
Kroger’s strategy leaves some Marsh sites in limbo
Since the grocer bought seven former Indianapolis-area Marsh stores last July, it has reopened only a three.
Since the grocer bought seven former Indianapolis-area Marsh stores last July, it has reopened only a three.
Ultimately, two Ohio-based grocery chains, Kroger Co. and Fresh Encounter, agreed to buy 26 of Marsh’s 44 remaining stores for a total of $24 million.
The newly created moniker is a nod to the Needler family of Findlay, Ohio, third generation grocers. The former Marsh stores are owned by Michael Needler Jr. and his sister, Julie Needler Anderson.
Rather than featuring long, tall aisles like traditional groceries, the new-format stores featured a courtyard in the center with a dozen “boutiques” around the perimeter, each selling a certain category of goods.
For decades, Marsh Supermarkets has had a lock on the downtown grocery market. Proposed store sales disclosed Tuesday, combined with the impending opening of Whole Foods, set the stage for three-way showdown.
A bankruptcy court filing Tuesday afternoon says an affiliate of Kroger plans to buy 11 stores for $16 million and an affiliate of Fresh Encounter plans to buy 15 stores for $8 million.
Struggling Marsh Supermarkets’ best bet at this point would be to close underperforming stores and find buyers for its most profitable ones, industry experts say.