, the Lee Harrison Shopping Center and Pentagon City — plus another that's supposed to reopen at Potomac Yard later this year.

The sale is the latest in what has been a tumultuous year for supermarkets in Northern Virginia: Magruders, a family-owned Washington area grocery chain, shut down all its grocery stores locations in January. And two Giant grocery stores in West End Alexandria closed their doors last month.