Oldest Grocery Chain in US Has 31 Locations in Illinois – For Now

If the age of a grocery store matters to you, you'll be happy to know that the oldest chain in America still has 31 locations in Illinois now, but there are changes happening.

There's an interesting history of grocery stores that just got shared by Cheapism. It documents the oldest chains in the United States and the oldest of them all still currently maintains 31 locations in Illinois.

What is the oldest grocery chain in Illinois?

Answer - Kroger. The official Kroger website shows there are 31 locations in Illinois in 25 different cities. It was born as a brand in Cincinnati, Ohio way back in 1883.

Wait. Isn't Ralph's in California the oldest grocery chain?

It is true that Ralph's was born in California in 1873, a full 10 years before Kroger, but Ralph's became a part of the Kroger company a few years ago. So, technically Kroger is still the oldest grocery chain in America and definitely the oldest east of the Mississippi.

But, changes are happening at Kroger and it's possible those 31 locations will not be around forever...

There is a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons that could change the company's profile forever. As of this date, they are going to court over Kroger allegedly not securing regulatory approval before the proposed merger. IF the merger were to be approved, both chains say they will sell some stores which means some or many of the Illinois Kroger stores could become something else entirely.

I find it interesting that the oldest grocery chain in Illinois is the one that might be changing the most in the near future.