Dickinson's only grocery store is closing and residents say it's a big loss

DICKINSON, Texas (KTRK) -- The city of Dickinson's only grocery store is set to close in two months and people in the area tell ABC13 they're not happy.

While neighboring towns like League City have grocery options, nearby neighbors say they like to support stores within their city limits.

"It was kind of a shock," Dickinson resident Scott Shaeffer said. "It's a loss to the employees. It is a loss of tax revenue for the city."

Kroger in a statement tells ABC13 the store's final day of operation will be on June 10. The Kroger company has operated in Dickinson, Texas, for 45 years.

"Sad! Because Dickinson doesn't have grocery stores, I think. I don't know why they're closing, they didn't say why," longtime resident and shopper Darla Hillman said.

The Executive Director of Dickinson Economic Development, David Funk, told ABC13 everyone at the city was stunned to receive the phone call about Kroger pulling out of town.

Eyewitness News asked the Kroger team several times why they decided to close their doors, but they told us they were unable to share specific details and instead directed us to other stores in nearby locations not far from this store.

• 1920 W. League City Parkway, League City, TX 77573

• 2750 E. League City Parkway, League City, TX 77573

• 250 S. FM 270 @ Egret Bay, League City, TX 77573

• 3541 Palmer @ Hwy. 146, Texas City, TX 77590

"It's not hometown," a shopper on Friday afternoon said outside of the store. "Well, I like to shop in Dickinson," Hillman said.

While convenience is top of mind for many, the city says their biggest concern is the loss of jobs because Kroger is a sizeable employer within city limits.

Kroger reps in a statement said all associates will be considered for reassignment to other Kroger locations as outlined in the company's collective bargaining agreement.

"We want to be known as a city moving forward that projects a positive image and open it up to the businesses to come here," Shaffer said.

Funk says part of the reason the city is so surprised with the news is because they have a new development going on right down the street from the existing Kroger store and also a hotel and convention center that is scheduled to break ground this summer.

"To me, this is the time to come into Dickinson, not leave it," Funk said. "Would appreciate the opportunity to try to reverse the decision, but sounds like it's a final decision."

Funk says the property owner of the shopping center has called out to the Kroger company, but they have not been returned.

City reps tell us they're working to find a replacement grocery store to take on the space the Kroger is leaving behind. Funk says there used to be another grocery store in town that shut down during the floods of Hurricane Harvey. He says that the grocery store is called Zieglers and will reopen this summer under new ownership on the east side of Dickinson.

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