These Major Grocery Chains Are Closing Locations In 2026

For average Americans, grocery shopping is integral to daily life. You find your favorite neighborhood grocer, and you stick by them. Maybe it's the friendly faces. Maybe it's the sense of familiarity. Maybe it's the affordable prices that keep you coming back (and saving you from the most expensive grocery chains in America). But for whatever reason, most shoppers are loyal to their local grocery stores — and that's what makes it all the more heartbreaking when your neighborhood shop closes its doors for good.

Below you'll find a list of major grocery chains across the U.S. that are shuttering locations. For some, it's dozens of stores. For others, it's just a few. While there are many grocery stores that sadly disappeared, let's hope none of your current faves are heading in that direction. Read on to find out whether your go-to spot is putting some of its locations on the chopping block.

National grocery giant Kroger announced in June 2025 that it would begin an 18-month plan to shutter 60 stores — representing about 5% of the company's network of over 1,200 Kroger-branded stores. The move came in the wake of the failed merger with Albertsons. Although the chain declined to release a comprehensive list of all stores marked for closure, media outlets across the country have cataloged shuttered locations. As of March 2026, nearly 40 Kroger and Kroger-owned stores had closed across more than a dozen states, including California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

When news of the closures was first broadcast in 2025, the company noted that it would take a short-term hit. However, in the long run, the closure of these underperforming stores is expected to become a financial benefit. With that in mind, Kroger will press forward with efforts to enhance customer experience, including moves such as remodeling existing stores and opening new locations. Let's just hope the improvements don't result in any unexpected catastrophes, like these scandals that will haunt Kroger forever.

Beloved discount supermarket chain Aldi shockingly shuttered a few stores in 2026, including locations in Indiana and Wisconsin. In Peru, Indiana, shoppers were shocked to see a sign on the door in mid-May 2026 noting that the store would be closed by the end of the month. Little explanation regarding the closure was offered to longtime shoppers, city officials, or employees (who were all offered positions at nearby Aldi locations). 

Similarly, a Milwaukee Aldi abruptly closed in January 2026, leaving residents of the city's north side with increasingly limited fresh food options. Once again, the supermarket chain offered little by way of explanation, simply noting that the closure was part of a larger strategy to be more efficient with company resources. Many community members didn't seem shocked by the closure, but some remarked that without the Aldi nearby, local grocery options were few and far between. "Sad because there's literally no other grocery store in that area close enough for the seniors," one Facebook user commented.

A month later, in February 2026, the nearby suburb of West Allis, Wisconsin, was alerted to a forthcoming Aldi closure. This time, the community received more notice, with city officials acknowledging they knew the company was not renewing its lease and the grocery store would shutter. Individuals leaving reviews on Google Maps reported the location officially closed on April 4, 2026.

In March 2026, affordably priced Grocery Outlet announced it would close 36 stores across the nation. The move comes as a result of a strategic misstep, as explained by CEO Jason Potter, who told investors and analysts in a company earnings call that the chain stretched itself too thin with its rapid expansion plan. Out of the 36 stores slated to close, two dozen are on the East Coast, which accounts for roughly 30% of locations in the region. 

The chain hopes the closures will correct a period of significant financial turbulence. Grocery Outlet suffered a $235 million operating loss in addition to a $218 million net loss in the fourth quarter of 2025. Though in the short term, closing the three dozen locations will result in more financial trouble, with the chain expecting to take more than a $4 million hit to its gross profits, in the long run, the move is expected to be positive. And despite these struggles, Grocery Outlet is still moving forward with plans to open at least 30 new stores by the end of the year. 

The news of the closures was devastating for some customers as they relied on Grocery Outlet for affordably priced staples. One Redditor commented, "This is sad. For the owners that put out the money, for the stores and their employees, and the communities that the stores are in. Especially losing the sales that help families get by in this economy."

At least a dozen Albertsons locations across five states and Washington, D.C., have been identified for closure in 2026. The move comes as the grocery giant continues to evaluate its more than 2,000-store footprint following the failed merger with Kroger. Beyond closing four namesake stores (two in Texas and one each in California and Nevada), 2026 also witnessed the shuttering of a handful of locations for Albertsons subsidiaries, including one Acme in New Jersey, one Balducci's in Connecticut, one Randalls in Texas, one Safeway store in Washington, D.C., and another in California, and two Vons locations in California. This list isn't final either — there could be more closures as the year goes on.

