Fry's Food and Drug

Infobox_Company
company_name = Fry's Food & Drug Stores of Arizona.
company_
company_type = Grocery
foundation = 1954 (Contra Costa County, California)
location = Tolleson, Arizona
key_people = Jon Flora, Fry's Division President, Ron Parucki, Vice President Retail Operations, Robert Clark, Vice President-Merchandising |Lirk Reinke, MarketPlace Zone Manager, Nicki Shillhahn-Amos, MarketPlace Zone Operations Supervisor num_employees = 20,000
industry = Retail
products = Bakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, general grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks, liquor
parent = Kroger|
homepage = [http://www.frysfood.com/ www.frysfood.com]

Fry's Food & Drug Stores, Inc. is a chain of supermarkets that has a major presence in the state of Arizona. Fry's also operates under the banner of "Fry's Marketplace", a chain of multi-department stores. Fry's is a division of The Kroger Company.

History

Beginnings

Fry's was founded in 1954 by Donald Fry in California. Cite web|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20030511-9999_mz1b11frys.html|title=Sizzling Fry's|accessdate=2006-12-31|year=2003|author=Green, Frank|work=San Diego Union-Tribune : May 11, 2003] With the help of his brother Charles, the store expanded into Arizona in 1960. Fry's was sold in 1972 and after a series of mergers and acquisitions in the 1970s and 1980s became part of Kroger. [ [http://www.progressivegrocer.com/progressivegrocer/firc_new/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001844390 Fry's Supermarkets Founder Donald Fry Dies at 92] , a January 2006 "Progressive Grocer" article]

Fred Meyer and Kroger

On October 19, 1998, Fred Meyer, parent company of Smith's Food and Drug, announced a strategic merger with Kroger [ [http://www.thekrogerco.com/corpnews/corpnewsinfo_pressreleases_10191998.htm KROGER TO MERGE WITH FRED MEYER ...] Press RElease from The Kroger Co.] . On May 27, 1999, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved the merger of the two companies, named The Kroger Co. [ [http://www.thekrogerco.com/corpnews/corpnewsinfo_pressreleases_05271999_2.htm KROGER AND FRED MEYER MERGER APPROVED] Press Release from The Kroger Co.]

Arizona and Texas were the only two of 31 states where there was overlap of stores and brands from the merger. The Kroger Co., choosing to operate with one brand in the market, rebranded most Arizona Smith's Food & Drug Centers to Fry's Food & Drug Stores [cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/business/1999/kroger041399.html|title=Kroger-Fred Meyer deal brings changes in Arizona|author=Cliff Peale|first=Cliff|last=Peale|work=The Cincinnati Post|publisher=E. W. Scripps Company|date=1999-04-13|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050118225227/http://www.cincypost.com/business/1999/kroger041399.html|archivedate=2005-01-18] , though Smith's Food and Drug Centers in Kingman, Bullhead City, and Lake Havasu City did not change [ [http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/1998/12/21/story3.html AZ store decision offers glimpse of Kroger plan] , a December 1998 article from the "Portland Business Journal"] . Fry's Phoenix Distribution Center and offices were moved into the more modern Smith's Food and Drug Distribution Center and Offices in the Phoenix suburb of Tolleson.

Fry's Marketplace

Fry's Marketplace is a multi-department store that offers full-service grocery, pharmacy, Ticketmaster/Ticketron, one-hour photo lab, and general merchandise including outdoor living products, electronics, home goods and toys. Ranging in size from 80,000-105,000 square feet, the Marketplace stores are smaller than the Fred Meyer stores. Fry's Marketplace was derived from the Fred Meyer concept but on a smaller scale and has since expanded to Kroger Columbus, Ohio Division and the Smith's Food & Drug Centers Division in Utah.

Fry's Marketplace started out as Smitty's, Arizona's first multi-department store. Smitty's was similar to a Wal-Mart Supercenter and even had a food court with four branded fast food choices (such as Taco Bell). In 1996, Smitty's merged with Smith's Food and Drug Centers of Salt Lake City. In 1997, After the Fred Meyer-Smith's merger, Fred Meyer updated and revitalized the Smitty's concept and in January 1999, all Smitty's stores were renamed Fred Meyer. During this time, management of the chain changed from Smith's Food and Drug to Fred Meyer. Construction also started on a full sized Fred Meyer store in Phoenix.

In June 2000, Kroger moved the management of Fred Meyer's Arizona stores to Fry's Food and Drug. The Fred Meyer stores were rebranded Fry's Marketplace. The Phoenix Fred Meyer store was completed but never opened and was later demolished as the store was too large for Fry's to use.

Fry's Electronics

Fry's Electronics was founded by the heirs of Fry's Food & Drug Stores and is not affiliated with Kroger.

References