Dillons#Gerbes

{{Short description|Supermarket located in the Midwest and owned by Kroger}}

{{Infobox company

| name = Dillon Companies, Inc.

| logo = Dillons logo.svg

| image =

| image_caption =

| former_name = {{Unbulleted list|J.S. Dillon Cash Store (1913–1917)|Dillon Mercantile Company, Inc (1917–1921)|J.S. Dillon and Sons Company (1921–1968)|Dillons Companies Inc. (1968–1983)}}

| type = Subsidiary

| predecessor = {{plain list|

Sterling General Store (1890–1913)

}}

| foundation = As a general store
{{Start date and age|1890}} in Sterling, Kansas, U.S.
As a grocery store
{{start date and age|1913}} in Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S.

| location = Hutchinson, Kansas, U.S.

| locations = 94

| founder = John S. Dillon

| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Robert G. Miller (chairman, CEO)
B. Kevin Turner
(vice chairman)|Bob Gordon (EVP and general counsel)}}

| industry = Retail / grocery

| products = Bakery, dairy, delicatessen, frozen foods, general grocery, lottery, pharmacy, seafood, produce, meats, snack food, liquor, and salad bar

| services = Supermarket

| area_served = Kansas

| revenue = {{increase}} {{US$|2 billion}} (2021)

| operating_income =

| net_income =

| assets =

| equity =

| num_employees = {{Increase}} 11,500 (2021)

| divisions = {{Plainlist|

}}

| parent = Kroger (1983–present)

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Dillons is a regional grocery supermarket chain based in Hutchinson, Kansas, and is a division of Kroger. Other banners under the Dillon Stores Division include Gerbes in Missouri and Baker's in Omaha, Nebraska. Dillons operates grocery stores throughout Kansas with major influences in and around Wichita, Topeka, Manhattan, and Lawrence. Dillons also operates distribution centers in Goddard and Hutchinson.{{cite web |title=Distribution Contact Page |url=https://www.thekrogerco.com/vendors-suppliers/logistics/distribution-contact-page/ |website=TheKrogerCo.com |publisher=Kroger |date=2017 |access-date=September 30, 2021 }}

History

File:Dillons grocery.png

In 1890, John S. Dillon opened a general store in Sterling, Kansas, and learned that allowing customers to charge then pay later and delivering groceries to their homes was a financial and manpower strain on his business. In 1913, he opened his "J.S. Dillon Cash Store" in Hutchinson, Kansas employed a new marketing concept called cash and carry, where the store would not offer credit or delivery services. Dillon opened a second store in 1915 that he managed then placed his son, Ray E. Dillon, in charge of the original store. In 1917, the company was incorporated under the name "Dillon Mercantile Company, Inc". Due to his sons John and Ray both being overseas in France during World War I, Dillon sold his company to his investment partners, but soon afterward both sons returned. They opened a new store called "J.S. Dillon and Sons Store" in 1919 and incorporated in 1921.{{cite web |url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/dillon-companies-inc-history/ |title=History of Dillon Companies Inc. |website=FundingUniverse.com }}

In 1983, Dillon Companies, Inc., was acquired by The Kroger Company of Cincinnati, Ohio, creating a nationwide grocery chain. Several years later, David Dillon was named Kroger's president and COO and became CEO in 2003. Dillon retired from that position effective January 1, 2014.{{Cite web |url=http://archive.cincinnati.com/article/20130920/BIZ/309200078/Kroger-No-2-become-CEO-Dillon-retires |title=Kroger No. 2 to become CEO as Dillon retires | Cincinnati.com | cincinnati.com |access-date=2014-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140318211841/http://archive.cincinnati.com/article/20130920/BIZ/309200078/Kroger-No-2-become-CEO-Dillon-retires |archive-date=2014-03-18 }}

In 2006, Kroger opened the first Dillons Marketplace in Wichita. The concept, similar to Kroger's Fred Meyer chain, is {{convert|110000|sqft|m2}} of grocery and general merchandise.{{cite web |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail/4441212-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106085646/https://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail/4441212-1.html |title=Dillons Marketplace Format Comes to Kansas |website=AllBusiness.com |date=July 14, 2006 |archive-date=January 6, 2010 |access-date=January 23, 2020 }}

On February 12, 2015, the Dillons pharmacy location in Joplin was shuttered, four years after the Dillons store in Joplin (the only Dillons-branded store outside of Kansas) was destroyed by the 2011 Joplin tornado.{{cite web | url=https://www.joplinglobe.com/news/local_news/dillons-exits-market-with-closing-of-joplin-pharmacy/article_e8d2d5ff-9b12-5193-8f72-3e9af2f0df7a.html | title=Dillons exits market with closing of Joplin pharmacy | date=February 13, 2015 }}

Gerbes

File:Gerbes logo.png

In 1933, Frank J. Gerbes founded Gerbes Super Markets, Inc. in Tipton, Missouri.{{Cite news |last=Knaebel |first=Anna |date=September 4, 2021 |title=Cole County History: Gerbes family launches grocery chain |work=News Tribune |url=https://www.newstribune.com/news/2021/sep/04/Gerbes-family-launches-grocery-chain/ |access-date=August 17, 2023}} The location in Tipton closed in 2007.

In 1966, Gerbes merged with the Dillon Companies and has been a division ever since. As of 2024, Kroger currently operates four stores under the Gerbes banner in Mid-Missouri.{{cite web |title=Store Locator |url=https://www.gerbes.com/stores/grocery?selectedIndex=Missouri|website=Gerbes.com |publisher=Kroger |access-date=March 27, 2024 }}