Kohl's Food Stores
 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (Grocery) |
| Founded | 1946inMilwaukee, Wisconsin,U.S. |
| Founder | Maxwell Kohl |
| Defunct | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin,U.S. |
Area served | Wisconsin |
| Parent | Independent(1946 - 1972) British American Tobacco(1972 - 1982) A&P(1982 - 2003) |
| Website | Archived official websiteat theWayback Machine(archived 2003-06-19) |
Kohl’s Food Storeswas a Milwaukee-areagrocery storechain and subsidiary ofThe Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company.[1]Kohl’s Food Stores distribution center was located inWaukesha,[2]while its management offices were located inMilwaukee,Wisconsin.
History
[edit]Early history
[edit]Maxwell Kohl, who had operated traditional grocery stores since 1927, built his firstsupermarketin 1946, the first in what would become a southeastern Wisconsin chain known asKohl'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 inBrookfield, 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
[edit]In 1972, theBritish American TobaccoCompany'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 andHerb Kohl,continued to manage the company. Herb Kohl left the management in 1979,[7]eventually becoming aUnited States senatorand owner of theMilwaukee Bucks.The firm then expanded Kohl's presence from 10 to 39 stores in Wisconsin. The grocery stores were sold toA&Pin 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]Jewelwas rumored to buy Kohl's, but that deal fell through. TheMadisonarea stores were sold toRoundy's.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Daykin, Tom (June 13, 2002)."1st Kohl's supermarket to be next Lena's".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon June 28, 2002.
- ^"Distribution Center"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 15, 2011.RetrievedMay 13,2010.
- ^Daykin, Tom (June 13, 2002)."1st Kohl's supermarket to be next Lena's".Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.Archived fromthe originalon June 28, 2002.
- ^"Kohl's Q4 2013 FactBook".Kohl's.RetrievedMay 25,2014.
- ^Stafford, Roger A. (October 28, 1972)."Kohl Buyer Provides Backing for Growth".Milwaukee Sentinel.p. 6, Part 2 – viaGoogle News.
- ^"Control of Kohl Corp. Sold To British-American Unit".The Wall Street Journal.October 30, 1972. p. 15.ProQuest133697361.
- ^"Kohl Family to Drop Ties to the Kohl Unit Of BAT Industries Ltd".Wall Street Journal.May 2, 1979. p. 41.ProQuest134433809.
- ^"A. & P. to Acquire Kohl's From Batus".The New York Times.August 16, 1983.
- ^"Batus Food unit acquired by A&P".WWD.Vol. 146, no. 63. September 29, 1983. p. 8.ProQuest1445624941.
A&P Wednesday finalized its purchase of Kohl Food Stores, Milwaukee-based division of Batus Retail Division.
- ^"Local Kohl's Food Stores up for sale; Copps buys Madison stores".Milwaukee Business Journal.February 25, 2003.
- ^Kohl's Q4 2013 FactBook.Kohl's. p. 6.RetrievedMay 25,2014.
- ^"A&P to close area Kohl's Food Stores".Milwaukee Business Journal.June 13, 2003.