Kings Closing Grocery Store In Chatham

CHATHAM, NJ — Kings Food Markets will shut down its Chatham location at the beginning of September due to "real estate considerations," according to the grocery chain's parent company.

Albertsons Companies recently announced two closures in its Mid-Atlantic division: A Balducci's store at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, and the Kings at 393 Main Street (NJ-124) in Chatham.

The Chatham grocery store will close no later than Sept. 1, a company spokesperson said in a statement.

Kings, formerly headquartered in Parsippany Township, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. Fellow grocery retailer Albertsons, based in Idaho, submitted the winning bid for the company.

Albertsons had also announced a merger with the Ohio-based Kroger Company, which the Federal Trade Commission sued to block earlier this year.

"The proposed deal will eliminate fierce competition between Kroger and Albertsons, leading to higher prices for groceries and other essential household items for millions of Americans," the FTC said in February.

Spokesperson Dana Ward said the decision to close the locations in Baltimore and Chatham was "in no way related to our proposed merger with Kroger."

The grocer has 15 other Kings Food Markets located in New Jersey, which include stores in Boonton, Florham Park, Mendham, and Morristown.

"Closing a store is always a tough decision," the statement from Kings said. "Our focus remains on growing our business, which sometimes involves reinvesting resources into existing stores and exploring potential new locations. We look forward to continuing to provide our customers with clean, fresh, full, and friendly shopping experiences.

"Associates who are interested in remaining with the company will have the opportunity to be reassigned to open positions at nearby stores," the company continued. "Our Labor and Human Resources teams will be working diligently with each affected associate to attempt to find other work that is consistent with the applicable law or labor agreement."