Kohl's Food Stores

Kohl’s Food Stores

Kohl’s Food Stores Logo 2003.webp
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Retail (Grocery)
Founded	1946 (1946) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Founder	Maxwell Kohl
Defunct	Template:End date and age
Headquarters	Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Area served	Wisconsin
Parent	Independent (1946 - 1972) British American Tobacco (1972 - 1982) A&P (1982 - 2003)
Website	Archived official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 2003-06-19)

Kohl’s Food Stores operated as a grocery chain centered in the Milwaukee region and was a subsidiary of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company. The company maintained its distribution facility in Waukesha, while administrative headquarters were situated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Origins

Beginning his career with conventional grocery stores in 1927, Maxwell Kohl launched his inaugural supermarket in 1946. This store marked the start of what eventually expanded into the southeastern Wisconsin chain known as Kohl's Food Stores. By September 1962, after establishing Kohl's Food Stores as the dominant supermarket chain within the Milwaukee vicinity, Kohl inaugurated his first department store located in Brookfield, Wisconsin. His retail concept targeted a market segment positioned between upscale department stores and discount retailers, offering a diverse product range from confectionery to automotive supplies and sporting goods.

Acquisition by A&P and subsequent shutdown

In 1972, Batus Inc., the U.S. retail branch of the British American Tobacco Company, acquired a majority stake in Kohl's Corporation, which then operated 50 grocery outlets, six department stores, three pharmacies, and three liquor shops. The Kohl family, including Allen Kohl and Herb Kohl, remained involved in the company's management. Herb Kohl exited his managerial role in 1979, later pursuing a career as a United States senator and becoming the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. Under Batus's ownership, Kohl's expanded its Wisconsin department store count from 10 to 39 locations. In 1983, the grocery division was sold to A&P, continuing operations under the names Kohl's Food Store and later Kohl's Food Emporium. As part of debt reduction efforts, A&P announced in February 2003 the sale of Kohl's Food Stores. That same year, all Kohl's Food Store locations were closed, and the Kohl family withdrew from management roles. Although Jewel was rumored to be a potential buyer, the transaction did not materialize. Ultimately, the stores in the Madison region were acquired by Roundy's.

See also

• Kohl's

External links

• Archived A&P corporate site