King Soopers is an American supermarket chain located in the Rocky Mountains of the United States. It started as its own brand, and is now a subsidiary of Kroger. It is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.[2]
King Soopers has a significant presence in the state of Colorado on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. The stores are located along the Front Range from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Pueblo, Colorado. There are also a few locations in the foothills west of Denver and Colorado Springs.[3]
History
Early history
Lloyd J. King opened the first King Soopers with Charles W. Houchens and Robert C. Loury.[4] and [5][6] This location has since been demolished for Arvada's Public Library, built in 2005–06.[7]
The name "King Soopers" was derived from Lloyd's family name and an alternate spelling of the word "super!" from the Archie comics series that one of his two sons, Larry, read.[8] Within the next five years, King Soopers became the first grocery store in the country to open an in-store pharmacy[7] and one of the earliest to have a meat department.[8][7]
Ownership changes
King Soopers grew to several stores[9] in the Denver metro area and Colorado Springs,[10] before being bought out by Dillon Companies in 1957.[11] The original King Soopers location was relocated from Olde Town Arvada to Arvada Plaza.[12][7]
King Soopers' then-parent, Dillon Companies, was bought out by The Kroger Company in 1982–83, and King Soopers and Dillon's are both still owned by Kroger today.[13]
Fresh Fare King Soopers
In 2012, Kroger expanded its Fresh Fare style of supermarkets into the King Soopers brand, opening the first Fresh Fare King Soopers in Englewood, Colorado.[14] This is a concept that first appeared in Kroger as early as 2007[15] and actually seems to have started with Ralphs, another Kroger subsidiary primarily located in California in 1998.[16]
The main idea of Fresh Fare is to be a bit more upscale in that it sells more organic foods while still selling traditional groceries; it follows the themes of the 'Green Grocer' Concept.[17]
King Soopers Marketplace
In 2012, the first King Soopers Marketplace opened,[18] just one year after the first Kroger Marketplace in Texas.[19] As of 2017, there are ten King Soopers Marketplace locations all located in Colorado.[20]
The marketplace concept is based on Fred Meyer stores (which have spawned multiple Marketplace stores under other Kroger banners), and features a wider selection of products besides just food and other necessities.
Modern day
As of June 2025, King Soopers operates 120 locations.[1] All are located in Colorado except for one, located in Cheyenne, Wyoming.[21]
In October 2022, Kroger and major competitor Albertsons announced a merger agreement.[22] That plan has been challenged in court by several states. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser summarized consumer and worker opposition: the merger "would lead to stores closing, higher prices, fewer jobs, worse customer service, and less resilient supply chains.”[23]
External links
References
- King Soopers Grocery Store Locations King Soopers, retrieved 8 June 2025^
- "Our Divisions". Kroger. Retrieved on November 28, 2012. "65 Tejon St. P.O. Box 5567 Denver, CO 80217"^
- King Soopers at 9News Colorado Shares website^
- Charles W. Houchens Obituary (2003) Denver Post Legacy.com, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- Robert C.Loury in November 1947 in Arvada, Colorado. Mr. Loury managed the first two stores and then became part of the management team, retiring in 1972. Robert C. Loury Obituary^
- Michael Roberts. Grocery-workers Union Recalls Soopers' First King Westword, July 14, 2009, retrieved 13 February 2024^
- From Farming Community to Atomic Age Suburb, Historic Building Survey of Olde Town Arvada and the Allendale and Alta Vista Neighborhoods 24 March 2015, retrieved 3 August 2021^
- Shanna Lewis. Where Did The 'Sooper' In The King Soopers Name Come From? Colorado Public Radio, January 14, 2019, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- Dave Jensen. How King Soopers Became Colorado's Largest Grocery Chain Retro 102.5, March 2, 2021, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- Master Grocer. King Soopers Grocery.com, 2011-02-20, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- A King Soopers grocery store in Boulder had an active shooter kill 10 people, here's who owns the chain and who of the chain is meaww.com, March 23, 2021, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- Lloyd King COLORADO BUSINESS HALL OF FAME, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- Kroger to Acquire Dillon, a Retailer The New York Times, 1982-11-16, retrieved 2021-08-03^
- King Soopers' Fresh Fare market highlights Kent Place development The Denver Post, 2012-12-11, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- Kroger expands with biggest 'Fresh Fare' store The Herald-Dispatch, November 15, 2008, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- Ralphs' Fresh Fare Stores Exceeding Firm's Expectations Los Angeles Times, 1998-12-24, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- 1st [Atlanta] 'green' Kroger planned www.bizjournals.com, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- King Soopers bringing a king-sized grocery to Colorado Springs area Evergreen Devco Inc., 2015-10-14, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- Kassia Micek. First Kroger Marketplace in Montgomery County opens in Willis The Courier, 2011-08-12, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- 'Sooper-sized' King Soopers opening in Colorado Springs KKTV, August 8, 2017, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- King Soopers · 3702 Dell Range Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82009 King Soopers · 3702 Dell Range Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82009, retrieved 2021-08-04^
- Kroger and Albertsons Companies Announce Definitive Merger Agreement www.prnewswire.com, retrieved 2024-02-14^
- Tamara Chuang. Colorado AG sues to block merger between parent companies of King Soopers and Safeway The Colorado Sun, 2024-02-14, retrieved 2024-02-14^