Ukrop's Sale Closes; Changes in Store

By Amber Lester Monday, February 08, 2010

Several of the features that distinguished Ukrop’s will disappear later this spring, when the stores will open for business on Sundays, sell beer and wine and most significantly, become MARTIN’S.

Ahold USA announced Monday its purchase of Ukrop’s Super Markets by its Giant-Carlisle division is complete. The 25 Ukrop’s stores, located in Richmond and Williamsburg, will become MARTIN’S stores this spring. In December, Giant’s parent company Royal Ahold announced it would purchase the chain and its inventory and equipment for about $140 million.

Ahold hired all the 3,600 store-level associates and some personnel in the Richmond headquarters to help with the transition, according to spokesperson Tracy Pawelski. The employees were offered a “very competitive benefits package,” she said, and were able to keep their original Ukrop’s hire date as their start of employment.

“We’re very excited; we have well-seasoned store teams who run their stores exceptionally well,” she said.

MARTIN’S currently operates nine stores in Virginia, many in the Shenandoah Valley. Despite the big changes – opening on Sundays, selling beer and wine – the Ukrop family will still supply Ukrop’s kitchen and bakery products to stores. Pawelski said the company has not decided if the stores will be open 24 hours a day like other MARTIN’S stores in the state. As further changes are made, MARTIN’S will communicate with customers and associates, she said.

“Though the name on the front of the store will change later this spring, customers can expect to find the same friendly store associates including pharmacists,” said Rick Herring, president of the Giant-Carlisle division and operator of MARTIN’S, in a press release.

Before announcing its decision to transition Ukrop’s into MARTIN’S, Ahold gauged the reactions of customers. “Since the sale was announced in December, we have been talking to customers and associates about what they would like to see change and what should remain the same,” Herring said. Regardless of how we’ve received their comments – sometimes in the form of songs and poems – we have been listening to what the community was saying.”

Read more about the Ukrop’s sale here, here and here.