Many Balducci's customers expressed disappointment over the closure, but as for the high prices? Those won't be missed. "So expensive but so saddened by this because they have the nicest workers ever," one Facebook user commented. 

These recent shutdowns come on the heels of roughly 30 Albertsons supermarkets closing their doors in 2025. Bidding farewell to these underperforming locations is just one part of the grocery giant's plan to cut costs and increase revenue as it faces steeper competition from more affordably priced and easily accessible competitors. Albertsons has also cut hundreds of jobs in Arizona and California corporate offices and continues to launch new stores in more promising locations in hopes of improving margins.

Texas-based supermarket giant H-E-B announced that it would close one of its longstanding Austin locations by the end of July 2026. The decision to shutter was made in anticipation of the lease ending, and with the store dating back to the early 1980s, H-E-B corporate noted that it has opted to focus its efforts on other Austin-area locations. The upcoming closure comes as part of the grocery chain's ongoing review of its more than 440 stores across Texas and Mexico.

Ahead of the closure, H-E-B announced that for a limited time, it would offer free curbside and delivery to folks in the immediate area as a sign of thanks for their years of patronage to the Spicewood Springs location. Nevertheless, locals were disappointed by the loss, with one Austin-based Redditor commenting, "Sad to see this go ... Hopefully something else crops up there to support the surrounding community. Not too many nearby grocery stores." To help soften the blow, H-E-B pledged to donate $40,000 to local organizations, including nearby schools, a public library, and a fire station. With that commitment to the community, it's no wonder that H-E-B is one of the regional grocery chains we'd love to see everywhere.

In early 2026, Amazon announced it would shutter all of its Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations, resulting in the closure of about 70 stores across the country. In a post to the company's news page, Amazon explained, "While we've seen encouraging signals in our Amazon-branded physical grocery stores, we haven't yet created a truly distinctive customer experience with the right economic model needed for large-scale expansion." 

The retail giant noted that the move was made to shift its focus toward growing Whole Foods Market, which Amazon acquired in 2017. The upscale natural foods grocer already sports resonant branding and boasts a growing customer base, so Amazon plans on converting select former Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations into new Whole Foods Markets. And in the coming years, the company plans on opening more than 100 new Whole Foods stores, including the launch of a new concept: Whole Foods Market Daily Shop. This fresh take on a classic Whole Foods Market is smaller in scale and centers on convenient grab-and-go options.

Some customers were sad to hear about the Amazon-brand stores closing, thanks to the consistently low prices these shops offered. "They often have the straight-up cheapest name brand stuff and it's not even close," one Los Angeles-area Redditor commented. "Especially with Prime and other discounts, sometimes you feel like you can walk out of that place like you stole something."

As part of its 2025 optimization review, Dollar General shuttered 96 stores, wrapping up the closures in late January 2026. The closures represent a rather minuscule portion of the chain's total footprint, but the move was intended to improve Dollar General's overall growth. In an investor relations report from March 2025, CEO Todd Vasos noted, "We believe this review was appropriate to further strengthen the foundation of our business ... While the number of closings represents less than one percent of our overall store base, we believe this decision better positions us to serve our customers and communities."

In addition to shuttering nearly 100 Dollar General locations, the chain also noted that it would close 45 of its retail stores operating under the PopShelf brand, converting six of them into Dollar Generals by the end of January 2026. Even so, Dollar General continues to push forward with expansion. As of June 2026, the chain continues to operate over 21,000 locations across 48 states, and plans to open over 400 new locations throughout the year. With numbers like those, there's likely a Dollar General near you. If so, you might consider dropping by for some of these Dollar General canned food items worth stocking up on.

Northeast staple Price Chopper announced the closure of one store early in 2026. The Price Chopper/Market 32 location in Gloversville, New York, closed its doors for good on January 10. Part of The Golub Corporation, Price Chopper supermarkets are also operated alongside Market 32 and Market Bistro brands, with more than 130 locations spanning six states, including New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire.

