06/13/2023

6 Kroger Stores Evacuated Due to Bomb Threats

Other food retailers across nation experience similar threats

Digital Editor

Six Kroger stores in Ohio and Kentucky were evacuated after bomb threats over the weekend.

Six Kroger stores around Cincinnati and northern Kentucky had to be evacuated June 10-11 because of bomb threats. The threats were all determined to be false alarms, but a Kroger representative said that the retailer is working with local and federal investigators to find the source of the threats.

Targeted stores were in Oakley, Newport, Bellevue, Erlanger, Cold Spring and North College Hill. After all of the stores were cleared by police, employees and customers were allowed back inside.

Police suggest that the threats to Kroger are part of a nationwide hoax that has been going on in recent months.

However, Kroger is not alone in receiving these kinds of threats. On June 12, another reported bomb threat at a supermarket occurred in Newark, Del. The threat prompted the evacuation of a Food Lion in Fairfield Shopping Center.

According to the Newark Post, explosive detection dogs from Newark Police, University of Delaware Police, Delaware State Police and Delaware Natural Resources Police checked the store but did not locate any explosive devices. The store reopened after the 90-minute evacuation.

Meanwhile, Target stores in at least five U.S. states also had to be evacuated over the weekend after receiving bomb threats, which tied into the recent backlash that the company received for its Pride Month merchandise.

The Washington Post reported that local news outlets in parts of Oklahoma, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont and Louisiana received emails from unknown individuals about bomb threats at the stores. Some of the threats accused the retail chain of betraying the LGBTQ+ community after it pulled Pride items from its stores.

Target removed some Pride Month merchandise last month due to concerns about its workers' safety after some employees were confronted by hostile customers who were opposed to the new merchandise.

Cincinnati-based Kroger has almost 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The company is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Salisbury, N.C.-based Food Lion operates more than 1,100 stores with 82,000-plus associates throughout 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states; its parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is No. 10 on The PG 100. Minneapolis-based Target Corp. is No. 6 on The PG 100. PG also named all three companies among its Retailers of the Century.