Kohl’s Food Stores
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryRetail (Grocery)
Founded1946 (1946) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
FounderMaxwell Kohl
Defunct2003 (2003)
HeadquartersMilwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Area served
Wisconsin
ParentIndependent (1946 - 1972)
British American Tobacco (1972 - 1982)
A&P (1982 - 2003)
WebsiteArchived official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 2003-06-19)

Kohl’s Food Stores was a Milwaukee-area grocery store chain and subsidiary of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company.[1] Kohl’s Food Stores distribution center was located in Waukesha,[2] while its management offices were located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

History

Early history

Maxwell Kohl, who had operated traditional grocery stores since 1927, built his first supermarket in 1946, the first in what would become a southeastern Wisconsin chain known as Kohl's Food Stores.[3] In September 1962, after building Kohl's Food Stores into the largest supermarket chain in the Milwaukee area, Kohl opened his first department store in Brookfield, Wisconsin. He positioned Kohl's between the higher-end department stores and the discounters, selling everything from candy to engine oil to sporting equipment.[4]

Sale to A&P and closure

In 1972, the British American Tobacco Company's U.S. retail division, Batus Inc., bought a controlling interest in Kohl's Corporation, which at the time operated 50 grocery stores, six department stores, three drug stores, and three liquor stores.[5][6] The Kohl family, led by Allen Kohl and Herb Kohl, continued to manage the company. Herb Kohl left the management in 1979,[7] eventually becoming a United States senator and owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. The firm then expanded Kohl's presence from 10 to 39 stores in Wisconsin. The grocery stores were sold to A&P in 1983,[8][9] operating under the name Kohl's Food Store, and later Kohl's Food Emporium. In February 2003, A&P put the Kohl's Food Stores up for sale,[10] as part of an effort to reduce debt. That same year, A&P closed all Kohl's Food Stores locations and the Kohl family left remaining management.[11][12] Jewel was rumored to buy Kohl's, but that deal fell through. The Madison area stores were sold to Roundy's.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Daykin, Tom (June 13, 2002). "1st Kohl's supermarket to be next Lena's". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 28, 2002.
  2. ↑ "Distribution Center" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on July 15, 2011. Retrieved May 13, 2010.
  3. ↑ Daykin, Tom (June 13, 2002). "1st Kohl's supermarket to be next Lena's". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on June 28, 2002.
  4. ↑ "Kohl's Q4 2013 FactBook". Kohl's. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  5. ↑ Stafford, Roger A. (October 28, 1972). "Kohl Buyer Provides Backing for Growth". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 6, Part 2 – via Google News.
  6. ↑ "Control of Kohl Corp. Sold To British-American Unit". The Wall Street Journal. October 30, 1972. p. 15. Alternate link via ProQuest.
  7. ↑ "Kohl Family to Drop Ties to the Kohl Unit Of BAT Industries Ltd". Wall Street Journal. May 2, 1979. p. 41. Alternate Link via ProQuest.
  8. ↑ "A. & P. to Acquire Kohl's From Batus". The New York Times. August 16, 1983.
  9. ↑ "Batus Food unit acquired by A&P". WWD. Vol. 146, no. 63. September 29, 1983. p. 8. A&P Wednesday finalized its purchase of Kohl Food Stores, Milwaukee-based division of Batus Retail Division. Link via ProQuest.
  10. ↑ "Local Kohl's Food Stores up for sale; Copps buys Madison stores". Milwaukee Business Journal. February 25, 2003.
  11. ↑ Kohl's Q4 2013 FactBook. Kohl's. p. 6. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  12. ↑ "A&P to close area Kohl's Food Stores". Milwaukee Business Journal. June 13, 2003.
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