The Gloversville closing follows many others in years prior. For instance, in January 2025, a Price Chopper in Worcester, Massachusetts, shuttered. The year before saw two more closures, one in Clay, New York, and another in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Though Price Chopper wasn't vocal about the reasoning behind the Gloversville closure, the chain noted that the move was strategically made to bolster business in the long run. Longtime customers were referred to another Price Chopper store a few miles away, and the over 70 employees were offered roles at other locations. 

Customers were sad to see the Gloversville shop go, with many expressing concern for neighbors who relied on the location. "The elderly in this community will suffer because Price Chopper closed, most of them are low income and are within walking distance," one Facebook user commented. Another expressed a similar sentiment, also commenting on Facebook, "Hundreds of people relied on this location within walking distance for SNAP eligible groceries."

Despite its major presence in the Midwest and Southeast, legacy grocer Piggly Wiggly closed a handful of stores in both regions in 2026. In February 2026, it was reported that a Phenix City, Alabama, location would be shuttering. The grocer cited looming equipment replacements, a month-to-month leasing situation, and financial instability as reasons for closing its doors. As of June 2026, the Phenix City location is officially closed.

Up north in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a Piggly Wiggly closed its doors in March 2026. Parent company C&S Wholesale Grocers remained tight-lipped about the situation, noting that it wouldn't reveal details behind the closure. Nevertheless, customers speculated that the move was likely due to increased competition from nearby grocers like Festival Foods and University Avenue Market. "I'm surprised they lasted this long with Festival just a block away," one Redditor commented. "Same with University Market. Festival is just a better option in just about every way."

In Sumter, South Carolina, another Piggly Wiggly is slated to close by mid-July 2026. Like the Green Bay closing, store management didn't elaborate on the reasons for the closure. Nonetheless,  over the decision, noting that positive experiences and good relationships with staff kept them coming back. And that good customer service is just one of the many aspects of the untold truth of Piggly Wiggly.

In late 2025, century-old retailer Southeastern Grocers announced that it would be offloading dozens of its Winn-Dixie grocery stores and eight Harveys Supermarkets by early 2026. The move was made to rebrand, as Southeastern Grocers then became The Winn-Dixie Company. The new name also marked a shift in focus, as the grocer shuttered nearly all of its non-Florida locations, holding on to just a handful in Southern Georgia. 

The shuttered stores include seven Harveys Supermarkets in Georgia and one in Florida, 12 Winn-Dixie locations in Louisiana, 18 in Alabama, one in Georgia, and another in Mississippi. Those local to the Columbus, Georgia, closing expressed disappointment over the loss of the grocery store. One Facebook user noted, "Hate losing WD and that means another store gone. We no longer have good choices in Columbus for retail stores. We are going backwards instead of forwards." Another Facebook user commented, "Great [loss] for Columbus. They are my go to for major staples in my kitchen."

As part of the widespread closures, some locations were sold to other grocery chains, like Piggly Wiggly, Super 1 Foods, and Food City. The grocery chain's restructuring also included the acquisition of three Hitchcock's Markets, a small, hyper-local grocery chain that in late 2025 announced it would sell off all its Central Florida locations.

Popular Midwestern grocer Hy-Vee announced it will be dumping 21 of its standalone Fast & Fresh convenience stores. The company struck a deal with Nebraska-based convenience store and gas station chain Pump & Pantry for an undisclosed amount.

The convenience stores set to change hands include 18 locations in Iowa, two in the Omaha, Nebraska, metro area, and one location in Lakeville, Minnesota. The deal is expected to close in July 2026, and as part of the agreement, Pump & Pantry will honor the Hy-Vee Fuel Saver reward program at both the new acquisitions and the rest of its network of convenience stores. As for the reasoning behind the deal, Hy-Vee noted that the sale allows the chain to concentrate its efforts on its traditional grocery stores. Hy-Vee will still operate more than 160 of its own convenience stores and even hopes to expand in the coming years.

As for customers? Reactions range from confusion and disappointment to relief. One Redditor from the Des Moines area commented, "I'm losing confidence in hyvee over this move. They built brand new stations in the suburbs and not more than 3-5 years later they sell them to an out of state company." Another local expressed relief that Hy-Vee was ditching an area convenience store, noting that the rewards system was a source of frustration. "Every single week there was some item that was advertised in-store as having fuel savings that didn't ring up the advertised savings," the Redditor commented.