The national grocery store chain Kroger plans to close a location in Peoria by early August.
A spokesperson for the company confirmed in a statement to WCBU that the Sterling Avenue location is one of around 60 stores the supermarket chain plans to close over the next 18 months.
The spokesperson said the Peoria store will cease operation around Aug. 2.
“While we are leaving that location, we will offer each impacted associate the opportunity to transfer to a new location in the area,” the spokesperson for Kroger said in an emailed statement.
“The closure is part of a larger company-wide decision to run more efficiently and ensure the long-term health of our business.”
The store is located at 3311 N. Sterling Ave., in the Sterling Bazaar shopping center.
National news sources report the chain is undergoing a series of changes in an effort to be more sustainable. Regional municipalities also have seen some other forms of attempts to increase profitability, as Pekin recently approved a video gaming area at its Broadway Street Kroger location.
The closure announcement comes after Kroger closed two locations in Peoria in 2018, including stores in the South Peoria and East Bluff neighborhoods.
Local entrepreneurs have been working to offer an alternative for groceries in the impacted areas, with one community grocery store slated for slated for an opening later this summer.
